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Initiative

Sustainable Greek School

Sustainable Greek School
SUBMITTED FROM:

ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΕΤΑΙΡΕΙΑ Περιβάλλοντος και Πολιτισμού

ELLET –a non profit NGO– has since 1972 been active in the fight for the preservation of the natural environment and our cultural heritage, bringing together volunteers, scientists, sponsors, members and friends all over Greece. 

 

Read more: www.ellet.gr



Objective Action

The program "SUSTAINABLE GREEK SCHOOL - (AES)" aims to transform the Greek school into a sustainable one. The sustainable school aims at the cooperation of those involved in the educational community for a better life on the planet, for the promotion of culture, for the formation of active citizens with the aim of protecting the environment and sustainable development.

 

Target Audience

Educational community

 

Duration

The program has been implemented since 2013 and unfolds in two-year cycles, in order to give a school time to organize, shape the appropriate participatory climate, design an action plan and execute it.


Description

The Hellenic Society for Environment and Culture coordinates a network of schools through the AES program. The program is approved by the Ministry of Education and promotes the philosophy of sustainable development.

To achieve the main purpose, it supports schools and teachers with:

  • The reinforcement of teachers, through educational guides, educational meetings and seminars.
  • Strengthening schools with expertise, through partnerships with specialized agencies that provide free information on technical issues related to the ecological management of natural resources and the transformation of school infrastructure in accordance with the principles of sustainable development.

In particular, the A.E.S. is based on 8 pillars that aim to fully lead the school towards Sustainability, which are as follows:

  • 1st Pillar - Democracy and participation:

Through the program we try to motivate schools to include students in decision-making related to school life and to develop a climate of democracy and inclusion of all students without discrimination. In most schools, this is achieved through the introduction of voting for decision-making, students taking initiatives and submitting proposals on issues that concern or interest them.

  • 2nd Pillar- Learning Promotion:

The sustainable school as an evolving learning organization forms a framework of experiential pedagogy and active learning. In this context, ICT is used in most schools, participation in experiential programs, research in the field, use of experiential teaching techniques. The aim is to promote learning through entertainment and play.

  • 3rd Pillar- Promotion of arts and culture:

A sustainable school takes care to include in its programs the exploration and its connection with the cultural capital of its region. With this aim, many of the schools create artistic groups, participate in cultural festivals, visit theaters, archaeological sites and museums and integrate artistic approaches into the curriculum lessons.

  • 4th Pillar- Sustainable building and yard:

Through this sustainability pillar, improving the functionality of school buildings is promoted through the adoption of environmentally friendly technologies and the creation of green spaces that allow students to experience the natural world and biodiversity. Most of the participating schools have created courtyard gardens. Within the framework of the actions of the pillar, some school buildings have been upgraded in terms of energy.

  • 5th Pillar- Energy saving / travel policy:

However, in addition to saving energy through the bioclimatic interventions in the building, a large contribution to the reduction of the ecological footprint on the planet is the reduction of energy consumption in the daily life of the school. The schools of the program promote carpooling in transportation to and from school, train students and teachers on energy saving and RES. Especially since this year, more importance was given to the issue of climate change and many schools connected this issue with the rational use of energy.

  • 6th Pillar-Conservation of resources:

The sustainable school becomes a model for managing natural resources such as water and materials (paper, inks) and reducing their consumption. Those involved take care to reduce water consumption, reuse water and support the urban water cycle. At the same time, most schools have installed recycling bins for paper, batteries, light bulbs, etc. The effort of some schools to establish composting at school is noteworthy.

  • 7th Pillar- Health promotion at school:

Within the framework of the pillar, psychological support programs operate in some schools. Many schools have emphasized the importance of healthy eating by having nutrition and obesity prevention programs and offering healthy snacks in their cafeterias. In addition, there are visits from health experts to inform students about germs, oral hygiene, the importance of exercise, etc.

  • 8th Pillar- From the local to the planetary scale:

The connection of the school with important cultural and environmental issues of the place where its students live enriches the educational process, connects them with the local community and provides them with the possibility to act to improve their quality of life. We encourage teachers to participate with their school in actions that concern and include the local community. Many schools already participate in voluntary actions such as reforestation, coastal cleaning, etc. Many schools under this pillar deal with issues such as poverty, human rights, migration and climate change. Finally, promotion of the actions through participation in school networks, festivals and competitions is encouraged. Three of the schools participating in the program this year were awarded in the Bravo schools competition for the best educational approaches and another four were distinguished for the best entries by objective.


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Impact on Society

Since the beginning of the program, 246 schools have been registered so far. In the 2018-2019 school year we received activity reports from 49 schools.

The feedback we receive is mainly descriptive which helps us understand the needs of the school community and accordingly adjust our programs to better meet them. Of course the data is there if requested.

The most frequent school actions within the program are:

  • Involving students in the decision-making process.
  • Creation of school gardens.
  • Organizing recycling programs (paper, plastic, batteries, light bulbs, etc.).
  • Improvement of school infrastructure.
  • Spreading messages about environmental protection and sustainability to the local community.

The reports we receive from the schools indicate that the implementation of activities within the program contributed to the students becoming more responsible and creative, engaged in subjects that interest them and improved their socialization.



Initiative Location

Schools throughout Greece.


Working with Organization

246 public and private schools of all levels


Workers Participation

The implementation of the program requires the cooperation of workers who coordinate the program, volunteers who make up the pedagogical-scientific team and teachers of the participating schools.


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Benefits for Οrganization

The feedback we receive helps us understand the needs of the school community and adjust our programs accordingly to better meet them.




Connection with Global Goals






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