eco stands - Quality Standards of Vocational Training for European Eco Counselling

The aim of the project is to develop high quality standards of vocational training for European Eco-Counselling
In general Eco Counselling Organisations and Eco Counsellors give advise to private households, consumers, enterprises as well as local, regional and national authorities and governments and multipliers (teachers, journalists, ?), how to fulfil the targets of sustainable development. They are mediators between the public, companies, authorities, scientists and politicians. Another working field is the development of pioneering projects and solution-oriented proposals based on experience gained. Eco-counsellors? specificity is working for increasing of environmental protection in public policies not only with a technical skill but also by promoting a participatory stakeholder and citizenship approach in order to obtain voluntary agreements rather than permanent conflicts. The thread of the project is the following question: What kind of competences, know-how does an Eco Counsellor need to transmit her or his knowledge to target groups, multipliers, citizens, ?
Within the project there are several steps planned:

• Continuing of analysis of the status quo and demand analysis of Eco Counselling in the participating countries according to various criteria
• Development of quality standards for vocational training of Eco Counselling
• On the basis of the quality standards a certain number of training modules (e.g. training course, E-learning modules) will be developed. The modules are accompanied by training materials in English and some in the national languages of participating countries
• Test stage and evaluation of the training modules: The E-learning modules will be tested within the participating organisations. Approximately 20 Eco-Counsellors from the participating countries will take part in the training course
• The lobbying for the quality standards of the vocational training will be done on the European and national level

The multinational and multisectoral partnership between environmental and educational organizations as well as universities and training institutes strengthens a transnational character of experience sharing. The development of skills aimed at main topic of the environment will be combined with the use of new technologies (E-learning modules).
The partnership between 12 EU member states and accession countries guarantees a transfer of experience and knowledge and thats why the project supports the inclusion of the accession countries to the European Union.