YEP!: Young Energy People!
The YEP! project aimed to increase the sustainability of energy use and promote rational use of energy in schools and workplaces through an educational programme focusing on energy management skills.
The information and training of students in energy efficiency, energy saving, renewable energy sources and climate change is an important factor for creating well-informed and responsible future energy consumers. Therefore, the European Union, and the member-states individually, highly promote energy-environmental education and relevant projects in schools at all education levels.
The YEP (Young Energy People) project was one of these. Through an educational programme designed to teach secondary school pupils (aged 14-18) about practical energy management skills and their application to schools and workplaces, it aimed to increase the sustainability of energy use, promote renewable energy sources and rational use of energy and reduce the associated carbon emissions in schools and workplaces, resulting in more sustainable communities. The project also aimed to highlight how energy-related skills potentially link to future careers.
The project work took place in eight European regions. In each region the participant schools formed a School Energy Management Team (SEMT) of pupils, which was trained in the basic skills of surveying the energy situation of their school building and, on the basis of their observations, instigated a programme of improvements. Next, the SEMT visited nearby workplaces, where the pupils could apply their knowledge in a real-life context. This process aimed to increase general awareness of energy use and efficiency measures among pupils, teachers and workplace staff, with the additional benefit of introducing pupils to the possibilities for future careers in the field of sustainable energy.
The pupil programme was supported by quality resources developed on the basis of a review of existing good practices and also a study of the current educational context of sustainable energy education in each partner country before the project implementation.
Basic information
- Energy Agency of Plovdiv, Bulgaria
- Agenzia Energetica della Provincia di Livorno, Italy
- Agenzia per l’Energia e l’Ambiente della Provincia di Perugia, Italy
- Energieberatung Prenzlauer Berg e.V., Germany
- Region of Crete - Regional Energy Agency Crete, Greece
- Agència Energètica de la Ribera, Spain
- Energikontor Sydost, Sweden
www.youngenergypeople.com (European work)
www.swea.co.uk/proj_YEPIndex.shtml (UK work and Subsequent replication phases)
YEP! gave an opportunity to gain understanding of the status of energy education throughout secondary schools in Europe and to evaluate the impacts of the project. The Baseline Evaluation Report presents the findings of evaluation of teacher confidence and understanding, students’ knowledge, consumption patterns in schools and available resources. At the end of the project a similar assessment structure was applied to provide a final evaluation of the project’s achievements.
Underpinning this final report, more detailed analysis of the results of energy efficiency campaigns in schools, energy efficiency campaigns in workplaces and a summary report of the similarities and contrasts in approach across the European context were produced.
Also, the lessons learned from the experience were collected, and presented in the Framework documents, along with case studies of best-practice schools.
The main deliverables of the project are available at
http://www.youngenergypeople.com/project's-deliverables.aspx
YEP! developed educational resources for schools, on the basis of a review of existing good practices. The resources include materials such as a school info pack, an energy book for teachers, and energy audits for different kinds of buildings.
The resources are presented by each project partner in the local language at
http://www.youngenergypeople.com/project's-deliverables/educational-resources.aspx
YEP! produced also manuals to help to implement the project activities in the local environment:
http://www.youngenergypeople.com/project's-deliverables/local-engagement.aspx