Eco-Messengers Training Course
From 14 to 21st of June 2009, the Vlahi Ecocentre Nature School hosted the Eco-Messenger Training course organized by CVS-Bulgaria. The training gathered 16 participants from 8 SCI branches or partners from Bulgaria, France, Macedonia, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia and Spain, 2 trainers and 3 people for the support team.
The course aimed to train young people as “eco-messengers,” able to create and to lead workshops on environmental topics in the frame of voluntary activities of their organization and acting as multipliers in their community.
The objectives were:
- improve knowledge of environmental issues;
- develop skills in communication and education;
- exchange ideas about different issues and approaches that countries have;
- explore the role that youth can play in promoting environmental education;
- build up solidarity between eco-messengers and develop a network.
The overall view of the training is rather very positive, with good feedback from the participants. According to their evaluation, we can say that in general the objectives of the training were reached.
A result of the training is the creating of a DVD – Eco-Messengers Resource Pack – containing educational materials and information concerning ecological topics, as well as ideas about different activities for the eco-messengers.