Archives: Novice

14 September 2023 – In the framework of the Prometheus project, whose main objective is to empower employees through proven work-life balance measures, the project partners have thoroughly explored topics that have a key impact on the work and well-being of employees in today’s work environment.

Modern companies recognise the need for innovative approaches to organising working time that allow for a better work-life balance while increasing employee productivity and creativity. These changes include the “right to disconnect”, the possibility to work remotely and flexible working hours, which together create a highly supportive working environment.

The Right to Disconnect

Employees have the right to completely disconnect from work-related responsibilities outside of their official working hours. This freedom allows employees to recharge, improve their mental health, and develop creative ideas. As a result, motivation and job satisfaction levels rise, making an important contribution to a healthier and more productive working environment.

Remote Work Options

Modern technologies enable companies to offer their employees the possibility to work remotely. This approach not only promotes flexibility, but also allows employees to use their working hours more efficiently. This improves productivity and enables a better work-life balance.

Flexible Working Hours

The use of flexible working hours, including flextime, adaptable shifts, and individual schedules, is becoming more and more common in the modern business world. This allows employees greater control over their working hours and better adaptation to their needs. Consequently, job satisfaction and employee performance increase, benefiting both the company and individuals.

Although there are challenges, such as improved communication between colleagues and the prevention of burnout, this change in the working environment is promising. It not only strengthens the power of the modern workforce but also enhances diversity and harmony in the workplace. It is a step forward in building healthier, more productive and sustainable organisations that can adapt to the challenges of the modern business world.

The Prometheus project, supported by the funds of the Norway Grants, involves the American Chamber of Commerce – AmCham Slovenia as the project promoter, and project partners including IPES – Institute for Gender Equality Maribor, Merkur, Riko, Knauf Insulation, the Public Scholarship, Development, Disability, and Maintenance Fund of the Republic of Slovenia, A1 Slovenia, AMZS, the Department of Sociology at the Faculty of Arts (University of Maribor), and the Norwegian Automotive Foundation.

You are also welcome to visit the PROMETHEUS online platform.

Source: ZJSRS

13 September 2023 – The partners of the PoMP project, which is supported by the Norway Grants, have launched activation of young people. In a pilot start-up event, young people strengthened some key competences for lifelong learning by developing entrepreneurial ideas. One of these is the entrepreneurial competence, which is becoming one of the core competences for lifelong learning in the forthcoming overhaul of the curricula in Slovenian primary and secondary education.

On Wednesday, 6 September 2023, the project partners, together with teachers/mentors and students from the School of Economics, Tourism and Agriculture Ptuj (ŠETK), carried out a start-up challenge. Together with students they searched for ideas and developed them into entrepreneurial ideas. The students will present or pitch their business idea in front of an audience and a jury. The best ones will go on to the Pitch Festival, which will take place in 2024.

The activation of students in the PoMP project will significantly contribute to the training of teachers because teachers will achieve deep learning of entrepreneurship competence through experiential learning, enabling them to work independently even after the project concludes. Furthermore, activation is even more critical for young people themselves because, through experiential learning within project entrepreneurial events, they will strengthen their entrepreneurship competence, improve their attitude toward entrepreneurship, enhance their entrepreneurial self-efficacy, and increase their entrepreneurial intentions.

PoMP Academy for primary and secondary school teachers/mentors

The purpose of the PoMP Academy, a new service in the Slovenia, is to equip teachers/mentors for advisory and mentoring roles with young individuals in the field of entrepreneurship and enterprise. The PoMP programme comprises a set of practical tools and contemporary methodologies for teaching entrepreneurship and enterprise to young people, with concurrent use of the PoMP interactive handbook. One of the innovations of this training was the introduction of pre-training in an online classroom. Project partners of PoMP developed content-rich materials on entrepreneurship, divided into 8 modules, covering the full spectrum of knowledge required for effective teaching of entrepreneurial subjects in schools.

Within the project, each of the 5 Slovenian project partners will conduct a PoMP Academy. For instance, in August, the PoMP Academy, organized by the Development Center Novo Mesto, was attended by 21 teachers from 10 primary and 3 secondary schools from Novo Mesto and the surrounding area. The online training was complemented by hands-on practical sessions at the Podbreznik Entrepreneurship Incubator. There, teachers engaged in exercises and workshops to deepen their understanding of business model elements, with a particular emphasis on the importance of empathy in the development of business ideas.

More about the PoMP project

The project “Supporting Youth in Entrepreneurship – PoMP” is carried out by five Slovenian partners (ZRS Bistra Ptuj, Primorski Technological Park, Development Center Novo Mesto, Technological Park Ljubljana, and Saša Incubator) and the Norwegian partner, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). Its purpose is to establish a comprehensive and sustainable supportive environment that encourages Slovenian primary and secondary school students to search for entrepreneurial ideas, develop business models, and provides them with the necessary entrepreneurial knowledge to enhance their entrepreneurial competence. We have created the PoMP Academy to assist teachers and a nationwide network of supporting institutions.

The project aims to achieve two primary objectives: (1) enhancing the entrepreneurial competencies of teachers/mentors to improve their professional and pedagogical skills in teaching entrepreneurship, and (2) increasing entrepreneurial competencies among young individuals, thereby strengthening their prospects for employment or self-employment.

The main target groups are: (1) students, (2) their teachers/mentors, (3) principals, (4) project partner staff who will improve their entrepreneurial competence during the project, (5) support and educational institutions, and (6) interested individuals who will join the supportive network with the aim of providing long-term support to young people, especially in less dynamic environments.

Source: the PoMP project and Novo mesto Development Centre

12 September 2023 – Regional cooperation plays a pivotal role in fostering collaboration, sharing resources, and providing enhanced opportunities for young individuals. Within the framework of the EEA and Norway Grants, the BeeConSel project – Joint Effort for Honey Bee Conservation and Selection is poised to contribute significantly to the upskilling of young beekeepers by recognizing them as one of the target groups and involving them in the project.

Through the implementation of self-sustainable mating control, the BeeConSel project offers a cutting-edge system that enables stakeholders, including queen breeders and beekeepers, to access advanced breeding techniques. This innovative approach enhances the efficiency of breeding programs, enabling selection for crucial traits such as disease tolerance, behaviour, and honey yield. By participating in the project, young beekeepers gain access to these opportunities, empowering them to improve the quality and productivity of their local honey bee populations.

Through the project, the young beekeepers are provided with unique opportunities to expand their knowledge and skills in various aspects of beekeeping and honey bee conservation. Through workshops such as Estimation breeding values in honey bees, Instrumental insemination, and Observation of honey bees’ nuptial flights, young beekeepers had delved into advanced techniques and gain hands-on experience. The workshops also served as dynamic platforms for young beekeepers to interact with experts and fellow enthusiasts. Through these collaborative learning environments, participants not only gain knowledge but also forge valuable connections and networks within the beekeeping community. These professional relationships extend beyond the workshop settings, creating long-lasting collaborations and mentorship opportunities for young beekeepers.

The collaboration between researchers and beekeepers nurtures a symbiotic relationship where scientific knowledge meets practical experience. By being an active part of this network, young beekeepers gain access to mentorship, guidance, and support from experienced professionals, fuelling their own growth and development. This collaborative approach ensures the sustainability of the project’s outcomes and fosters a community of passionate and skilled beekeepers.

One of the key aspects of regional cooperation in the BeeConSel project is the sharing of resources. The project establishes a collaborative environment for researchers and beekeepers by pooling together expertise, knowledge, and infrastructure. This synergy allows young beekeepers to tap into a vast network of professionals, thereby expanding their own knowledge and skills. The shared resources also facilitate the dissemination of best practices, enabling young beekeepers to learn from successful breeding programs and adapt them to their local contexts. The project acts as a catalyst for the exchange of ideas and experiences, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement.

The BeeConSel project’s focus on breeding programs and the improvement of local honey bee populations contributes significantly to the conservation of these vital insects. By selection for traits such as disease tolerance, behaviour, and honey yield, the project ensures a higher survival rate for local honey bees. This, in turn, enhances the viability and resilience of the ecosystem services provided by honey bees. Young beekeepers who actively engage in the project become ambassadors for the conservation of local honey bee populations. By recognizing and accepting the improved local stock, they contribute to the long-term sustainability of these populations and preserve the delicate balance of ecosystems.

Through their active involvement, these passionate individuals become stewards of conservation, ensuring the recognition and acceptance of improved local stock by the beekeeping community. The BeeConSel project not only addresses the challenges faced by honey bee populations but also lays the foundation for a sustainable future, where young beekeepers and researchers play a crucial role in preserving and enhancing the invaluable contributions of these remarkable insects.

The BeeConSel project partners are Agricultural Institute of Slovenia, Norwegian Beekeepers Association, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Company for Applied Research and Permanent Education in Agriculture (CARPEA) from North Macedonia and the Centre for applied life sciences Healthy food chain Ltd. for research and development (CALIS) from Osijek, Croatia.

Source: Regional Funds Online Magazine

6 September 2023 – Partners of the Predjama Sustainable project, supported by EEA Grants, are actively working to enhance mobility management at the tourist destination of Predjama. To achieve this goal, they have developed the “Postojna Connect” application, which also promotes sustainable mobility.

Postojna Connect is a new web application designed to introduce visitors to sustainable mobility options. Through the link https://app.visit-postojna.si, visitors can access information about various points of interest, along with recommendations on how to reach specific landmarks on foot, by bicycle, or by using public transportation. The application is also available in English and Italian language versions.

Shuttle Bus Predjama Sustainable (Green Line)

The application also provides information about public transportation options. As part of the Predjama Sustainable project, the Municipality of Postojna has introduced shuttle bus services. The free green route, which connects the bus and railway station Postojna to Predjama, will operate not only during the summer season (September 4 – November 5, 2023) but also during the Christmas and New Year holidays (December 22, 2023 – January 7, 2024) and the Easter holidays (March 16 – April 30, 2024).

The Predjama Sustainable project brings together the efforts of the Municipality of Postojna, Postojnska jama d.d., the Institute for Spatial Policies, and the Municipality of Strand from Norway. Their aim is to improve mobility management at the tourist location of Predjama by implementing various measures to reduce motorized traffic that often congests the Predjama area during the high season.

5 September 2023 – As part of the autumn edition of the campaign aimed at promoting sustainable mobility, partners of Trata 2.1 project encourage employees to leave their cars at home and commute to work in sustainable ways, i.e. by walking, cycling, using (e-)scooters, rollerblading, travelling by bus or by train or carpooling.  

Carried out between 28 August and 1 October as part of Trata 2.1 project, the campaign targets the companies Knauf Insulation d.o.o., LTH Castings d.o.o. and SIBO G. d.o.o. that are project partners, the Municipality of Škofja Loka, the Administrative Unit of Škofja Loka, the Development Agency Sora (project partner), municipal inspection services and municipal warden services. The aim is to instill positive change through setting a positive example. The employees that will take part in the campaign and commute to work in an environment-friendly way will participate in a promotional prize draw sponsored by the project.

In this way, the partners of the Trata 2.1 project contribute to the nation-wide initiative Bike to Work that aims to foster cycling as a way of getting to work. The initiative will be relaunched in the fall by the Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy, IPoP – Institute for Spatial Policies (project partner), Urban Planning Institute of the Republic of Slovenia and D’Agency digital agency. They are not focused just on cycling, though, they foster (and reward) other forms of sustainable mobility too.

Trata 2.1 Sustainable Mobility Club on Strava app

Strava, the leading platform for movement, is used by enthusiasts and athletes around the world to track, analyze or compare their performance and progress in sports activities. As daily cycling, walking, rollerblading or riding (e-)scooters to get to work has many health benefits, project partners decided to build a community and form »Trata 2.1 Club« on the Strava app. They invited all employees working in the industrial zone Trata to join their community and track how many employees commute to work in a sustainable manner. In order to distinguish between the daily sports activities and commuting, they added the hashtag “Commute Marker“ that will track active commuting to work and back home.

Good practices in sustainable mobility collected and published

One of the deliverables of the project is the publication Good practices in rolling out sustainable mobility in companies and institutions. The publication presents and describes 14 good practices in sustainable commuting that are already up and running abroad. Concrete practices that work well and help companies, organisations, institutes, local and national authorities in Voralrberg, Liechtenstein and Switzerland reduce carbon footprint are set to be replicated in Slovenia. The document outlines the range of options and routes decision makers and policy makers can use to support and encourage employees to use sustainable commuting options, such as walking, cycling, using public transport or carpooling.

Trata 2.1, industrial zone for the 21^st century brings together Municipality of Škofja Loka as lead partner and several project partners: Development Agency Sora, IPoP – Institute for Spatial Policies, CIPRA Slovenia, CIPRA Internatioonal and companies Knauf Insulation d.o.o., LTH Castings d.o.o., SIBO G. d.o.o. For more information about the project, please see their new newsletter.

Source: Development Agency Sora

28 August 2023 – In the past year, the Slovenia Forest Service carried out an extensive tree planting work on 10 hectares of woodland on Jelovica by planting tree species that resemble traditional species like beech and fir and are more resilient to extreme weather events and climate change as part of the JeloviZa project. Continue reading to learn more about how the seedlings that they planted grow compared to the seedlings that sprang up from seeds produced by nearby trees and about what we can do to best protect young trees to ensure their growth is as successful as possible.  

The Jelovica plateau was originally covered with vast beech and fir forests. Over time, the share of spruce in the forests rose as a result of different human activities. While spruce tends to grow faster, it is known to be much more sensitive to climate change. Above all, the need to avoid the monotony of the forest has become more pronounced amid increasingly frequent disaster events and outbreaks of bark beetles.

By conserving the diversity of tree species, we help recover the traditional species composition and allow for greater adaptability to climate change. For the most part, forests tend to regenerate and regrow in a natural way. However, if this regeneration takes too long due to disturbance events, such as wildfires, storms, windthrows and subsequent bark beetle outbreaks, people can step in by planting suitable tree species. Experience shows that deer prefer to feed on seedlings that are planted by people to young trees that grow naturally from seeds. That is why forest stands are preferably restored by natural means, i.e. through regrowth or natural regeneration. If the latter is not successful and would take too long, we opt for artificial forest regeneration by planting seedlings.

Comparison of the outcomes of natural and artificial restoration of 20 hectares of woodland on Jelovica

The project of reforestation of 20 hectares of woodland is focused on comparing the outcomes of artificial and natural regeneration. As part of the JeloviZa project, tree seedlings were planted on 10 hectares of woodland. On additional 10 hectares of woodland the young trees that grew up from seedlings were protected from deer. The comparison will provide insights into how effectively the Jelovica forests are able to restore themselves naturally and how we can use tree planting to help the forests recover faster.

Three types of tree protection methods were used to protect the seedlings from browsing or fraying by deer. Parts of the seedlings were intentionally left unprotected as controls to allow for assessment of the effectiveness of each method.

Four bigger wooden fences were installed on Jelovica in order to protect larger groups of trees from all kinds of damage caused by deer. Fencing is used as a deer damage management technique whenever seedlings need to be protected on a surface area that is larger than half a hectare. When selecting the relevant sites, we avoid wildlife migration routes or areas that are important for wildlife conservation.

Biodegradable tree protector tubes made of coarse mesh were used to protect terminal buds and tree trunks from browsing, fraying and bark stripping by deer. The tubes are fitted around the tree trunks so that deer cannot reach the bark. The tubes are suitable for protection until the tree trunk gets too thick. This type of tree protection requires regular removal of weeds as the tubing does not prevent the growth of competitive vegetation.

Ready-to-use coating agents (Kemakol, Trico, …) were applied to terminal buds of the tree to prevent winter and early spring browsing. This method requires regular yearly renewal until most of the terminal buds are outside the reach of deer. The repellents are not applied during the stage of active growth of deciduous and coniferous trees as this would hamper their growth and development.

Monitoring of seedlings in autumn

Monitoring of seedlings that will take place in autumn has already kicked off on Jelovica. The findings of the monitoring exercise will suggest which types of protection work best and which are more efficient than others.

By comparing both restoration techniques the project aims to provide important data that will help experts determine how efficiently Jelovica forests are able to regenerate naturally and how people can help speed up forest restoration through planting of specific tree species.

The JeloviZa project, which is supported by the EEA Grants, brings together several partners – CIPRA Slovenia – Association for the Protection of the Alps, Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Nature Conservation, Slovenia Forest Service, Municipality of Železniki, Sora Development Agency and CIPRA International.

 

This news item summarises the articles written by Ana Mežan, Slovenia Forest Service and Anita P. Oman, Sora Development Agency

21 July 2023 – How to combine digital and environmental education for elementary school children and teachers?

The Green Penguin project is doing this very well, providing basic information in a newly published brochure.

The new methodology and didactic digital tools developed for experiential environmental education and literacy towards digital and green transition equip elementary school pupils and their teachers with key competences such as fostering self-initiative, learning to take responsibility for their actions and caring for the common good. Successfully implemented project activities have an impact on reducing the city’s carbon footprint, creating new knowledge and habits in different age groups in the field of environmental awareness and, as a consequence, have the impact on a better life for future generations.

The Green Penguin project is supported by the Norway Grants under the programme Education, Scholarships, Apprenticeship and Youth Entrepreneurship.

7 July 2023 – When visiting Predjama, you can contribute to a reduced carbon footprint by using new shuttle bus connections introduced by the Municipality of Postojna. These efforts aim to promote sustainable mobility and improve accessibility to tourist attractions within the municipality. The new bus connections have been established as part of the Predjama Sustainable project, supported by the EEA Grants.

The primary goal of these new bus connections is to reduce the volume of motorized traffic that typically surges towards the popular destination of Predjama during holiday periods. Public transportation is one of the five pillars of sustainable mobility outlined in the Mobility Plan for Predjama, which was developed within the framework of the project “Sustainable Mobility Management at the Tourist Location Predjama – Predjama Sustainable.” The project involves collaboration between the Municipality of Postojna as the project promoter and project partners Postojnska jama, the Institute for Spatial Policies, and the Municipality of Strand from Norway.

The Predjama Sustainable project seeks to address the challenges posed by heavy traffic loads due to the numerous tourists visiting Predjama Castle, thereby reducing unsustainable forms of mobility on the way to and within the village of Predjama. This approach aligns with the overall trends in Slovenian tourism towards sustainability, responsibility, inclusivity, and resilience. The project’s main objective is to influence people’s mobility habits through the development of a mobility plan and the pilot implementation of key measures, ultimately contributing to climate change mitigation. By the project’s conclusion, the proportion of sustainable mobility modes is expected to increase by at least 5 percentage points.

Predjama Mobility Plan

The implementation of the Mobility Plan is based on the strategic directions outlined in the Comprehensive Traffic Strategy of the Municipality of Postojna and the Tourism Development Strategy of the Municipality of Postojna 2018–2023. In the action plan, we have defined solutions that are feasible and effective in Postojna and Predjama. Key to improving location accessibility and the tourist experience is reducing the share of motorized traffic and enhancing sustainable modes of travel. The measures encompass the organization of operations, promotion, infrastructure optimization, and the introduction of new services.

The action plan was developed through intensive collaboration among all stakeholders, including local authorities, the tourism destination manager, mobility service providers, the tourism sector, and both organized and general local communities. Their involvement ensures the feasibility and effectiveness of the measures. The measures range from short-term to long-term, meaning that traffic management experiences will continue to evolve from year to year. The effects will enhance the visitor experience, simplify residents’ daily lives, and provide a solid foundation for mutual cooperation among local stakeholders.

In addition to project partners, the preparation of the mobility plan actively involved the Local Community of Bukovje, interested residents of Predjama and Bukovje and surrounding villages, local associations (Kašča, Pudgura, Bike Slovenia), Zavod Znanje Postojna (Visit Postojna), and the Regional Development Agency Zeleni kras.

Introduction of Three Bus (Shuttle) Lines

The Municipality of Postojna has introduced red, blue, and green bus routes. The red route, connecting Predjama and Planina, operates during the summer tourist season, from July 1 to August 31, running on the route Planina – Postojna Railway Station – Postojnska jama – Predjama. The blue route, during the peak tourist season (July 8 to September 3), connects Postojnska jama and Predjama. The green route, linking the railway station and Predjama, will remain active until April 30, 2024, specifically during periods of increased tourist visits, holidays, and special occasions.

The timetables for the three shuttle bus lines can be found here (in Slovenian).
Shuttle Bus Brochure (in Slovenian).

28 June 2023 – A two-day meeting of educational programme operators for programmes supported by the Norwegian Financial Mechanism and the EEA Financial Mechanism took place in Wroclaw, Poland. Representatives from Croatia, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Romania, as well as representatives from the Donor States, discussed the impacts and results achieved by all the programmes. 

After each country representative presented their educational programme, a group discussion was held on the implementation of the programmes in the current financial period. The discussion focused on the challenges of implementation that result either from the global or national developments, including political, legislative and economic challenges. They also discussed the achievements and successes and how to ensure that the programmes bring long-term impacts.

In the second part of the discussion, participants debated the successes and activities under bilateral cooperation and how to cope with various changes when implementing the programmes. During the last day of the meeting, participants discussed how to develop well-designed educational programmes.

26 June 2023 – Programme Operator of the Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation programme informs that there are non-distributed funds totalling EUR 452,000 still available The funding is available for the projects that were selected through a call for proposals or for pre-defined projects that are supported by the EEA Financial Mechanism and receive national co-financing. Additional funding can only be awarded to the projects that include an infrastructure component.

Additional funds in the amount of 452,000 EUR are available for projects implemented within the programme Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation, under Outcome B.1 ‘’Increased renewable energy production’’ or Outcome B.2 ‘’Enhanced sustainable mobility management’’ or Outcome B.4 ‘’Improved management of ecosystems under climate change pressure’’. The project must include an infrastructure component.

Additional funding can only be awarded to help Project Promoters address the challenges connected with extraordinary price increases and high infrastructure costs, making these funds the only solution safeguard the planned project results within the available timeframe.

Deadline for submission of Applications for additional funding is 14 July 2023. The Applications must be submitted by the Project Promoter, in writing only, via the eMS mailbox to the username NOR and EGP FM. When submitting the application, the Project Promoter should pay attention to the notification from the eMS system regarding the message/attachment size. If the attachments are too large, the application should be submitted in multiple parts.

 

Notice on the call for the award of additional funding
Application for additional funding