Archives: Novice

6 September 2023 – Partners of the Predjama Sustainable project, supported by EEA Grants, are actively working to enhance mobility management at the tourist destination of Predjama. To achieve this goal, they have developed the “Postojna Connect” application, which also promotes sustainable mobility.

Postojna Connect is a new web application designed to introduce visitors to sustainable mobility options. Through the link https://app.visit-postojna.si, visitors can access information about various points of interest, along with recommendations on how to reach specific landmarks on foot, by bicycle, or by using public transportation. The application is also available in English and Italian language versions.

Shuttle Bus Predjama Sustainable (Green Line)

The application also provides information about public transportation options. As part of the Predjama Sustainable project, the Municipality of Postojna has introduced shuttle bus services. The free green route, which connects the bus and railway station Postojna to Predjama, will operate not only during the summer season (September 4 – November 5, 2023) but also during the Christmas and New Year holidays (December 22, 2023 – January 7, 2024) and the Easter holidays (March 16 – April 30, 2024).

The Predjama Sustainable project brings together the efforts of the Municipality of Postojna, Postojnska jama d.d., the Institute for Spatial Policies, and the Municipality of Strand from Norway. Their aim is to improve mobility management at the tourist location of Predjama by implementing various measures to reduce motorized traffic that often congests the Predjama area during the high season.

5 September 2023 – As part of the autumn edition of the campaign aimed at promoting sustainable mobility, partners of Trata 2.1 project encourage employees to leave their cars at home and commute to work in sustainable ways, i.e. by walking, cycling, using (e-)scooters, rollerblading, travelling by bus or by train or carpooling.  

Carried out between 28 August and 1 October as part of Trata 2.1 project, the campaign targets the companies Knauf Insulation d.o.o., LTH Castings d.o.o. and SIBO G. d.o.o. that are project partners, the Municipality of Škofja Loka, the Administrative Unit of Škofja Loka, the Development Agency Sora (project partner), municipal inspection services and municipal warden services. The aim is to instill positive change through setting a positive example. The employees that will take part in the campaign and commute to work in an environment-friendly way will participate in a promotional prize draw sponsored by the project.

In this way, the partners of the Trata 2.1 project contribute to the nation-wide initiative Bike to Work that aims to foster cycling as a way of getting to work. The initiative will be relaunched in the fall by the Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy, IPoP – Institute for Spatial Policies (project partner), Urban Planning Institute of the Republic of Slovenia and D’Agency digital agency. They are not focused just on cycling, though, they foster (and reward) other forms of sustainable mobility too.

Trata 2.1 Sustainable Mobility Club on Strava app

Strava, the leading platform for movement, is used by enthusiasts and athletes around the world to track, analyze or compare their performance and progress in sports activities. As daily cycling, walking, rollerblading or riding (e-)scooters to get to work has many health benefits, project partners decided to build a community and form »Trata 2.1 Club« on the Strava app. They invited all employees working in the industrial zone Trata to join their community and track how many employees commute to work in a sustainable manner. In order to distinguish between the daily sports activities and commuting, they added the hashtag “Commute Marker“ that will track active commuting to work and back home.

Good practices in sustainable mobility collected and published

One of the deliverables of the project is the publication Good practices in rolling out sustainable mobility in companies and institutions. The publication presents and describes 14 good practices in sustainable commuting that are already up and running abroad. Concrete practices that work well and help companies, organisations, institutes, local and national authorities in Voralrberg, Liechtenstein and Switzerland reduce carbon footprint are set to be replicated in Slovenia. The document outlines the range of options and routes decision makers and policy makers can use to support and encourage employees to use sustainable commuting options, such as walking, cycling, using public transport or carpooling.

Trata 2.1, industrial zone for the 21^st century brings together Municipality of Škofja Loka as lead partner and several project partners: Development Agency Sora, IPoP – Institute for Spatial Policies, CIPRA Slovenia, CIPRA Internatioonal and companies Knauf Insulation d.o.o., LTH Castings d.o.o., SIBO G. d.o.o. For more information about the project, please see their new newsletter.

Source: Development Agency Sora

28 August 2023 – In the past year, the Slovenia Forest Service carried out an extensive tree planting work on 10 hectares of woodland on Jelovica by planting tree species that resemble traditional species like beech and fir and are more resilient to extreme weather events and climate change as part of the JeloviZa project. Continue reading to learn more about how the seedlings that they planted grow compared to the seedlings that sprang up from seeds produced by nearby trees and about what we can do to best protect young trees to ensure their growth is as successful as possible.  

The Jelovica plateau was originally covered with vast beech and fir forests. Over time, the share of spruce in the forests rose as a result of different human activities. While spruce tends to grow faster, it is known to be much more sensitive to climate change. Above all, the need to avoid the monotony of the forest has become more pronounced amid increasingly frequent disaster events and outbreaks of bark beetles.

By conserving the diversity of tree species, we help recover the traditional species composition and allow for greater adaptability to climate change. For the most part, forests tend to regenerate and regrow in a natural way. However, if this regeneration takes too long due to disturbance events, such as wildfires, storms, windthrows and subsequent bark beetle outbreaks, people can step in by planting suitable tree species. Experience shows that deer prefer to feed on seedlings that are planted by people to young trees that grow naturally from seeds. That is why forest stands are preferably restored by natural means, i.e. through regrowth or natural regeneration. If the latter is not successful and would take too long, we opt for artificial forest regeneration by planting seedlings.

Comparison of the outcomes of natural and artificial restoration of 20 hectares of woodland on Jelovica

The project of reforestation of 20 hectares of woodland is focused on comparing the outcomes of artificial and natural regeneration. As part of the JeloviZa project, tree seedlings were planted on 10 hectares of woodland. On additional 10 hectares of woodland the young trees that grew up from seedlings were protected from deer. The comparison will provide insights into how effectively the Jelovica forests are able to restore themselves naturally and how we can use tree planting to help the forests recover faster.

Three types of tree protection methods were used to protect the seedlings from browsing or fraying by deer. Parts of the seedlings were intentionally left unprotected as controls to allow for assessment of the effectiveness of each method.

Four bigger wooden fences were installed on Jelovica in order to protect larger groups of trees from all kinds of damage caused by deer. Fencing is used as a deer damage management technique whenever seedlings need to be protected on a surface area that is larger than half a hectare. When selecting the relevant sites, we avoid wildlife migration routes or areas that are important for wildlife conservation.

Biodegradable tree protector tubes made of coarse mesh were used to protect terminal buds and tree trunks from browsing, fraying and bark stripping by deer. The tubes are fitted around the tree trunks so that deer cannot reach the bark. The tubes are suitable for protection until the tree trunk gets too thick. This type of tree protection requires regular removal of weeds as the tubing does not prevent the growth of competitive vegetation.

Ready-to-use coating agents (Kemakol, Trico, …) were applied to terminal buds of the tree to prevent winter and early spring browsing. This method requires regular yearly renewal until most of the terminal buds are outside the reach of deer. The repellents are not applied during the stage of active growth of deciduous and coniferous trees as this would hamper their growth and development.

Monitoring of seedlings in autumn

Monitoring of seedlings that will take place in autumn has already kicked off on Jelovica. The findings of the monitoring exercise will suggest which types of protection work best and which are more efficient than others.

By comparing both restoration techniques the project aims to provide important data that will help experts determine how efficiently Jelovica forests are able to regenerate naturally and how people can help speed up forest restoration through planting of specific tree species.

The JeloviZa project, which is supported by the EEA Grants, brings together several partners – CIPRA Slovenia – Association for the Protection of the Alps, Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Nature Conservation, Slovenia Forest Service, Municipality of Železniki, Sora Development Agency and CIPRA International.

 

This news item summarises the articles written by Ana Mežan, Slovenia Forest Service and Anita P. Oman, Sora Development Agency

21 July 2023 – How to combine digital and environmental education for elementary school children and teachers?

The Green Penguin project is doing this very well, providing basic information in a newly published brochure.

The new methodology and didactic digital tools developed for experiential environmental education and literacy towards digital and green transition equip elementary school pupils and their teachers with key competences such as fostering self-initiative, learning to take responsibility for their actions and caring for the common good. Successfully implemented project activities have an impact on reducing the city’s carbon footprint, creating new knowledge and habits in different age groups in the field of environmental awareness and, as a consequence, have the impact on a better life for future generations.

The Green Penguin project is supported by the Norway Grants under the programme Education, Scholarships, Apprenticeship and Youth Entrepreneurship.

7 July 2023 – When visiting Predjama, you can contribute to a reduced carbon footprint by using new shuttle bus connections introduced by the Municipality of Postojna. These efforts aim to promote sustainable mobility and improve accessibility to tourist attractions within the municipality. The new bus connections have been established as part of the Predjama Sustainable project, supported by the EEA Grants.

The primary goal of these new bus connections is to reduce the volume of motorized traffic that typically surges towards the popular destination of Predjama during holiday periods. Public transportation is one of the five pillars of sustainable mobility outlined in the Mobility Plan for Predjama, which was developed within the framework of the project “Sustainable Mobility Management at the Tourist Location Predjama – Predjama Sustainable.” The project involves collaboration between the Municipality of Postojna as the project promoter and project partners Postojnska jama, the Institute for Spatial Policies, and the Municipality of Strand from Norway.

The Predjama Sustainable project seeks to address the challenges posed by heavy traffic loads due to the numerous tourists visiting Predjama Castle, thereby reducing unsustainable forms of mobility on the way to and within the village of Predjama. This approach aligns with the overall trends in Slovenian tourism towards sustainability, responsibility, inclusivity, and resilience. The project’s main objective is to influence people’s mobility habits through the development of a mobility plan and the pilot implementation of key measures, ultimately contributing to climate change mitigation. By the project’s conclusion, the proportion of sustainable mobility modes is expected to increase by at least 5 percentage points.

Predjama Mobility Plan

The implementation of the Mobility Plan is based on the strategic directions outlined in the Comprehensive Traffic Strategy of the Municipality of Postojna and the Tourism Development Strategy of the Municipality of Postojna 2018–2023. In the action plan, we have defined solutions that are feasible and effective in Postojna and Predjama. Key to improving location accessibility and the tourist experience is reducing the share of motorized traffic and enhancing sustainable modes of travel. The measures encompass the organization of operations, promotion, infrastructure optimization, and the introduction of new services.

The action plan was developed through intensive collaboration among all stakeholders, including local authorities, the tourism destination manager, mobility service providers, the tourism sector, and both organized and general local communities. Their involvement ensures the feasibility and effectiveness of the measures. The measures range from short-term to long-term, meaning that traffic management experiences will continue to evolve from year to year. The effects will enhance the visitor experience, simplify residents’ daily lives, and provide a solid foundation for mutual cooperation among local stakeholders.

In addition to project partners, the preparation of the mobility plan actively involved the Local Community of Bukovje, interested residents of Predjama and Bukovje and surrounding villages, local associations (Kašča, Pudgura, Bike Slovenia), Zavod Znanje Postojna (Visit Postojna), and the Regional Development Agency Zeleni kras.

Introduction of Three Bus (Shuttle) Lines

The Municipality of Postojna has introduced red, blue, and green bus routes. The red route, connecting Predjama and Planina, operates during the summer tourist season, from July 1 to August 31, running on the route Planina – Postojna Railway Station – Postojnska jama – Predjama. The blue route, during the peak tourist season (July 8 to September 3), connects Postojnska jama and Predjama. The green route, linking the railway station and Predjama, will remain active until April 30, 2024, specifically during periods of increased tourist visits, holidays, and special occasions.

The timetables for the three shuttle bus lines can be found here (in Slovenian).
Shuttle Bus Brochure (in Slovenian).

28 June 2023 – A two-day meeting of educational programme operators for programmes supported by the Norwegian Financial Mechanism and the EEA Financial Mechanism took place in Wroclaw, Poland. Representatives from Croatia, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Romania, as well as representatives from the Donor States, discussed the impacts and results achieved by all the programmes. 

After each country representative presented their educational programme, a group discussion was held on the implementation of the programmes in the current financial period. The discussion focused on the challenges of implementation that result either from the global or national developments, including political, legislative and economic challenges. They also discussed the achievements and successes and how to ensure that the programmes bring long-term impacts.

In the second part of the discussion, participants debated the successes and activities under bilateral cooperation and how to cope with various changes when implementing the programmes. During the last day of the meeting, participants discussed how to develop well-designed educational programmes.

26 June 2023 – Programme Operator of the Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation programme informs that there are non-distributed funds totalling EUR 452,000 still available The funding is available for the projects that were selected through a call for proposals or for pre-defined projects that are supported by the EEA Financial Mechanism and receive national co-financing. Additional funding can only be awarded to the projects that include an infrastructure component.

Additional funds in the amount of 452,000 EUR are available for projects implemented within the programme Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation, under Outcome B.1 ‘’Increased renewable energy production’’ or Outcome B.2 ‘’Enhanced sustainable mobility management’’ or Outcome B.4 ‘’Improved management of ecosystems under climate change pressure’’. The project must include an infrastructure component.

Additional funding can only be awarded to help Project Promoters address the challenges connected with extraordinary price increases and high infrastructure costs, making these funds the only solution safeguard the planned project results within the available timeframe.

Deadline for submission of Applications for additional funding is 14 July 2023. The Applications must be submitted by the Project Promoter, in writing only, via the eMS mailbox to the username NOR and EGP FM. When submitting the application, the Project Promoter should pay attention to the notification from the eMS system regarding the message/attachment size. If the attachments are too large, the application should be submitted in multiple parts.

 

Notice on the call for the award of additional funding
Application for additional funding

23 June 2023 – About halfway through KOR-NET project implementation, the team is completing the design of one of the main assets for the youth of the Koroška region. The online platform for the Koroška region youth called the Koroška region Virtual Youth Incubator has been presented to the public. The platform is a source of information for young people. It also serves as a virtual meeting point for all those concerned about the situation of young people in the Koroška region and those who want to make the path to adulthood for young people easier by combining their practical experience and professional skills. The main goal of the incubator and the project is to create conditions for young people for life and work that will motivate them to continue living in their home region and to become active in their rural or urban community.

 The long and complicated path from idea to implementation

It all started with brainstorming sessions on how to turn the idea of an online meeting point for young people, youth organisations, and other actors in the youth-supportive environment in the Koroška region into a content-rich and diverse website, which is now known as the Virtual Youth Incubator of the Koroška region and can be accessed at www.kor-net.si.

Doris Brajnik, KMKC Complex: “It was only through intensive work on the project and 10-hour brainstorming sessions on Zoom that we realised how complex the project (within a project!) really is. The content was piling up, but through careful editing and talks with young people in the frame of various project activities, we managed to organise and reduce the content. We hope that the young users will find the platform, which we will be updated and improved, useful.”

Incubating the Incubator

The creation of the incubator started with a thorough analysis, first by everyone involved in the project and then in a smaller working group, of the content that would be (potentially) useful for young people in the Koroška region aged 15 and 29. The aim was to provide in the most attractive form possible (please read below) information that would support young people in their transition through the different stages of adolescence.

The main ‘permanent’ content on the site is, therefore, a kind of online handbook for growing up where young people can find answers to a variety of questions on practical matters of life, such as bureaucracy, personal finance, housing, etc., and issues specific to the school and student life and the transition to work.

Content: from childhood through adolescence to adulthood and social activity

The page structure, divided into six chapters, follows this logic. The chapters are interlinked and structured to best support young people from School Years (Chapter 1) through Student Years (Chapter 2) to independence (Chapter 3 Starter pack for adulthood). Information for encouraging activation and greater (political) participation (Chapter 4 Active young people) has been added to encourage young people to engage in civic and social life, cope with school commitments, and gradually take responsibility for their lives.

A specific chapter that we would like to build on in the future is the chapter Friends in Distress. It covers the content and the most important contacts of a support environment for young people in the field of mental health and other forms of distress caused by living in a modern society. The What’s Up? section has also been added to help young people integrate into their home environment and expand their social network. The section provides information on current events, open calls, (non-formal) training, international youth exchanges, etc.

Agency Statera: implementation of the website and graphic design to support the content

At least two other important questions were raised in establishing the incubator: 1) how to get young people’s attention in a digital age full of messages, especially online, and 2) how to present information in a way that is graphically appealing enough to young people to return to the site regularly and willingly? The answers to these questions were designed with the agency Statera, which developed the website.

In order to emphasise that growing up takes place in phases, they made up individuals who ‘grow up’ with the user and guide them through the main events in the educational process and integration into the adult world. The growing up in phases is also reflected in the colour scheme, which slowly evolves from vibrant pink (high school) to lighter, more subdued tones. The colour portal ends with a soothing lavender, reserved for the chapter Friends in Distress.

KOR-NET is halfway there!

The Carinthian Network of Supportive Environment for Youth KOR-NET  is a partnership project supported by the Norwegian Financial Mechanism, which aims to ensure that young people in the Koroška region have the right conditions for life and work to stay in their home region after finishing school and feel heard here.

With the launch of the Koroška region Virtual Youth Incubator project in July 2022, ending in April 2024, we have entered the second implementation stage. The team members marked this milestone with a fun event to launch the incubator at the KMKC Complex, moderated by Gašper Bergant and young musicians of the band Overheat.

In addition to Viktorija Barbič, Director of A.L.P. Peca and the lead idea developer of the KOR-NET project, Karmen Sonjak, Director of Regional Development Agency Koroška, and Andreja Katič, State Secretary at the Ministry of Cohesion and Regional Development, also addressed the participants.

 

Press release: the KOR-NET project – Virtual Youth Incubator of Koroška (in Slovenian)

21 June 2023 – Renowned experts from Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Slovenia gathered at the Ljubljana Castle at the invitation of the Regional Development Agency Ljubljana Urban Region to look into the role of the public sector in building innovation ecosystems. The showcased best practices of innovation in public administration in Nordic countries prove that an innovative public sector can play a decisive role in fostering development at national, regional and local level. The first steps in this direction have already been taken in Slovenia as well.

The international conference We are Already 5,000+ Innovative featured many practical examples, panel discussions and roundtables; coupled with an informal exchange of ideas and opinions among the experts, decision-makers and public sector stakeholders, it offered a valuable insight into innovation in the public sector. Mag. Lilijana Madjar, Director of the Regional Development Agency Ljubljana Urban Region underlined one of the key highlights of the conference by stressing that it is on the shoulders of all public sector stakeholders, especially policy makers, to create an environment that stimulates innovation, while also offering a stimulating legislative framework.

The presence of the Minister of Public Administration Ms. Sanja Ajanović Hovnik, the Minister of Digital Transformation Dr. Emilija Stojmenova Duh, and the Minister of Cohesion and Regional Development Dr. Aleksander Jevšek was a testament to the relevance of the theme that was in focus of the conference. The three ministers were unanimous that networking and collaboration as well as continuous learning and skills improvement of all key stakeholders were the pre-condition for putting in place an effective innovative ecosystem that, apart from the public sector, also includes the economy, research and educational institutions and NGOs. In this context, Minister Ajanović Hovnik placed particular focus on the presentation of the Policy Making Hub, a platform that will bring together abovementioned stakeholders to work together to design and test innovative policies, regulations and public services in order to foster the transition to a circular and low-carbon economy and society. Minister Jevšek said that a considerable portion of funding under the new programming period was earmarked for development and innovation. Minister Stojmenova Duh stressed the importance of digital technologies in facilitating the achievement of the set goals.

The conference participants were addressed by the guests of honour, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway, Her Excellency Trine Skymoen and Deputy Mayor of the City of Ljubljana, Mr. Dejan Crnek. Ms. Skymoen was pleased to note the results of the collaboration with the Donor States of Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein to a green and inclusive Europe and underlined that the conference was a perfect opportunity to build further partnerships and upgrade knowledge. Mr. Crnek said that Ljubljana was an exceptionally innovative city thanks to the leadership of Mayor Janković who put his vast business experience to best use and revamped the work of city administration. As one of his novelties, the Mayor invited the residents of Ljubljana to participate in the creation of the 2025 vision of the city. Now, the city of Ljubljana is eagerly expecting another breakthrough event that will add to the city’s public transport, i.e. the inauguration of the Ljubljanica River routes that will be incorporated in the public transport system.

The keynote speaker, Prof. Dr. Thomas Hoholm, Head of the Department of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the​ BI Norwegian Business School, an internationally acclaimed expert in innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems, stressed the importance of a strong institutional support. He also recalled that the industry and academia must work more closer together, not only in R&D projects but also through joint initiatives for skills development. Dr. Peter Wostner from the Institute of Macroeconomic Analysis and Development also drew attention to the importance of innovation ecosystems, stressing that reorganisation and rethinking the way they work were of paramount importance for businesses, in order for their action to complement. According to Dr. Wostner, both constitute what is the basic condition for the smart and green transition that all countries are trying to achieve.

According to Dr. Damjan Kavaš, Director of the Institute for Economic Research, the EU public sector accounts for over 25% of jobs. It is not only a major employer, but also the main provider of services and source of public procurement. Instead of policy fragmentation and governance dispersion, we need a modern, innovative public administration that is able to learn fast and that builds on an improved governance system. Only revamped modern administration can truly work to the full benefit of businesses and citizens. The main goal of the Norway’s National Programme for Supplier Development is to help the public sector to use public procurements to develop more innovations and offers support to providers in their search for new business opportunities in the public sector, explained Programme Director Ingebjørg Harto. Public organisations can update their services for the citizens most efficiently through collaboration with the economy, i.e. before the launch of the procurement procedures, so that they stimulate offers for best solutions and ensure stable conditions for growth to suppliers.

Certain important steps towards enhanced creativity and innovation have already been taken at the Ministry of Public Administration. Dr. Staša Mesec and Genovefa Ružić presented the projects Inovativen.si and Policy Lab that have been designed to roll-out new innovative approaches and ways of work to improve the effectiveness, efficiency and quality of the work of public administration. They both underlined that creativity, innovation and having free hands to experiment were the pre-requisite for designing efficient public services.

Further good practices were presented to participants. Daði Rúnar Pétursson from Ríkiskaup which is the central public procurement agency in Iceland. Pétursson described how the agency went from a reactive to a proactive actor that fosters synergies between public procurements and innovations by encouraging innovation-led purchases, helping recognise and understand the opportunities for innovations in the public sector and facilitating ways to launch innovative procurements with the aim of fostering social development.

The CEO of Liechtenstein Bankers Association Simon Tribelhorn spoke about the system of private investments in innovative entrepreneurship that is oriented in sustainable economy which complements national public financing. The system has been well received by ”green” investors that seek green investments, while start-ups use this financial injection to grow faster. The cumulative effects of the system are positively felt by the entire society.

Eva Pandora Baldursdottir from the City of Reykjavik, Head of Digitalisation Service at the City of Ljubljana Arian Debeljak, Director of the Regional Development Agency Ljubljana Urban Region mag. Lilijana Madjar and Deputy CEO of the University of Iceland Science Park Thorey Einarsdottir participated in the roundtable and shared interesting views on various aspects of innovation in the public sector ranging from digitalisation and sustainability to policy development and urban planning. Martin J. Matt from the Kreativagentur enterprise in Liechtenstein explained that only innovative communication truly raises awareness of the public about sustainability issues.

This innovation conference put spotlight on the many opportunities that are offered by the introduction of innovations in the public sector. Through the line-up of distinguished speakers and the contacts formed between experts in various fields, the event has already contributed to the setting up of an innovation ecosystem that is a must for a successful development of any country.

The event was supported by the Fund for Bilateral Relations under the EEA and Norway Grants which are the contribution of Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein to a green, competitive and inclusive Europe.

 

Source: RRA LUR

21 June 2023 – In the framework of the TERA project, supported by the Norwegian Financial Mechanism, the project partners aim to improve work-life balance in rural areas. To this end, an innovative and interactive online platform TERA has been launched.

The TERA project addresses the challenges of establishing work-life balance in rural areas, with a focus on raising awareness of the opportunities of work-life balance among women and men in rural areas. The project focuses on overcoming numerous challenges, such as the lower economic independence of rural women, the fragmentation of stakeholders in the region in addressing these challenges, as well as geographical remoteness and limited access to public resources. The project aims to empower men and women in rural areas to effectively address the challenges of work-life balance and to establish greater autonomy and quality of life.

The new online platform plays an important role in presenting the key themes and activities that are being developed within the project. The platform provides information on current challenges related to work-life balance and presents proposals for solutions and actions that can improve gender equality in rural areas. The platform provides practical guidelines for work-life balance in families, farms and work organisations. The platform also offers a wide range of resources for further information and research in this area.

The online platform offers a detailed presentation of the TERA education and awareness-raising programme, which has been developed based on the results of the Survey on Gender Equality in Rural Areas (TERA, 2022) and other projects carried out. The programme consists of six modules, delivered in the form of lectures and accompanying workshops. Each module addresses specific challenges related to the TERA project and can be divided into three main thematic sets:

1. Gender stereotypes and roles of men and women in rural areas
2. Work-life balance and gender equality
3. Challenges and obstacles in finding a balance between professional and private life in rural areas – progress and innovative approaches

The online platform also provides detailed information on the mentoring programme, upcoming workshops and other project activities.

The platform also presents the three levels of work-life balance: the personal level (involvement of men in care work, active fatherhood, fair distribution of household chores), the institutional level (difficulties in accessing public infrastructure) and the legislative level.

The TERA project was developed by the Development Centre Murska Sobota, acting as the project promoter, and project partners Regional Development Agency Posavje, Gender Equality Research Institute Maribor (IPES), the Slovenian Rural Youth Association, the Centre for the Development of Sustainable Society and Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences from Norway.