Youth Environmental Centre (YEC)

Ecological education of the youth and children is one of the priority guidelines of SUE “Vodokanal of St.Petersburg” work. For proper implementation of this guideline the Youth Environmental Centre (YEC) was created within the structure of the Informational and Training Centre of Vodokanal in 2002.

YEC – modern interactive centre that is interesting for both children and adults.

YEC – interactive studies, projects and seminars for children and adults on urgent ecological issues.

YEC – partnership of adults and children for environment preservation and life quality improvement.

Seminars schedule for 2012 academic year:

January – education activation

February – environmental economy for future

March – measurement, assessment, expertise – necessary procedures for measurement control process

April – “What should we do with waste?”

May – systems thinking via games

June – emotional and perceptional approach of environmental education

The Youth Environmental Centre

SUE "Vodokanal of St. Petersburg" Information & Training Centre Branch

We invite preschool and school children to visit renewed halls of YEC

Interactive program Droplet’s Merry Journey

for pre-schoolers and schoolchildren at the age of 4 - 12

1. “About Water on the Earth” – lesson is dedicated to the water cycle and different acts of nature: evaporation, snow, hail etc.

2. “Water in the Wheel of Human Affairs” – lesson is dedicated to the place of humans in the water cycle, municipal use of water and its return to the nature.

3. “Mysteries of Nature” – lesson about living organisms that help to Vodokanal staff to control water and air quality. Lesson includes laboratory experiments.

There are in store for participants:

• The unique multimedia panel Water Cycle

• Droplet’s Secret Laboratory

• Walls of fountains and plants

• Ship with a “control system”

• Costumes of the Baltic Sea inhabitants

• Games, relays, cartoons and many more will be offered to the program participants.

The program is intended for groups of 15-30 people. FREE OF CHARGE.

• The Baltic Cruise program

for school students of the 5-11 year

1. “Nearby Sea” – lesson is aimed at acquaintance with inhabitants of the Baltic Sea, its features, countries and cities that can affect Baltic basin.

2. “Baltic Mysteries” – lesson is dedicated to the biodiversity of the Baltic Sea, environmental equilibrium of the sea ecosystem, eutrophication problem and its solutions.

3. “City at the Seaside” – lesson is dedicated to the water use in St.Petersburg, water treatment technologies and means of the Baltic basin pollution load reduction.

There are in store for participants:

• The unique film The Baltic Sea Environment with stereo-holographic effects and 3D animation

• Gaming table with a touch screen

• Electronic encyclopedia of the Baltic flora and fauna

• Video-quizzes with an electronic voting system

• Collection of aquarium fish and houseplants

• Laboratory

The program is intended for groups of 20-45 people. FREE OF CHARGE

“WTL – Water Testing Laboratory” – is a laboratory lesson for schoolchildren of 5–11 forms that can be developed with due consideration of age peculiarities and group knowledge level.

The program is intended for groups of 15-25 people. FREE OF CHARGE

• 4D adventure playground Trans-Force

• For those who like breathtaking adventures, starting from 7 years of age (younger children should be accompanied by adults)

• 13 game programs

• 3D graphics

• a big panoramic screen

• imitation of movement, rotation and rocking will make journeys by Trans-Force ship unforgettable

Admission cost: 150 rubles per 1 person

YEC projects for 2012:

• “In Search of Seven Mysteries”

Project for preschool children of 6-7 y.o. in partnership with Educational Institutions of St.Petersburg

• “Baltic Regatta”

Project for schoolchildren of primary school. During the Project participants will create a “crew” and perform a game trip with virtual heroes: Vodokanal’s Droplet, Sea Cadet and “Muddy”. “Crews” will perform special tasks of Droplet and Sea Cadet and make a trip from Lake Ladoga via Neva River to the Baltic Sea in order to study all the inhabitants of the basin. Participants visit the Youth Environmental Centre and during the lesson study how can they together with the Vodokanal staff help inhabitants of the Baltic Sea, eliminate “Muddy” and do not let it to reach the Baltic Sea.

Project schedule:

11.01, 4 p.m. – Workshop for teachers, project briefing

23.10, 1 p.m. – Festive occasion – Project beginning for “crews”

February – March – Project lesson in the YEC, “crews” independent work

March – April – Preparation and composition of performance report

April – May – Festive occasion – results and participants awarding

• “The Youth Education within the framework of the Russian-European Water Excellency Centre”

The project is implemented within the international cooperation with Lahti Science and Business Park. During the project pupils from St.Petersburg and Lahti will visit series of interactive lessons and will participate in a quiz and art contest.

Project schedule:

11.10-13.10 – exhibition dedicated to the innovative technologies of water sector in Lahti; Project beginning

October – February – Project lessons in the YEC according to the schedule

March – workshop for school teams regarding mini-project preparation in schools

February – March – teams organize the “Water Day” and the “Day of the Baltic Sea” in schools

April – Interschool quiz about the Baltic Sea and contest of mini-projects

• “Dialogs about water in school and family”

The project is implemented in partnership with the Committee for Education of Vsevolozhsky district in order to develop and test the model of ecological educational projects organization through the cooperation with regional educational authorities. Teams from primary and secondary schools of Vsevolozhsky district of Leningrad Region are taking participation in the project.

Project tasks: to improve among pupils the understanding of ecological problems and solutions in the sphere of the water use and water recourses preservation and to develop their ability to realize practical activity for water economy in the school and at home.

Project schedule:

04.10 – Workshop for teachers-participants of the I stage

11.10 – Workshop for teachers-participants of the II stage

October – April – Participation in the YEC programme the “Baltic Regatta” for primary school

October – December – lessons in the YEC, organization of the “Water Lesson” and the “Baltic Sea Lesson” for secondary school

January – School teams workshops in the YEC (secondary school)

February – April – Organization of the “Day of the Baltic Sea” in district schools for secondary school by efforts of school teams.

• “Big City Ecology”

Partnership Project of Information and Training Centre Branch of SUE “Vodokanal of St.Petersburg” and Professional College ¹ 89.

YEC Project “Following the Steps of the Little Prince” reached completion

As the result the Youth Environmental Centre of Vodokanal published collection of environmental fairytales for children.

“Following the Steps of the Little Prince” Project was aimed at uniting adults and children and creation of dialogue between generations. The Project was implemented in St.Petersburg in 2009-2010 and as result the book was published, which contains tales written by children from St.Petersburg and Leningrad region. The YEC collected all the works of participants (tales and pictures) and prepared it all for publishing.

We would be glad to cooperate with you.

In order to participate in the activity of the Youth Environmental Centre of Vodokanal of St.Petersburg, please, agree

the visit date and time with the YEC specialist on telephone 438-43-96.

Youth Environmental Centre

SUE “Vodokanal of St.Petersburg”:

56, Shpalernaya str., St.Petersburg, 191015

Tel. (812) 438-43-96,

å-mail: dec@vodokanal.spb.ru