In the Smart2B context, Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa (SCML) promoted the involvement of children and young adults living in foster homes, instilling environmental awareness and knowledge about energy efficiency and sustainability through various activities, and empowering them to become active agents of change. The educational, leisure, and technological activities aim to increase curiosity and emphasize the importance of responsible energy use.

Engaging foster home children in an energy-efficiency program presents various challenges that must be carefully navigated to ensure the program’s success and positive impact. These challenges can influence the design, implementation, and outcomes of the program. Many foster children have experienced trauma, which can manifest in behavioral issues, emotional sensitivity, and trust issues. Foster children often experience frequent changes in living arrangements. These changes can disrupt their participation and make it challenging to maintain a consistent attendance record and engagement in the program. Generating and sustaining interest in energy efficiency concepts among foster children can be demanding. The topic might not naturally resonate with them and maintaining engagement over time can require creative and interactive approaches. To overcome those challenges, it is crucial to coordinate with the teams responsible for managing foster homes.

A list of SCML’s initiatives

During the course of Smart2B, SCML was therefore very active and, through the organization of events and moments of sharing, aimed to involve and increase awareness of the concepts underlying the project.

Smart2b project was officially presented at (SCML) in November 2021: the objective of the event was to introduce the project to all employees, who were going to be directly or indirectly involved in the project, but also to engage them in the activities related to Lisboa Social Community Pilot (LSC).

During the following month of May, SCML organized its first Workshop of the pre-pilot phase of the Smart2B project. This workshop aimed at the directors and technicians of the foster homes took place at SCML’s facilities in Lisbon and was attended by 40 people in total. It served the purpose of co-designing the methodology that would be applied to the energy sustainability program aimed at children and young adults.

SCML participated also in the third Porto ICRE – Porto International Conference on Research in Education – held in Porto between in July 2022. The team had the opportunity to present the project in general, covering all its different areas. The team also accentuated the Smart2B energy sustainability initiative, slated for execution during the project’s preliminary phase, and deliberated upon the essence of forthcoming SCML undertakings and initiatives.

The following October, SCML organized its second Workshop of the pre-pilot phase, aimed at children, teenagers, and young adults of the foster homes. This workshop took place at SCML headquarters in Lisbon and was attended by 30 people in total.

Additionally, Santa Casa also presented the Smart2B project at the XII Portuguese Congress of Sociology, titled “Polarized Societies? Challenges for Sociology”, which took place in April 2023 in Coimbra, and was organized by the Portuguese Association of Sociology. The Congress consisted of a moment of meeting for professionals working in research or in the field to discuss methodologies and practices aimed at furnishing novel solutions to challenges, including those of an environmental nature.

Involving foster home kids in an energy efficiency program holds immense importance and meaning, contributing not only to the well-being of these children but also to the broader community and the environment. This initiative brings together the elements such as empowerment, education, and environmental stewardship, creating a positive impact on the lives of foster children and the world they are inheriting. Some of the recollections that stand out prominently during this expedition encompass the workshop we conducted alongside the youth, but also our involvement in the camping endeavor adjacent to the Cabril Dam.

When it comes to the vision for the future, SCML is focused on developing activities of the energy efficiency program through education, empowerment, and environmental consciousness, which will contribute to building a more sustainable world for generations to come. This legacy of awareness and empowerment, reverberates through time, charting a course where today’s aspirations seamlessly merge with tomorrow’s achievements.

Authors: Filomena Gerardo, Inês Filipe & Guilherme Teixeira Costa
Contact: filomena.gerardo@scml.pt