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effectiveness and efficiency of environment AWARENESS RAISING projects. Ádám Jüttner TNS Hoffmann Ltd. The FÉF (Sustainable Lifestyle and Consumption) projects aim to change social norms and behaviour at the same time.
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effectiveness and efficiency of environment AWARENESS RAISING projects Ádám Jüttner TNS Hoffmann Ltd.
The FÉF (Sustainable Lifestyle and Consumption) projects aim to change social norms andbehaviour at the same time • The assessment examined the implementation, effectiveness and efficiency of the projects • The aim of EEOP 6.1.0 and 6.2.0 Sustainable Lifestyle and Consumption constructs was: • informingthepublic, raisingawareness • developingenvironmentconsciousness and environmentalculture(attitudeshaping) • propagating behaviour patterns related to sustainable lifestyle • The targets of the result indicatorwere campaign reach scores
Large number of projects and significant absorption in the EEOP’s priority aiming to shaping attitude • The starting point of this survey was a database, containing the data of altogether 796 contracted FÉF projects that received funding from EEOP between 2008 and October 2012 * • Based on the contracts, funding amounting to nearly 12 billion HUF was used to implement 408 campaigns and 388 pilot projects. 0 project 1-2 projects 3-5 projects 6-10 projects 10+ projects Number of projects per microregions between 2008-2011 (contracted projects)
It is indisputable that EEOP FÉF campaigns fill an important absence • Except for the 408 FÉF campaigns, there were altogether 193 non EU-funded campaigns related to sustainability. • The issue of sustainability was mainly kept on the agenda from EU funding
The targets of the priority result indicator were met • Based on the Feasibility Study plan data, the campaign reach targets were met every year (well above the set targets!) • Consequently, the campaigns and pilot projects reached a wider range of people than initially planned. • OP target indicators initially were underestimated, these have been raised in 2012
Based on Eurobarometer data, change is perceptible both as regards awareness and behaviour across the entire Hungarian society Awareness: • People have become perceptibly better informed about environmental issues (in 2007, 41%, whereas in 2011, 55% were somewhat informed about this issue). Propagation of behaviour patterns: • Between 2007 and 2011, the number of people who reduced their energy consumption grew significantly (from 41% to 63%) • The number of people who claim that they collect waste selectively (from 49% to 54%) and those who reduced their water consumption (from 29% to 48%) also went up
EFFECTIVENESS OF AWARENESS RAISING PROJECTS Cost of reaching
There are significant differences between the efficiency of the projects (based on FS data)
RECOMMENDATION: Benchmark for required level of efficiency • When assessing individual projects, benchmarks should be identified for the particular project type. • Based on the benchmark data, a required level can be identified. Projects that are over the benchmark can be considered efficient, while those below the benchmark would have to be examined: • E.g. in the case of school projects • In short-term active reach, the top 30% reached over 230 people, while the bottom 30% reached fewer than 70 people. • Therefore, in the case of short-term active reach, between 0-70 people the project should be examined, between 71-230 people it is adequate and over 230 people, efficient.
RECOMMENDATION A benchmark database should be compiled based on the efficiency indicators • A continuously expanded benchmark database would provide an objective measure for assessing projects. • Some actual data should be systematically added to the existing project database, and the key efficiency indicators should be identified on the basis of those • Active reach /number of people at the project location • The cost of reaching one person (project cost/ active reach) • Good and bad practices could be identified with the help of the indicators (e.g. TOP10% or TOP30%). • The database could be used as a point of reference when assessing future projects.
RECOMMENDATION: Feedback to project hosts • The projects that have the highest reach percentages and lowest reach/person costs could be presented to projects hosts on a regular basis, either on county or micro-regional level or based on project types. • Best practices could become examples to follow if the factors contributing to its success are analysed and project hosts are provided an opportunity to learn from them • In addition to best practices, some conclusions should be drawn from negative examples, too, identifying ‘bad practices’ that should be avoided during future projects. • All this could contribute to more efficient and successful implementation.
EFFICIENCY raising awareness developing environment consciousness propagating behaviour patterns
Measuring the effect of EEOP awareness raising projects – Desk research and measuring of effectiveness by using ‘contrafactual’ method • Desk research: measuring the effectiveness of regional campaigns • Effectiveness assessments carried out by project hosts have been assessed • In the case of local campaigns and pilot projects, we measured effectiveness by using ‘contrafactual’ method: • School programmes (altogether 146, total budget 647 million HUF) Based on OP indicator: active reach • Pilot projects promoting composting (altogether 231, budget nearly 2 billion HUF) Based on OP indicator: output indicators verifying the progress of activities undertaken in the project proposal
School programmes were the most successful in expanding the target group’s knowledge • In the case of school projects, we detected changes mainly in the schoolchildren’s knowledge: • they know more about environmental problems • project participants are more aware of the harmful effects on human activities on the environment • of environment-conscious behaviour patterns, a positive change in behaviour can be detected as regards selective waste collection
In the case of pilot projects promoting composting, we can detect a clear change in behaviour • The pilot projects promoting composting mainly influence behaviour: • project participants thought that getting a composting box was useful; the project was well-received • in settlements participating in the projects, there is a higher percentage of people who compost waste • according to feedback from participants, composting has become a part of their weekly routine and they have noticed a reduction in the amount of household waste
The current practice of measuring effectiveness by project hosts • In most cases, effectiveness was measured with the help of questionnaires, in most cases in paper-based, self-completion format, and in some cases, using face-to-face interviews (carried out by interviewers). • In most cases, effectiveness was assessed by measuring it twice (typically, at the beginning and end of the project). • When assessing effectiveness, they mainly measured knowledge and attitudes (in 43% of cases), while campaigns were evaluated in 20% of projects. • The effectiveness of projects were measured by the applicants themselves the most frequently (41%).
RECOMMENDATION: Mandatory measuring of effectiveness, containing standardised sections 1. • Out of 796 projects, it was mandatory to measure effectiveness in the case of 387 projects, which was carried out individually by the participants, using different methods and often, with different aims, so it is not possible to compare the results. • We suggest that in the future, all participants of such projects should be required to measure effectiveness: • A professional, methodological component should be drawn up, which would be standardised for all projects and would constitute a part of individual assessments of effectiveness. • The remaining part of the assessment should be tailored to the programmes, which are homogeneous as regards their theme and target group, but should also be standardised for the particular programme type.
RECOMMENDATION: Mandatory, standardised measuring of effectiveness 2. • It should be adapted to current practices (wording and structure optimised for self-completion questionnaires, standardised set of questions). • It could be extended onto all project types. • It should be suitable for use before starting the project, after completion and asfollow-up. • It should address all of these points: • what is the target group’s current level of knowledge about sustainable lifestyle and environment-consciousness • what are the target group’s attitudes to sustainable lifestyle and environment-consciousness • how these attitudes have been integrated into the target group’s day-to-day behaviour
Conclusions - efficiency • Compiling a benchmark database could be helpful in assessing future projects and in identifying projects that are more or less efficient than the average. • By presenting best and worst practices, applicants would be provided with some assessment criteria, which could contribute to improving the efficiency of projects. • It would become possible to identify the most efficient types of campaigns and pilot projects, which could result in improved allocation of resources (naturally, effectiveness targets should also be taken into consideration here!).
The effect of EEOP awareness raising projects • Effectiveness does not automatically mean that the projects are efficient. • Based on international publications, campaigns and pilot projects can mutually contribute to each other’s success: • until sustainable behaviour patterns become sufficiently widespread, it is important to keep environmental issues on the agenda with the help of campaigns • communication plays an important role in preparing participation in pilot projects, i.e. people should be made interested and a positive attitude should be created first • To be able to compare and assess such projects, it would be necessary to incorporate some partially standardised measuring tools and quality assurance criteria into measuring effectiveness, which is currently carried out individually.
