Educational activities carried out by Kaunas RATC – “Atiduotuvių kiemas”, excursions to waste management facilities and the educational programme “Pažaiskime ekomonstriukais” (Let’s play with ecomonstriukais) are becoming an increasingly important part of the waste management system in the Kaunas region. They not only provide practical knowledge, but also help residents to better understand their daily choices and their impact on the whole system. This impact is confirmed by a survey of Kaunas region residents and communities, which revealed a high evaluation of the activities and educational initiatives of Kaunas RWRC.
Population awareness: value signs emerging
The survey revealed a pleasing trend – the overall index of residents’ involvement in the educational activities of Kaunas RATC in Kaunas region reaches 80,7 % (4.04 out of 5), and the overall evaluation of the institution’s activities and services is approaching even to 90 per cent. This shows that the residents of the region are not only actively involved, but also trust the activities of Kaunas RATC. However, the survey also revealed an area where residents still lack clarity. Although most respondents say they know how to sort correctly, they are still less familiar with the technical processes of waste management – only 22,21 % of respondents indicated that they fully understand what happens to waste after collection.
It is here that the educational activities carried out by Kaunas RATC, especially the most well-known activity for the residents – excursions to waste management facilities – gain special significance. Laurynas Virbickas, Director of Kaunas RATC, points out that the opportunity to see the processes at close quarters helps the residents to better understand the entire waste pathway – from collection to transformation into raw materials. According to him, such a first-hand experience not only strengthens knowledge, but also encourages to rethink everyday consumption habits and personal impact on the whole system.
Community engagement: highest trust and loyalty scores
The second part of the study involved representatives of different types of communities – educational institutions, libraries and cultural centres, local action groups, community centres and associations in rural villages and towns, and members of non-profit organisations. The results of the survey showed an even higher level of community involvement – the index of involvement in the educational activities of Kaunas RATC reached 89.2%, with the highest indicators recorded in the communities of Kaunas and Raseiniai districts and Kaunas city. The survey data shows that Kaunas RATC educational activities strengthen not only knowledge, but also long-term attitudes and responsible everyday choices. This is also confirmed by the very high evaluation of educational activities – 95,46 % respondents rated them positively, with a Net Recommendation Index (NRI) of 76 pointsindicates a strong trust and a high level of loyalty among communities.
Feedback from respondents shows that Kaunas RATC educational activities are perceived as interesting, useful and of real practical value. Participants particularly appreciate the opportunity to see waste management processes with their own eyes and thus to better understand the importance of sorting, and they stress the professionalism of the educators and the clear presentation of information. Excursions and visits to waste management sites are the most frequently mentioned motivation for more responsible daily choices, and the benefits of the education are not only evident for the individual participants, but also for communities, young people and schools.
The way forward: key challenges and next steps
The study also raised an important challenge – the visibility of educational activities. More than half of the respondents (54 %) have not yet heard about Kaunas RATC initiatives. However, Laurynas Virbickas, Director of Kaunas RATC, points out that this indicator reveals a potential for growth: “The results of the survey clearly show the direction – we need to expand the visibility of educational activities. We see that those who take part in them rate them very highly, so our task is to speak more boldly and widely about these opportunities. These activities are needed by communities and create real value by raising awareness of the waste management system and encouraging responsible everyday choices.”
In conclusion, the educational activities of Kaunas RATC are an effective tool to build knowledge, trust and sustainable habits in communities. The study also showed the potential to further develop opportunities for practical engagement by encouraging communities to initiate joint activities and projects more actively.
Information from Kaunas Regional Waste Management Centre