(Funded by Caring for Our Country, ACT Environment Grants and ActewAGL Source Water Protection Program Education Grants) The project provides for the part time employment of a qualified teacher as an Education Officer with the Southern ACT Catchment Group to develop and implement a source water protection education program for Primary, Secondary and College students in the southern ACT catchment area (see ‘Our Water’ teachers’ resource).
Source water protection involves the management and use of the catchment that supplies the community’s potable water supply. Educating future generations on the importance of maintaining a high quality water supply and the methods associated with catchment management is necessary to work toward a sustainable future. ‘Environmental education for sustainability is a concept encompassing a vision of education that seeks to empower people of all ages to assume responsibility for creating a sustainable future.’, see UNESCO’s Education for Sustainable Development web portal.
Potential outcomes of the Project:
- Increase in education of catchment health issues at a primary, secondary and college levels.
- Increase in education of source water issues at a primary, secondary and college levels.• Increase in school excursions to venues and activities highlighting catchment and source water issues.
- Increase in students “Acting for an environmentally sustainable future” as identified by the Essential Learning Achievements 20 (ACT Dept Education Curriculum)
- Increase in teacher awareness of learning activities and opportunities that address objectives of ELA 20 as identified by the ACT Department of Education.Martin Lind our Waterwatch Coordinator has taken on the role of Education Officer. Martin can be contacted on 6296 6400 or email waterwatch@sactcg.org.au
Southern ACT Catchment Coordination Funded by Caring for Our Country, this project employs a coordinator to provide the Southern ACT Community with on-going support and coordination for the protection and development of our environment. This project will enable the Southern ACT Catchment Group Inc. to:
- increase community awareness and understanding of NRM;
- encourage and support local Landcare, Park Care, Waterwatch and other community groups with planning, funding and monitoring of their areas;
- empower the community to take part in actions that will address local environmental issues, toward achieving regional NRM targets;
- establish and maintain effective partnerships between local government, community, schools, industry and the NRM network;
- Develop understanding, skills, motivation and capacity of the community by facilitating technical support, capacity building and engaging the community in on-ground activities.