Q: Who were your digital ambassadors?
A: In 2025, the Istrian Regional Energy Agency (IRENA) appointed three digital ambassadors, Andrea Poldrugovac, Ana Boneta Jančić, and Antonio Franković, to help citizens understand the energy transition. Chosen for their community ties and communication skills, the ambassadors aimed to make complex topics simple and accessible.
Q: What was their role?
A: The ambassadors coordinated the local pilot of the Challenge Mapping Tool, identifying barriers such as energy poverty and a lack of information. They guided residents, particularly those in vulnerable groups, through the digital platform and public calls, ensuring that nobody was excluded due to a lack of digital skills. They also organised practical activities, such as installing solar PV panels on the Samački Hotel in Labin in collaboration with the Mate Blažina Technical School. This initiative engaged local young people in hands-on learning. Informal spaces were created through community events such as the ‘Živa plaza’ open-air market in Labin, where residents could discuss climate change, solar power, and energy costs.
Key takeaways
Q: What worked well?
A: Using ambassadors who were already established in local communities helped to build trust and increase participation. By combining digital tools with informal, human-centred activities such as market events and hands-on solar projects, they were able to reach people who might otherwise have been excluded and create practical opportunities, particularly for young people.
Q: What challenges did you face?
A: The different levels of digital literacy among citizens and ambassadors required additional support and coordination. Reaching remote areas was time-consuming, and some residents were sceptical or disengaged. Engaging vulnerable groups required persistent and empathetic outreach to overcome these barriers.
Q: Would you change anything in how you managed or structured the process?
A: From the outset, we would create simple, clear materials such as short flyers and step-by-step guides to help ambassadors explain processes more easily and to make digital tools more accessible, particularly for older citizens and those with less experience of using digital technology.
Q: Any feedback from the community?
A: Residents appreciated clear, personal explanations that made energy and housing topics understandable and relevant. They valued approachable guidance and hands-on experience, as well as the opportunity to ask questions without feeling overwhelmed.