BULGARIA – SERBIA IPA CROSS-BORDER PROGRAMME

The training started on 24 th June, 2013 in Surdulica (the Republic of Serbia), where, within a five-day period, up to 28 th June, 2013, participants got information from the field of ecology, acquired basic facilitation skills as well as some basic knowledge about the development of peer education program. The training consisted of teaching the basic knowledge about ecology, pollution and environmental protection. It was carried out through workshops, whereas young educators had the opportunity to directly face the problems of pollution and get some information about the residents` attitudes towards the environment .

Young educators were provided with the training for the development of necessary skills for the mobilization of the local community, facilitation, planning work program, communication, providing funds and problem solving. The training was carried out in Tran (The Republic of Bulgaria) and it lasted three days, from 03.07.2013 to 05.07.2013. The training was lead by two experts who gave the young educators all the necessary knowledge about ecology based on the interactive skills and facilitation skills.

The Ecocamp took place between the period from 15 July until 19 July 2013. The Camp was a unique possibility for young people to realize their ideas on the environmental protection in the creative workshops. The camp subject is biology. It was organized by 40 young educators from Serbia and Bulgaria, 10 facilitators and volunteers. The camp gave a chance to young people to achieve the knowledge in the field of ecology and natural environment as well as the talking to people in person about different problems such as the possibility of facilitation, the recognition of the ecological problems in the natural area etc.

As young educators achieved knowledge in the field of ecology and developed communication skills during the period between September and October in Surdulica and Tran, 24 workshops were organized in the primary and secondary schools under the surveillance of tutors and assistants. The aim of the workshops was to give a chance to young people to keep in touch with nature, to understand the importance of natural protection and to identify the problems of nature pollution in local area. The 6 activities were organized in Surdulica and Tran - one of them had the aim of promoting the importance of protected natural area and involving the people in active protection of natural surroundings by undertaking a survey among the local people.