Sunce provides educational services for preschool children, elementary and high school students. The main guiding principle of these educational activities for children is introducing them to environmentally responsible principles for everyday life. Sunce also organizes educational programs for citizens, where they are introduced to sustainable resource management practices, the importance of preserving natural ecosystems and they are encouraged to actively participate in environmental protection.
Successful implementation of responsible waste management at Kadujica Kindergarten
We completed the training of educators from Kadujica Kindergarten, Okrug Gornji, which we began at the end of 2023, in May 2024. As part of the educational program Responsible Waste Management, Sunce conducted ten workshops where the educators were introduced to environmentally responsible practices within the institution in the areas of energy and water consumption, waste management, green transportation and procurement.
As a final activity within the service and in celebration of the kindergarten’s anniversary, we organized a Swap Fair. The goal of this event is to develop civic awareness, especially among children, about the importance of circulating resources and goods, rather than unnecessary accumulation of items and the creation of waste.
IKEA & Sunce workshops
As part of its sustainability initiative, the IKEA Planning Studio in Split organized a series of workshops for children in collaboration with Sunce. Four workshops have been conducted, with the first one focusing on the theme Waste – Reduce and Reuse. Participants have learnt about the differences between recycling, waste separation and waste reduction. They also expressed their opinions on environmental awareness in the city. The second workshop, Ecology at Home, was ideal for learning about the most common toxins found in our households. Participants made eco-friendly cleaning products from natural ingredients (essential oils, vinegar, and distilled water).
During the workshop Waste – Recycling, we reviewed options for waste separation at the local level and participants learned about the impact of improperly managed waste on the environment, the benefits of composting and proper waste sorting. In the workshop for children, we focused on utilizing waste materials to creatively make new items.
Make a Difference, Repurpose Plastic at City Center One
To mark Earth Day, Sunce conducted educational children’s workshops on marine ecosystem protection, organized by City Center One and supported by Slobodna Dalmacija. Children learnt in an engaging way about the marine ecosystem and marine life, as well as the challenges faced by the underwater world today. In addition to the theoretical component, there was also a workshop on making jellyfish from plastic bags and plant containers from plastic bottles and pressed flowers. The children could display their plastic creations on a display board or take them home as souvenirs.
Waste Management Workshop Service in Orebić
At the beginning of June organized by the Municipality of Orebić, we held four workshops: for preschool children, primary school children, educational staff and citizens as part of the public forum Waste Visible from the Windows, where we focused on waste management with an emphasis on composting. At Orebić Elementary School and Orebić Kindergarten, we made compost in jars and conveyed knowledge about and the topic of utilizing organic waste to the youngest participants through hands-on activities. The children will be able to monitor and record the changes in the compost over the next month and then use the compost themselves.
Educational events for the youngest in Podgora, Stari Grad on Hvar, Supetar on Brač and Marina
In 2024, Sunce conducted eco-activities organized by the Tourist Board of Split-Dalmatia County and supported by Slobodna Dalmacija I Love Sea project, aimed at children and all interested citizens.
Children had the opportunity to watch a play about saving a noble pen shell and to draw and color worksheets on the theme of marine biodiversity, with a focus on seagrass and threats to the marine ecosystem. Sunce also presented games such as Little Bird, Don’t Be Angry, Marine Food Web and Fishing Game. The process of counting microplastics in a sand sample using a magnifying glass was also demonstrated. Special attention was given to local fishermen, who shared their fishing knowledge on hook tying. Children had the chance to try tying hooks themselves and later, to participate in fishing.
Educational workshops Marine Ecosystem and the Threats It Faces
One of Sunce’s ongoing missions is to provide knowledge and the latest information needed to understand environmental and nature protection issues, as well as the key causes of environmental degradation at both local and global levels. Encouraging behavioral change and proactive individual action is a fundamental component of all educational activities conducted by Sunce. All educational programs address current topics, use contemporary literature and employ participatory teaching methods.
Recently, the conservation of marine ecosystems became an increasingly important topic. The Adriatic Sea, although it accounts for only 4.6% of the total Mediterranean Sea area, has exceptionally high ecological value. However, it faces numerous challenges, including climate change, tourism, fishing, maritime traffic and hydrocarbon exploitation. Rising sea temperatures, changes in salinity and the presence of non-native species are becoming more frequent phenomena.
To bring this topic closer to children, we have designed an educational program called Marine Ecosystem and the Threats It Faces. The program consists of an introductory section where students use a participatory method to learn about the concept of an ecosystem and everything that constitutes a marine ecosystem. In the central part of the workshop, through interactive games and audiovisual materials, children learn about the threats, who causes them, how they develop and how they affect marine ecosystems. With their busy hands and minds, there’s no room for boredom! In the concluding part of the workshop, a reflective method is used to understand what we have learned and how we can contribute to the preservation of these fragile, yet exceptionally important, ecosystems.
We are pleased that teachers in our schools are aware of the importance of this topic. We conducted three workshops for primary school students at schools Manuš, Split 3 and Kamešnica. We thank the teachers and students for their trust and look forward to new collaborations!