In the first cycle of workshops for children and young people as part of the “Waste is not garbage” project of the City of Split and Association Sunce Split, four thematic workshops intended for preschool and school age were held. Brda and Gripe Elementary schools, the School for Design, Graphics and Sustainable Construction and the Magic Pianino Varoš Kindergarten participated in the workshops. At all workshops, children and students were presented four sub-topics of the project through various educational methods: prevention of waste generation, separate collection of municipal waste, home composting of waste and reuse of objects.

Students from Brda Elementary School and the School for Design, Graphics and Sustainable Construction participated in the same workshops, which were thematically divided into three parts. In the premises of the Association Sunce, they could see what an example of good practice in handling waste looks like. They were presented with containers for separate waste collection, as well as the home composter Organko. They also had the opportunity to answer the questions: “What problems do you see in handling waste in Dalmatia?” and “What are the causes and consequences of these problems.”

The second part of the workshop included a visit to the Karepovac waste disposal site and recycling yard, where students had the opportunity to learn what a recycling yard is and how it works in the city of Split.

Pupils from Elementary School Brda visited the composting site that their peers from Elementary School Kamen Šine take care of. Under the leadership of the external associate of the Association Sunce Dada Lerotić, all participants of the workshop, together with older colleagues from the School of Design, Graphics and Sustainable Construction, participated in the construction of a school compost bin in Brda Elementary School.

As part of the same project, workshops were held at Gripe Elementary School and Čarobni Pianino Varoš Kindergarten, adapted for younger ages. Through educational games, children learned how to properly separate household waste, and through making jellyfish from plastic bags, they became aware of the importance of reducing the use of single-use plastics. Through the “Eco-memory” game, they could see how waste affects the life of sea animals, and they learned many interesting things through playing within ecosystems.

After the workshops for children and young people, a workshop was held for their teachers. Educators from the Association Sunce presented the project and four sub-themes of the project, as well as the programs of workshops for children. Also, they were presented with the Action Plan for the circular economy of the European Union and the measures planned in it, as well as the connection of these measures with the objectives of the Waste Management Plan of the Republic of Croatia, so that through the workshop they could gain a broader knowledge of the topic of waste management. Teachers and educators were given teaching materials for working with children, which include a manual with participatory work methods and educational programs on the topic of waste, adapted to preschool and school age.

We will continue with new workshops for children and young people and their teachers in autumn. Follow us again in the new school year.