„We play safely and in a healthy way on the playground"

 

Implementer: Primary School in Goszczyna

 

Problem: Goszczyna is located on the Oława - Strzelin route and next to the A4 motorway. The town did not have any safe green public spaces, where children and parents could come to rest, play and practice sports.

 

Objective: The primary objective of the project was to integrate the school's activities with the needs of the local community.

The particular goals were as follows:

1. Safety for children during leisure time.

2. Effective use of public spaces.

3. Creating a meeting place for children and youth.

4. Helping in the physical development of children.

5. Using the 'playground' for the nursery unit's exercise classes, integrated learning and after-school activities.

6. Carrying out activities which empower people to get involved in their community.

 

Project implementation and results: Project work included the following activities:

1. Polish studies competition - "My dream playground" for forms 4 thru 6 and an arts contest for forms 0-2.

2. Teacher-parent meeting and a town meeting to provide information about what the project was about and how to get involved.

3. Tidying and levelling the surface of the future playground, sowing grass, replacing the enclosure and the entry gate. This work was performed by pupils and town residents.

4. Purchase and planting of tree saplings and shrubs.

5. Organising a "flower patch design" competition, followed by the planting of decorative plants and placing of ID signs listing the names of the flowers (participants included children, members of the farmers wives association and teachers).

6. Purchase and installation of sandbox, swings, slides and seesaws. Purchase and set up of benches and rubbish bins.

7. Competition for the "Design of a playground rules board", which allowed children to decide what the playground safety rules ought to be and how they should be presented. The winning design was used to construct and set up the board with the help of parents and the school custodian.

8. Educating children about taking care of the common good, involving them in environmental activities such as a "What we do with waste" exhibit and having them meet with an environmental protection professional from the Toyota Company.

9. An event to sum up project work, accompanied by a survey taken among pupils and local residents to find out how they rated the project.

 

The results of project activities are first and foremost a beautiful, safe and environmentally-friendly playground, which has brought the school closer to the community as a whole, and second of all, a higher level of awareness about the environment and the importance of nature protection.

 

Project partners (and contribution)

1        Mr. Wim Everaert- owner of „Palef" Company. - financed the purchase of new playground fencing and organised the replacement of the old.

2        „Benrom"- petrol station in Brzezimierz- provided financial support.

3        Mr. W. Chwoinski, owner of a construction company- assisted in mounting the playground equipment.

4        Ms. Marta Pajor-Kaczyńska employee of the „Toyota" company - organized the nature exhibit.

5        Starostwo Powiatowe Oława- organised a meeting with an environmental protection specialist.

6        Mr. Jacek Kydryński- assisted in the assembly of the sandbox and in the hauling of sand.

7         „Macmillan" Publishing House- funded prizes for project sum-up event.

8        Mr. Julian Kowalski owner of shop in Goszczyn - provided financial assistance during the organisation of the project sum-up event.

9        ‘Nowa Era" Publishers - funded competition prizes.

10    Cooperative Bank in Oława (Domaniów Branch)- provided financial support.

 

Grant amount, other sources of funding: