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Civil Society Engagement
Co-designed engagement activities across the MAR2PROTECT demo sites
DEMOSITE
Civil Society Engagement
Co-designed engagement activities across the MAR2PROTECT demo sites
DEMOSITE
MAR2PROTECT enables the engagement of stakeholders in adopting innovative digital technologies as solutions for strengthening and enhancing the sustainability of the European water industry.
The civil society engagement strategy of MAR2PROTECT embraces the need for an increasingly active role of societal actors in preventing water contamination through changes in daily practices and global warming management. In this project, we therefore engage diverse stakeholders in a variety of ways throughout the project activities.
Civil society engagement
The engagement of civil society (e.g. citizens, communities, non-governmental organisations) is crucial for effective groundwater pollution prevention, as this can foster a shared responsibility and strengthen the impact of protective measures.
Initially, individuals may be uninformed about issues related to groundwater pollution, but through increased awareness, they can begin to understand the challenges. This understanding can lead to deeper involvement, where people start to contribute their time and effort to local initiatives. Further engagement can transform them into active participants, taking on more significant roles in projects and community efforts. Ultimately, some people may become advocates, championing causes, demonstrating leadership, and driving activism to influence broader policy and societal change.
However, if conditions are not conducive or engagement is mishandled, individuals might become indifferent, unwilling to participate, or even actively oppose initiatives, highlighting the need for careful and sustained community engagement strategies.
Source: Wehn & Vallejo (2025), adapted from Montalvo et al. (2021) and Massari (2020)
Co-design of civil society engagement
The MAR2PROTECT Demo Site teams co-designed civil society engagement interventions to address specific groundwater pollution challenges via the selection of appropriate interventions for each respective Demo Site. This is particularly important because poorly crafted interventions risk being unsustainable or rejected, as individuals' groundwater management practices are strongly influenced by cultural, traditional, and socio-economic factors (Trevett and Carter, 2008). It also allowed embedding the civil society engagement activity within a broader set of regional/local groundwater management strategies rather than treating it as isolated events.
The co-design sessions undertaken by the MAR2PROTECT Demo Sites with stakeholders from civil society, the public and the private sector, included discussions on how community actions and behaviours affect groundwater quality, as well as on the role and relevance of civil society in preventing groundwater contamination and depletion.
The activities then centred on jointly identifying civil society engagement activities in which the Demo Site leaders and the participants could cooperate. This generated a collection of potential engagement activities that could be carried out by the participants and with limited financial support from the MAR2PROTECT project.
The co-design participants agreed on a set of selection criteria to prioritise specific civil society engagement activities, then applied them to a longer list of brainstormed results to reach consensus on at least three activities for joint implementation.
Explore activities by demo site
Civil society engagement activities
Co-designed demo site activities and the general catalogue of engagement activities in a single list. Filter by the level of engagement you aim to reach, or by the metadata below.
Type
Target level of engagement
Participants
Water management
Sphere
Intervention compass
Water management, sphere and intervention compass are only defined for general-catalogue activities: using them hides the demo site activities.
50 activities
Social media campaign
Target audience
General Public
Format
Radio - Online dissemination
Objective
Inform the general public about water pollution and scarcity challenges in Tunisia, and highlight the efforts needed to influence citizens' behaviour towards sustainable water use
Materials
Podcast or radio equipment: microphone, recorder, computer, headphones…
Target level:
AwareActivities with students
Target audience
University students (21-25 years)
Format
Presentation, lecture, and Interactive tools
Objective
Competition for the creation of awareness materials and to contribute to promoting sustainable water management practices. Examples: videos, posters, games, quizzes
Materials
Videos, game cards, poster in local language, online quiz game
Target level:
AwareActivities with schoolers
Target audience
High school students (11-12 years)
Format
Lecture, Interactive tools, and lab visit
Objective
To promote family-oriented engagement in water conservation
Materials
Video of the project, poster in local language with indications for the target audience
Target level:
AwareOn-site activities: Pilot visit and technology demonstration
Target audience
Farmers, civil society groups
Format
Interactive lecture and site visit to the demo site plant
Objective
To provide direct interaction with implemented solutions for water pollution prevention and sustainable water management at the demo site
Materials
PowerPoint presentations
Target level:
AwareENNE mentorship program
Target audience
Students
Format
Mentorship, Open Educational Resource – PFAS video
Objective
Provide an Open Educational Resource encouraging students to explore PFAS as a potential research topic
Materials
Video about PFAS
Target level:
AwareNOVA FCT – Open Day
Target audience
High school students interested in joining the NOVA Chemistry Department
Format
Informative talks/Demo/Interactive tools (quiz)
Objective
(i) Awareness of the relevance of PFAS as contaminants of water. (ii) Demonstration of adsorption technology to remove contaminants, (iii) Educational quiz
Materials
online quiz, winner certificate
Target level:
InvolvedChildren's Day in Science
Target audience
Civil society (families and young children), research community
Format
Board game
Objective
Teaching children about Fluorine (chemical element) in water
Materials
board game, computer, game materials
Target level:
AwarePFAS Public debate
Target audience
policymakers, scientists, companies, EU program managers, and the general public
Format
Public debate with two round tables
Objective
Discuss two topics: (i) Policy recommendations for emerging contaminants (ii) Sustainable and safe PFAS for health and the environment
Materials
PowerPoint presentations
Target level:
AwareOpen Fun Hall
Target audience
Civil society (families and young children)
Format
Games, cinema, and lectures
Objective
Sensibilization for PFAS and CECs, particularly those included in Frielas demo site
Materials
Game material, PowerPoint presentation, videos, game maps, posters for the game
Target level:
Aware & InvolvedFunding opportunities
Target audience
Research communities, Policy makers, EU funding programs, and the Academy
Format
Presentations with funding opportunities
Objective
Representatives from major EU funding programs presenting upcoming calls and opportunities to support innovative environmental research
Materials
PowerPoint presentations
Target level:
InvolvedInvisible scavengers: The bacteria that help us clean polluted water (Unijunior Bologna)
Target audience
Children (8-13 years old)
Format
2-hour informative lecture by Prof. Elena Biagi with animators from the Leo Scienza Association
Objective
The capacity of bacteria to biodegrade pollutants from water and clean up the environment
Materials
PowerPoint presentations
Target level:
AwareBoiling ice. Drought and floods, the culture of the limit
Target audience
High school students (average age: 16 years old)
Format
WWD Lecture and site visit to the Savena River
Objective
(i) To increase awareness of the impacts of climate change on the water cycle, (ii) To increase awareness of sustainable management of surface and groundwater, (iii) To teach practical skills in water quality by sampling and analysing samples
Materials
PowerPoint presentations
Target level:
InvolvedLecture on water reuse
Target audience
Citizens over 40 years of age
Format
Lecture on wastewater reuse
Objective
Dissemination of the results related to the project "Wastewater reuse" (water scarcity, climate change, increasing demand, quality assurance, micropollutants, salt intrusion).
Materials
PowerPoint presentations
Target level:
AwareHealthy rivers – clean groundwater: youth outreach event
Target audience
Primary school students and teachers (grade 7)
Format
Inspirational talk and site visit (Eerste River Catchment). Mini SASS
Objective
(i) To increase awareness about the risks of groundwater contamination, (ii) to showcase the innovative use of biosensors for water quality monitoring, (iii) to increase enthusiasm about saving the rivers
Materials
T-Shirts, miniSASS sheet and PowerPoint presentation
Target level:
InvolvedThe 79th Scientific Session of the Geological Society of Spain
Target audience
Students and professionals
Format
Lecture and field visit
Objective
Awareness and practical aspects of the relevance of MAR schemes in recharging aquifers
Materials
poster explaining the site characteristics. Online questionnaire
Target level:
InvolvedHydrogeoday
Target audience
Civil society
Format
Field trip and workshop
Objective
To raise public awareness of hydrogeology and the relevance of GW, to inform about GW challenges and to promote the understanding of aquifers, water quality threats, and solutions.
Materials
Materials to build an aquifer (sand, clay, rocks,..), storage jars, colorants, salt, water…
Target level:
AwareWorkshop with children. The importance of preverving water resources.
Target audience
Children (6-8 years old)
Format
Escape room
Objective
To do a fun activity with kids in relation to the preservation of groundwater resources regarding their quality and quantity
Materials
PPT presentation,
Target level:
AwareSaltmarsh as a living laboratory
Target audience
Junior high school students
Format
Plenary talks on the role of saltmarshes for addressing water challenges, site visits to a lab-scale wetland model / Lab activities, site visits to the saltmarsh and CS and creation of videos by students
Objective
An engaging hands-on experience designed to teach students about estuarine saltmarshes and their role in maintaining good water quality and environmental health
Materials
PowerPoint presentation, guide and questions for the students
Target level:
Involved & AdvocatePublic awareness activities (with Administration of the Viana do Castelo Port)
Target audience
General Public
Format
Didactic games and Guided boat tour
Objective
Engage with the local community and raise awareness about the importance of estuarine saltmarsh habitats
Materials
Game materials, poster presentation
Target level:
Involved & AdvocateRiver cleaning
Target audience
General Public
Format
River cleaning and inspirational talk
Objective
To increase awareness of public on the preservation of Lima River estuary
Target level:
InvolvedWater conservation messages based on a [latent] profiling approach
Target audience
General public
Target level:
AwareRisk-based water safety strategy
Target audience
General public / Community members
Target level:
AwareAwareness campaigns for water conservation
Target audience
General public
Target level:
AwareCitizen Science
Target audience
General public
Target level:
InvolvedEnvironmental / Water Educational Programme (schools)
Target audience
Students
Target level:
AwareShort educational programs / short-term outreach interventions / Educational workstations
Target audience
Students
Target level:
AwareGroundwater monitoring through citizen participation
Target audience
General public
Target level:
InvolvedHousehold water use / Water diaries
Target audience
Households
Target level:
AwareHousehold water filtering treatment
Target audience
Households
Target level:
InvolvedInformation on [know-how] household-specific [non-cost] water quality actions
Target audience
Households
Target level:
AwareInformational water quality talks / Hand-in actions (water- and sanitation-related illness); Water / hand-rinse test results
Target audience
Households
Target level:
AwareWater conservation messages (COM-B dimensions) – Informational Videos
Target audience
General public / Community members; High school students
Target level:
InvolvedHousehold water disease risk index (DRI) testing
Target audience
Households
Target level:
InvolvedInstallation of chilled water and a water quality awareness campaign
Target audience
High school students
Target level:
InvolvedWater Conservation Education – High school curriculum (4 months)
Target audience
High school students
Target level:
InvolvedMotivational Interviewing
Target audience
Households
Target level:
AwareRANAS approach
Target audience
Households
Target level:
AwareSchool water usage reduction campaign (smart meter data / posters / games / presentations)
Target audience
Primary school students
Target level:
AwareSchool-based safe water intervention
Target audience
High school students
Target level:
AwareTesting and monitoring well water quality
Target audience
General public / Community members
Target level:
InvolvedThe Community Water Development Fund
Target audience
General public / Community members
Target level:
AwareVoluntary water demand management strategies (no cost)
Target audience
General public / Community members
Target level:
AwareInstallation of water filters
Target audience
Households
Target level:
InvolvedWater use restrictions
Target audience
Households
Target level:
InvolvedWater use diaries
Target audience
Households
Target level:
InvolvedWater saving devices (i.e., rainwater tanks, smart meters)
Target audience
Schools (children)
Target level:
InvolvedInformational video
Target audience
Students >18 years old paying their own utilities
Target level:
AwarePeer Mentoring on water conservation (non-price) approaches
Target audience
General public
Target level:
InvolvedIn-house water testing
Target audience
General public
Target level:
ActiveIn-site conservation activities
Target audience
General public
Target level:
Active
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