The Naturgy Foundation initiates the education activity aimed at teaching 7,500 Catalan students about the current challenges and new energy technology
The Efigy Education initiative is a new, innovative programme which will run throughout the entire school year, and also aims to promote technological professions among students.
The Naturgy Foundation will introduce the youngest generations to the key aspects of the energy transition and new technology such as renewable gas and its role in the circular economy in the almost 300 activities it has planned this year in the four Catalonian provinces.
This week, the Naturgy Foundation started visiting education centres in Catalonia with the Efigy Education programme, an innovative initiative which introduces over 7,500 students to the most current knowledge about new energy technology such as renewable gas and its role in the circular economy, and the transition towards a more sustainable energy system.
The travelling programme, which will run throughout the school year, aims to educate 20,000 school students in over 100 towns across Spain. In Catalonia, over 7,500 children will participate in the almost 300 activities that will be held throughout the year in 70 education centres in Barcelona, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Badalona, Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Cornellà de Llobregat, Terrassa, Sant Cugat del Vallès, Rubí, Mataró, Sant Boi de Llobregat, Manresa, Tarragona, Valls, Lleida y Girona.
Efigy Education completes the education offer that the Naturgy Foundation initiated in 2012. This new initiative, which combines all of the institution’s educational resources, will make it easier for new generations to understand the key aspects about energy, so they can contribute to the future sustainability of the planet.
The managing director of the Naturgy Foundation, María Eugenia Coronado, stated: “It is the foundation's duty to inspire the youngest generations to ensure they are aware of the complex challenge we are facing regarding energy.” “As a society we require all kinds of talent to accelerate the transition towards a new energy system that is more reliable, technological and environmentally friendly, and with Efigy Education we want to contribute to that with the tools we have,” she said.
Vedruna La Inmaculada School in Barcelona, one of the first
One of the first schools to hold these workshops is the Vedruna La Inmaculada School in Barcelona. The head of sustainability and primary school teacher, Lourdes Miralles, rated the experience very positively: “We carried out a workshop on renewable energy, which we had previously looked at in the classroom with the students. It was very beneficial, visual and interactive. The students were very motivated, they learnt a lot and we recommended that they share what they learnt in this training activity at home.”
She continued: “It is very important that children have access to information about new energy, especially non-polluting energy,” because we should make ourselves aware of the need to protect the planet, and workshops such as these help schools to do this.
Free educational activities that run throughout the school year
The training programme, delivered by specialised educators at the education centres, is free and will run throughout the school year. Efigy Education will provide content about energy in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) disciplines, which is adapted to all levels of the school curriculum, and also aims to promote technological professions from an early age.
“With this new project we want teachers and students to have access to the most current technical information about energy, and that’s why we will be providing additional educational materials so they can work independently in class. These materials include our Energykits, online applications, the Learning-Service programme and the Efigy Technology Competition,” said the head of education and dissemination at the Naturgy Foundation, Eva Buch. She added: “We also offer the teachers support from the company’s professionals, so they can update their knowledge about energy, the environment and energy efficiency.”
This initiative will breathe a new lease of life into the Naturgy Foundation's educational activity, which, through a range of activities since 2012, has received recognition and collaboration from leading institutions in the education and research sector, such as the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT), the Education and Research Council of the Regional Government of Madrid and the Barcelona Education Consortium, as well as recognition from the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the Madri+D Foundation.
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