This document provides information and guidance for greening community education centers. It discusses establishing a vision and commitment to sustainability, developing knowledge and relationships, offering courses on sustainability topics, procuring resources sustainably, encouraging green behaviors, retrofitting buildings, marketing sustainability programs, training staff, and undertaking sustainability projects. The goal is to help centers play a key role in sustainability education through their operations, programming, and community engagement.

1. Welcome from
Katrina Shields & Richard Vinycomb
of Byron Region Community College

2.  Knowledge
 Vision for your centre
 Relationships and networks
 Courses and marketing
 Your buildings
 Procurement and every day behaviours
 Your staff
 Projects and advocacy

3.  The realities of the environmental crisis
including climate change
 The larger policy context – a shift to a lower
carbon economy and urgent need for
educational leadership

4. Example: NSW Department of the Environment & Climate Change (DECC)
and University of NSW forecasts the community in our area needs to
prepare for:
“Higher temperatures (between 1-3 degrees), less rainfall in
winter and spring and more rainfall in summer and
autumn, more frequent and severe droughts, and more extreme
storms including more high rainfall concentrations leading to
flooding.
There is likely to be sea level rises of at least 40 cm by 2050
leading to inundation of low lying coastal areas. These changes
are likely to have significant impacts on agricultural
production, water supply, settlements and infrastructure, natural
resources, biodiversity and human health.”
See Summary of Climate Impacts – North Coast Region, NSW Climate Change Action Plan Sept
2008 Department of Environment & Climate Change NSW.

5.  We are in the middle of the UN Decade of Education for
Sustainable development.
 There are International, national and state policies and action
strategies to mainstream education for sustainability into all
sectors.
 Widespread recognition that adult education will play a key role
in bringing about sustainable development. The adult education
sector and the VET sector has been recognised as needing
urgent up skilling and mainstreaming of education for
sustainability.
 All training packages have been reviewed to embed sustainability
skills, which will require professional development for trainers.
There is a an opportunity and responsibility for RTOs to walk the
talk.

6. Sharan Burrow, Ex-ACTU President has said
“The low carbon economy will require the
greening up of old jobs and creation of
millions of new job roles.
“Sustainability will become central to business
strategy. Integrating sustainability into all
aspects of their business – into the products
they make, into their operations and
processes, and into their accounting
practices, they will increasingly demand green
skills and knowledge.
Are we up to it? As an education and training
community can we do it?”
Media statement March 2009.

7. “Sustainable development calls for additional and
different processes than those traditionally
thought of in education.
The quest for sustainability demands new
approaches to involve people, rather than convey
just a body of knowledge.”
It requires more critical thinking
skills, participation at all levels, innovation, new
values and new behaviors.”
Daniella Tilbury et al in the National Review of Environmental
Education and its contribution to Sustainability 2005….

8. Overall, does your centre have any commitment
to sustainability?
Does it communicate that commitment internally
and/or externally?

9.  What does your Governing body agree on?
 What is expressed in the long term plan?
 How does it relate to local
community, business & government
expectations?
 Reflection question: Do you have a vision
statement that is out of step with greening up
your centre?

10. Getting connected for inspiration, information and activation.
 In our area we connected with: Local Government sustainability
officers, Landcare project officers, State Health Department health
promotions staff, University & TAFE sustainability officers.
 We also looked for tutors amongst the dedicated sustainability
practitioners.
 Other resources further afield: National Centre for Sustainability at
Swinburne Uni , ARIES Centre for Sustainability Education at
Macquarie Uni, Australian Conservation Foundation, Dept
Environment Climate Change and Water, Victorian Association for
Environmental Education.
 Reflection Question: Who is already active in sustainability
activities or education in your area?

11.  E newsletters: eg ACF Greenhome e
news, Landcare e news, Biological Farmers
Association of Australia e news.
 Subscriptions to Magazines: eg G
magazine, ABC Organic Gardener, Australian
Alternative Technology Association magazine.

12. 2 examples
 We work with local government to run energy efficiency workshops, tours of
the local water facility, provide composting and green cleaning workshops.
 Have a partnership with the Mullumbimby Community Garden, with a joint
committee to run the education program.
 Are providing workshops in food growing in 7 local government areas
for a joint local government /state government
Northern River Foodlinks Project.
Reflection Question: Are there any relationships that could be
formalised for your sustainability education provision?

13.  This involves a combination of behaviour changes + retro
fitting. If renovating – go green!
 The main areas to consider- sourcing of renewable
energy, energy and water efficiency, waste minimisation
including recycling, gardens, bike racks.

14.  Greener Behaviours could involve getting staff and
students into recycling, double sided printing, turning
off lights and air con, waste reduction, water saving
behaviours and signing up for Greenpower.
 Minor retro fits could include more efficient
lighting, standby power off switches, overhead
fans, dual flush toilets, water saving taps, waterless
urinals and compost bins.
 Major works if you are renovating or adding on could
include installing solar power, solar hot water, integrate
some passive solar design features, improve ventilation.

15.  Do you know about any incentive schemes or
sources of funding to help you retrofit or renovate?
Federal? State? Local?
Private? Commercial? Sponsorship? Partnership?
 Is there anybody who can put time into researching
this? Can you share knowledge with likeminded
organisations?
 Do you have some $$ to put in from existing funds?
 Can you add this to next budget?

17. Sustainable Procurement :
 What sort of paper do you buy?
 Where do your catering supplies come from?
 What alternatives do you provide to bottled
water?
Everyday behaviours :
 Do you encourage recycling?
 Do you practise separation of organics eg use a
bokashi bin?
 Do you have default double sided printing?
 Turning off all non essential equipment and
lighting?

18. You can encourage greener behaviours as well as having a
broader influence - by giving explanations for why you are
choosing to do something.
 Reflection Question: What sort of signage do you or could you
have to support this?
 What is one sign you could put up or system you could put in
place easily now?

19. This includes general interest courses and accredited training.
 Some of the non accredited courses we have run are: wide
range of backyard food growing topics; water efficiency;
green cleaning; energy efficient house design; solar
technology; supporting biodiversity tours of sustainable
houses, gardens, farms and communities...

20.  Introducing new qualifications eg Permaculture
 Providing new skill sets eg Business sustainability
units, organic horticulture units. Some of these have funding
available, for instance in NSW See:www.greenskills.nsw.gov.au
There is an National VET Sector Sustainability Policy & Action
Plan (2009-2012).
 Providing professional development for trainers- eg the new
TAE Units eg “Analyse and Apply Sustainability Skills to
Learning Programs”. DON’T MISS THIS UNIQUE
ONE-OFF OPPORTUNITY TO
QUALIFY IN
INSTALLING IRRIGATION
SYSTEMS (RTE3601A)
Thursdays 28/8 – 30/10
ACE BYRON SHIRE HAS FUNDED
GOVERNMENT PLACES IN THIS SHORT
CERTIFICATE COURSE – PEOPLE BETWEEN
15 AND 25 ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY……
For people with experience in
For further information and to enrol call Horticulture & Agriculture or Land
Conservation and Management
ACE 66843374 or go to
www.acebyron.org.au Learn how to
Set out and prepare sites
install pressurised
systems
Install grey water systems
Byron Region Community College

21. We use:
 A lot of media stories print and radio
 A special flyer
 Posters around town
 Email networking to target interest groups
 Work with partner organisations.
Reflection Question: What new or extra marketing
strategies could you use to reach more people with
education for sustainability?

22. This might include: Being clear on the management
approach, developing a team approach, undertaking a
restructure, to creating new position(s), and a professional
development program.
Do you:
 Have a budget?
 Have someone who is formally responsible to drive the agenda ?
 Have ways to develop a team approach?
 Take time for staff team meeting to reflect on the green issues
and form strategies?
 Provide professional development opportunities in
sustainability, both in-house and external?
 Celebrate your good news stories in the media?

23. After developing the expertise, there is increasing scope for
funded projects especially in partnership with community and
industry groups.
We developed a backyard food growing teaching kit “Eden at
Home” and undertook funded research in VET teaching
approaches eg: “Green Thumbs & Green Goods” (horticulture
and retail training resource); also
“Sustainability and Energy Efficiency in Retail
Training” (professional
development kit).

24.  Arethere any sustainability projects that interest
you and you have the resources to undertake?

25.  Final questions,
 Suggestions, comments
 and feedback.......

26. Adult Learning Australia
 Greening your operations and infrastructure -
Tuesday 28 June
 Greening your community course (non VET)
programming and marketing - Thursday 28
July
 Greening your
partnerships, projects, advocacy and
networks - Thursday 30 August

27. Thanks for your participation from Katrina, Richard,
Patricia and Michael