ECHOS DU MONDE
Provide young people with a book that focuses on respect for the environment, and encourage them to adopt lifestyle, action and consumption choices that are sustainable.
About You
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Your idea
Field of Work
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Year project started (or projected start date) (yyyy)
2007
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What is the primary problem your venture is trying to address and how are you addressing it (or planning to address it)?
The objective of this project is to provide young people with a book that focuses on respect for the environment, and encourage them to adopt lifestyle, action and consumption choices that are sustainable.
To do so, I have chosen to produce a workbook for kids in 5th to 9th grade that deals with sustainable development issues.
The issues that the workbook deals with will be discussed in the classroom and taught by all school teachers in all subjects.
Name Your Project
ECHOS DU MONDE
Describe Your Idea
Provide young people with a book that focuses on respect for the environment, and encourage them to adopt lifestyle, action and consumption choices that are sustainable.
Innovation
Project Description
Provide young people with a book that focuses on respect for the environment, and encourage them to adopt lifestyle, action and consumption choices that are sustainable.
Unique and different
A different approach:
Since September 2007, environmental and sustainable development issues have been included in French school curriculums.
Currently sustainable development education is mainly offered through presentations and performances focusing on particular issues and also by teachers with the help of textbooks.
I take a different approach. I emphasize the importance of written texts in teaching eco-citizenship. “Echos du Monde” is a workbook for pupils which will give substance to sustainable development courses.
Pupils will be able to work on sustainable development themes (fair trade, Agenda 21, eco-mobility, ocean, air and soil pollution, etc.) and keep a record of their thoughts and work.
A unique and original tool
While current school textbooks focus on only one subject, the issues tackled in “Echos du Monde” are dealt with in such a way that they enable teachers of all subjects to participate in working out teaching sessions.
Also, while traditional school books are made to be used at only one level, “Echos du Monde” is designed to accompany pupils from 5th to 9th grade, which divides its final cost by seven and limits its environmental cost as regards transport and the raw materials used.
A different communication strategy:
The publishers that control the educational publishing market are huge machines that print and ship entire books in bulk to all the schools in the country for promotional purposes; the environmental consequences of this bulk shipping are generally not taken into account.
The communication strategy is different here, it is part of a technical and commercial approach that is line with sustainable development (green printing, use of recycled paper, co-mailing…).
We will send documents by “co-mailing” with another organization that is also promoting eco-citizenship projects, but through performances.
In addition, to allow schools to test the book in the classroom, to ensure that it is adapted to their teaching, we will produce a 12-page brochure (the entire book comes up to 96 pages). In line with our ethical requirements, this brochure will also be sent via “co-mailing”.
But here again, contrary to the publishing houses’ usual methods which consist in selling books explaining how to use their books, the teachers who wish to be informed about the best way to work on the subjects discussed in the book will be able to download a free guide from the website. The specificity of this guide is that it will be constantly updated thanks to the experience and advice of other teachers who will contribute to the teachers chat page on the website.
Project plan
October: producing and sending communication material via e-mail.
November: Creating a website.
December - March: producing and sending paper communication materials.
March... : Telephone and e-mail canvassing.
Partnerships
The “co-mailing” I am currently doing with the association “à une nuance Près” is great. I am learning a lot from the association members’ experience in education and marketing. Our partnership also forces me to fix deadlines, which allows me to organize and plan the development of my project.
Impact
Impact
Since the start of production, “Echos du Monde” has been very well received and appears to meet a real need, if the plentiful advice and smiles that have followed our presentations are anything to go by.
Effectiveness
The workbook has already been tested in elementary schools and high schools in Lot et Garonne and studied by several associations that deal with the various subjects tackled in the book; it has been very well received and widely encouraged.
The ultimate goal is for all French pupils from 5th to 9th grade to have access to this tool in the coming years.
How do you engage and impact the community?
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How do you measure this impact?
This field has not been completed
Obstacles
I have not as yet identified any obstacles to the sustainability of my project. However it is true that given my communication strategy is as respectful as possible of the environment I will not have the same impact as the large publishing houses on the market.
This Entry is about (Issues)
Sustainability
Financing source
(or how do you expect your initiative will be financed)
This field has not been completed. (166 words or less)
Aside from financial sustainability, how do you plan to grow and sustain your project?
This field has not been completed. (200 words or less)
Finance details
. DDJS (Direction départementale de la jeunesse et des sports de Lot-et-Garonne) – Rue de Lilli, Parc des sports 47000 Agen
« Projet Jeune » grant
Sponsorship - Total grant: 1600€
. La mutualité Française Aquitaine – 70 avenue d’Italie 47000 Agen
« Course en solidaire » grant
Sponsorship - Total grant: 2000€
. DRDJS (Direction Régionale et Départementale de la Jeunesse et des Sports Aquitaine Gironde) – 7 bld du Parc des expositions 33525 Bruges Cedex
« Défit Jeune » grant
Sponsorship - Total grant: 6000€
. L’Association des petits débrouillards – 342 Rue de Rodrigues 47000 AGEN
Sponsorship in kind (advice) – Total service: 1200€
. S.C.P Capmas Rolles Calvet – 32 Bd St Cyr 47300 Villeneuve sur Lot
Sponsorship in kind (legal advice and protection) – Total service: 830€
. S.C.P Capmas Rolles Calvet – 32 Bd St Cyr 47300 Villeneuve sur Lot
Sponsorship in kind - Total grant: 300€
. Imprimerie Graphic Sud – 12 Rue de Rigoulet 47552 BOE
Sponsorship in kind (Impressions) - Total service: 750€
. EURL Cabinet Guerin – 3 Av du Général de Gaulle 47300 Villeneuve sur Lot
Sponsorship - Total grant: 300€
. S.A.R.L Maison Rougier – 35 Rue du Général Blaniac 47300 Villeneuve sur Lot
Sponsorship - Total grant: 150€
. S.A.R.L Diagnostics 47 – Machefé Bouilhats 47200 Marmande
Sponsorship - Total grant: 700€
. Biocoop Pré Vert – 156 Impasse Péchabout 47000 Agen
Sponsorship - Total grant: 450€
. Atelier Roma – Rue du parc des princes 47300 Villeneuve sur Lot
Sponsorship (advertising) - Total grant: 500€
. A.M.T.V – 70 Quai de Paludate 33800 Bordeaux
Sponsorship in kind (website creation) - Total service: 1000€
. B.C.I – ZI La boulbène 47300 Villeneuve sur Lot
Sponsorship - Total grant: 500€
. SARL Baldas Mecanique – « Massanes » Route de Casseneuil 47300 Villeneuve sur Lot
Sponsorship - Total grant: 150€
. Mutualité Française Lot et Garonne – 7, Rue Grande Horloge 47000 Agen
Sponsorship - Total grant: 1200€
. Imprimerie France Quercy – ZAC Grand Camp 46090 Mercues
Sponsorship - Total service: 200€
• Number of people on your team and their roles
Two people initiated this project.
I am the project leader and author and my sister Mélanie Refine is the co-author of the book.
• Number of partners
Several people have given me advice throughout this project and continue to advice me, these include the “consulting” partners listed below.
In addition, I am currently sending out information on the book in partnership with the association « à une nuance Près » that produces shows on the subjects of water and waste. We call this co-mailing!
Creative funding
The book speaks for itself; often it takes just one glance for it to attract the attention of juries and teachers.
In addition « Echos du Monde » is a highly colorful workbook animated by an attractive and friendly little character named Anaïs. Anaïs is liked by every one and especially by the pupils, who identify with him.
Other non finance needs
The website will be set up in October 2008; I will need to have some training to do it. I also want to develop my sales strategy by setting up partnerships.
The Story
Motivation
Since September 2007, environmental and sustainable development issues have been included in French school curriculums. Via “convergence themes”, the national education system allows teachers to tackle these new concepts all throughout secondary school.
In this context, I have developed and tested an educational tool designed to support the teaching of sustainable development in high school.
It took three years to develop and produce a practical, recreational and effective tool for teaching eco-citizenship. My current objective is to publicize and get recognition for “Echos du Monde, Mon cahier Eco-citoyen” in French schools.
The last phase of my project will take place in this last year: testing its commercial viability.
It is based on a communication action plan that will start in October 2008 when we send teachers detailed brochures and set up our website
Awards
. DDJS (Direction départementale de la jeunesse et des sports de Lot-et-Garonne) – Rue de Lilli, Parc des sports 47000 Agen
« Projet Jeune » grant
Sponsorship - Total grant : 1600€
. La mutualité Française Aquitaine – 70 avenue d’Italie 47000 Agen
« Course en solidaire » grant
Sponsorship - Total grant : 2000€
. DRDJS (Direction Régionale et Départementale de la Jeunesse et des Sports Aquitaine Gironde) – 7 bld du Parc des expositions 33525 Bruges Cedex
« Défit Jeune » grant
Sponsorship - Total grant : 6000€
Broader context
I obtained a degree in computer graphics from AMTV in 2005, I worked as a computer graphics artist for one year in the Bordeaux region before I started my personal project. After writing the draft of a book entitled “La classe Verte” in the course of my studies, in February 2007 I decided to carry this project to completion.
Self-publishing “Echos du Monde” is a challenge, computer graphics are my passion and eco-citizenship is part of my daily life.
The book I am presenting here therefore originated in my professional training and is based on a desire to act on the world around me. This is why I have developed this book designed for young readers who are thirsty for knowledge.
Ongoing
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