The Green School Participatory Budget is launched in Starachowice – Kierunek Przyszłość

Starachowice primary schools are a place where you can meet many creative and committed young people. It is for them that the Starachowice Commune is launching a new initiative in September called Eco-Budget, implemented as part of the project entitled "Direction for the Future - Starachowice Local Development Program", financed by the Norwegian Financial Mechanism for 2014-2021 (85%) and the state budget (15%) from the Local Development Program.

What is the Green School Participatory Budget, i.e. Eco-Budget?

The Green School Participatory Budget is a process in which the school community decides on the allocation of budget funds. Students submit ideas, create projects, and then choose those that they think are the most attractive and necessary. Eco-Budget is participatory in nature, it gives primary school students the opportunity to submit proposals for tasks that can be financed from the project budget, as well as the opportunity to express their opinions on the submitted projects. It is worth noting that the implementation of each project requires important skills from young people: diagnosing needs, planning and good teamwork, and organizational skills.

Who is the Green School Participatory Budget intended for?

Eco-Budget is a project aimed at engaging primary school students, managed by the Starachowice Commune, in the process of managing their school space, ecological education and stimulating their civic activity.

Eco-Budget is organized from September 2023 to April 2024 in the following primary schools:

- Primary School No. 1
- Primary School No. 2
- Primary School No. 6
- Primary School No. 9
- Primary School No. 10
- Primary School No. 11
- Primary School No. 12
- Primary School No. 13

Students from the above schools can submit the following types of projects:

- purchase (of equipment and space furnishings on the school premises),
- investments (e.g. minor renovations),
- events and initiatives (e.g. workshops, training, events, picnics, competitions, festivals, etc.).

Projects must necessarily refer to ecological themes!

What is the project budget?

The Eco-Budget provides for the implementation of winning projects PLN 5,250.00 gross per school (maximum PLN 1,750.00 per project).

Who manages the Eco-budget?

The Eco-Budget is managed by the Municipal Coordination Team, consisting of 3 representatives of the Municipal Office, appointed by the Mayor of the City, 3 councilors of the Youth Council of the City of Starachowice, and 1 representative of a given school (the director of the institution or a person designated by him).

School Coordination Teams (SZK) will also be established, which will consist of 4 representatives: the principal, a teacher appointed by the principal, a representative of the student government and 1 representative of the Youth Council of the City of Starachowice.

It is worth noting that the entire procedure for implementing the Eco-Budget was developed by representatives of the Starachowice Youth City Council during a series of workshops on civic education and design thinking.

Why is it worth implementing the Green School Participatory Budget?

The Green School Budget improves the space and functioning of the school, and also develops the people involved in it. For school management, the greatest benefit is the opportunity to hear about students' previously unexpressed needs and respond to them. The school budget is also a lesson in co-deciding on activities carried out at school. What counts in this process is a joint, reliable diagnosis of needs and the search for optimal solutions. Participating in the school budget is also a good opportunity to instill in students a sense of influence on how the school operates and what happens there, as well as the belief that it is worth getting involved. The phenomenon of a green school budget is also that it integrates and teaches cooperation with peers, teachers and administrative staff. With the school budget, students learn about finances, and by estimating the cost of their projects, they begin to see what possibilities and limitations are associated with specific amounts. This process is a practical complement to entrepreneurship education at school.