FREE workshop for youth.   – please forward info to your networks

Become part of a growing network of young people in the ACT committed to making positive and sustainable changes to their own lives, and their communities.  As an introduction to the network, free Youth in Sustainability workshops are being held for young Canberrans aged 15-25 years.  The next open workshop will be held over three consecutive Tuesday evenings during April 2008.

The workshop is designed to educate and inform young Canberrans on sustainability and to inspire them to reduce their individual and community consumption patterns.

Dates:8^th, 15^th and 22^nd of April 2008

Workshop times: 6.30pm -9 pm

Workshop location: Meeting room 10 (second floor) in the Griffin Centre, Genge St Civic

 Contact the Project Officer, Rachael Millsom on otherwise@consact.org.au or 6229 3211 to find out more or to register.

What is the project?

ACT otherWISE is part of a growing national otherWISE network, made up of young people and their communities who are living and acting otherwise towards a more sustainable Australia.  The project aims to empower young people to become leaders within their communities, by identifying actions they can make to their lifestyles, and the lifestyles of their communities, more sustainable.  The project does this through a workshop, action support and network and by supporting youth in undertaking personal and community projects.  

Following the support and vision of numerous ACT community groups and organizations, and in partnership with the International Young Professionals Foundation and RMIT University, ACT otherWISE was able to run its first Youth Sustainability Workshop in Canberra, with the assistance of an ACT Government Environment Grant, toward the end of 2006. Since this time the project has grown and been involved in the education and support of over 100 youth in Canberra.   

Last year

2007 was an exciting year for ACT otherWISE as further investment was secured to continue the program including more sustainability workshops and activities.  The project now has over 100 young Canberrans in our network, and has worked to support a number of youth projects addressing sustainability.

In 2007 ACT otherWISE ran its second facilitator training and five youth workshops. These included workshops with a Venturer Scouts troup; two lots of Year 10 students at Orana High School; a mini workshop at the 2007 Youth InterACT conference; and a workshop open to all comers.

This Year

So far this year we have run a youth planning day, a waterwatch activity and another facilitator training session.  By June we will run 4 youth workshops, publish a booklet on what young people in the ACT are doing to live more sustainably, run an event for World Environment Day, host Greenscreen, a short film and music night, in Garema place and run an energy savings workshop.  I’m sure there will be many more exciting projects on the agenda for the second half of 2008.

Youth Projects

In between workshops, ACT otherWISE has supported youth from the workshops in their various projects, which included obtaining some funding through a Youth Change Makers grant provided by the Foundation for Young Australians. 

The projects include:

• A Uranium documentary by youth, for youth, which has been shown at the Dendy cinema in Canberra and will be shown at a green, youth-run, event (Greenscreen) in early May. 
• A sewing group which ran a sewing workshop for youth in August and has held three successful clothes swap events with more planned. 
• Supporting 3 workshop participants and 10 other members of the network to attend a youth LEAD workshop run by OzGreen. Each of them returned from the workshop inspired and motivated to do more to create a sustainable and healthy Canberra.
• Greenscreen – a green gig and film night to be run on 2 May 2008 in Garema place in conjunction with the conservation council,
• Workplace greening – a small group of youth in the workplace are busy scheming the next youth project aimed at greening the places where they work!

Community and the ACT otherWISE network

ACT otherWISE continues to build networks in the community, as well as run other activities for young people and their communities in Canberra.  We welcome involvement from business and community groups, so if you have ideas or a group of young people you would like us to run a workshop for please get in touch.  Over the next couple of years we are also looking for financial support, for individual events, youth projects and other funds just to keep us moving along, please contact one of the project officers on the email provided below if you are interested in providing this kind of support.

 Getting in touch

 If you would like to get involved in ACT otherWISE we would love to hear from you!

Contact us on otherWISE@consact.org.au.

Meet other inspired young people to help make Manningham a more sustainable community!

When: Monday 31 March and Tuesday 1 April

Time: 6pm – 9pm

Where: Manningham Council, 699 Doncaster Road Doncaster

Please contact Beth on 9840 9406 or bethany.dunlop@manningham.vic.gov.au for more information

1. Australian Ethical Investments – Building Tour and Talk on ethical investments

When: Tuesday March 11th

Where: Australian Ethical Investments, Fern Hill Technology Park. Block E, Trevor Pearcey House, 34 Thynne Street in Bruce.

Time:  5pm till 6pm (tour will start at 5pm)

Contact otherwise@consact.org.au for more info and to let me know if you are coming.

2. ENERGY SAVINGS WORKSHOP

As a lead up to Earth Hour  at the end of March an energy savings workshops will be run to assist members of the ACT otherWISE network and their friends reduce their energy consumption in the home environment (especially for renters).  Come along and leave equipped with more tools and knowledge, as you take individual and community actions towards a more sustainable ACT.

When:    Tuesday 18th March

Time: 5.30pm to 7pm

Where: The Conservation Council, 3 Childers Street (next to the Street Theatre)

What to bring: your last Energy Bill.

Our lifestyles rely on energy.  Whether it’s enjoying a cold drink, staying warm on a cold winter’s night, taking a hot shower, watching a movie….  So many of the activities we enjoy require energy. Recently we have come to realise that the way we generate this energy is really important.  In Australia, most of our energy comes from burning fossil fuels that emit greenhouse gases.  These in turn are contributing the climate change, which is already having major impacts on the environment-both natural and human built.

So, what to do? The workshop will provide information on how people typically use energy in the domestic setting and explore possible responses that we can take to have a positive effect on the climate change crisis.

Facilitated by Peter Miller from the Home Energy Advice Team (HEAT).  HEAT is an ACT government funded service for all Canberra and area residents designed to help them reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

Come along, bring your friend, family and housemate and learn simple things you can do at home to use less energy and save money.

PLUS A Volunteer Project with ACT otherWISE?

ACT otherWISE is a growing network of young people in the ACT committed to making positive and sustainable changes to their own lives, and their communities.  As an introduction to the network, free Youth in Sustainability workshops are held for young Canberrans aged 15-25 years.

The workshops are designed to educate and inform young Canberrans on sustainability and to inspire them to reduce their individual and community consumption patterns.

Ongoing activities and support are available to participants as they make changes to their lives, get involved in existing community projects or design their own sustainability focused community projects.

For more information have a look at:

http://ozotherwise.wordpress.com

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2530510879

In the first half of 2008 the project plans to:
*run 4 youth workshops
*run a facilitator workshop
*run monthly activities including quarterly energy workshops, a river watch activity, a visit to Australian ethical investments and more!
* A celebration event for World Environment Day 2008,
*Develop and publish a booklet on how young people in the ACT are living and acting otherWISE
*support youth on individual and community projects; and more!

In the second half of 2008 we will run another facilitator workshop, more youth workshops and more monthly activities.

You can get involved by supporting the above projects.  Suggested Volunteer Projects include:

Support for production of a booklet on how young people in the ACT are living and acting otherWISE.  This Project will commence in Feb / March and will be completed by the end of May.

Support for organising an event for world environment day.  This project will start in February and end after the event which will be in early June.

Plan and organise a monthly activity.  We will require volunteers on a month by month basis from April this year.

Assist in the planning and organisation of a youth workshop on sustainability.  Volunteers who attend the facilitator training in February may then also co-facilitate on the workshop.  We will be running four youth workshops between February and June.  Volunteers required from February until completion of the workshop.

Organise a green film night for youth week.  Volunteer required from February / March until Youth week (April 5th-13th)

Event / Workshop Promotion.  Volunteers are required to assist in the promotion of all events and workshops run by ACT otherWISE, the length of volunteer engagement required would depend on the event / workshop being promoted.  The work may include distributing posters and talking with youth in schools or other groups about the ACT otherWISE project.  The later would suit previous workshop participants.  Volunteers required for each individual event / workshop and timing would range from one to four months per event / workshop.

Got a really great idea for something that would benefit ACT otherWISE and the community – let us know.

If you would like to discuss opportunities for working with the otherWISE project or if you have any ideas of your own that you feel would compliment the project please contact.the project officer, Rachael Millsom at otherwise@consact.org.au or on (02) 6229 3211 (Thursdays and Fridays).

The project is run from the Conservation Council, 3 Childers street, Acton.  However volunteers would be able to do work from home.  It is noted that the volunteer may be required to move around Canberra, depending on the project undertaken.

Entries and nominations are now invited for the Young Leaders in Environmental Issues and Climate Change prize, one of 20 prizes on offer in this year’s competition and one of only two in the category of Science Leadership.

Sponsored by the British Council, the Eureka Prize for Young Leaders in Environmental Issues and Climate Change is awarded to a young Australian aged 21 – 30 for scientific or technological leadership in responding to the challenges that threaten our environment and our climate.

The prize is intended to benefit outstanding young people who have demonstrated:
* scientific or technological leadership which aims to improve the environment or reduce the impact of climate change, and
* the potential to accelerate quickly into leadership positions in fields relevant to this prize.

The winner will receive a $10,000 study tour to the United Kingdom, organised by the British Council.

Entries CLOSE 2 May 2008

For further information on the prize, judging criteria, and how to enter, go to http://www.australianmuseum.net.au/eureka or email eureka@austmus.gov.au.

Activity entered for this prize must have been undertaken in Australia by an Australian resident between the ages of 21 and 30 at the time of the closing date of entries.

The Youth Leaders for a Greener Wedge program will run the otherWISE workshop on the weekend of the 23 – 24 February 2008. Environmental projects will be run through 2008!

If you are interested please contact Beth at bethany.dunlop@manningham.vic.gov.au

Manningham City Council and local residents are campaigning for a rail service to connect Manningham with an adequate public transport system! Doncaster rail will reduce traffic congestion and make journeys into the city much quicker, while also minimising wear-and-tear on roads in a number of Manningham suburbs. This result can clearly lessen carbon dioxide emissions from roads and improve the air quality around our family-centered neighborhood.

Three quick and easy ways to show you support a rail line to Doncaster

• SMS YES to 0428 pt4 me2
• Join our online petition
• Have your say on the pt4me2 blog

www.pt4me2.org.au

• I recently graduated from a Bachelor of Social Science (Environment) RMIT University.
• Last year a friend and I started a sustainable fashion distribution company- Wallflower Clothing.
• The days that I’m not at Manningham I work for Diabetes Camps Victoria as the Volunteer Coordinator.
• I have also worked in Youth Leadership roles within the YMCA including a Senior Leader for the Camping Adventure Program, School Holiday Program, and as an Aquatic Education Officer. And was the Community Development Officer, Access for All Abilities for the City of Melbourne and the YMCA.
• In 2006 I was lucky enough to represent Australia at the South East Asian UXO – Mine Action Youth Leadership Workshop in Laos PDR
• I also enjoy hiking, swimming, bushwalking, rock climbing, travelling, hanging out with friends, and dancing.

I am very excited to be working on this project as I am very passionate about sustainability issues and I look forward to working with like minded people! 

What’s planned for Youth Leaders for a Greener Wedge:

• We are running Facilitator Training on Monday the 10^th December 2007
• The Youth Workshop will be held on the 23 – 24 February 2008
• There will be regular catch ups for all participants in the Youth Leaders for a Greener Wedge throughout 2008.

I look forward to meeting with you all and discussing the exciting opportunities of the Youth Leaders for a Greener Wedge Program. I’m in at Manningham on Mondays and Tuesdays. Feel free to contact me on Bethany.Dunlop@manningham.vic.gov.au

Take Care

Transport: – car free lane, get people on bikes; less parking in the city for cars; less cars, increase sustainable transport; air travel ‘budgets’ for gov’t and business; better bike lanes; faster changing lights for bikes; free bike checks; economic incentives for sustainable living and vice versa.

Purchasing / Food: – encourage vegetarianism; more community gardens; roof top gardens on high-rise; encourage more local growers markets.
Water: – No sprinklers on at ANU during the day, grey water systems, compulsory rainwater tanks for new houses; ban use of tap water on gardens.

Community Building: – encourage retrofitting of houses; better designed developments / blocks for natural heating and cooling; community oriented designed developments; encourage sharing of things / stuff eg lawn mowers within communities.

Energy: - mandatory solar energy; more bike friendly policies / rules; more stringent restrictions on new houses eg solar; audit energy use by Government Departments and change; zero emissions targets for government departments; improve bus service; energy rating / education for all appliances; encourage using more energy efficient appliances; not change extra for green power; tax carbon emissions to make green power cheaper; solar street lights; solar energy tariffs improved; turn off lights at night in unused buildings; charge the true cost of fossil fuel energy; better initiatives for reducing energy use; compulsory solar hot water heaters for new houses.

Other - stop logging of old growth forests; make recycling and composting mandatory / have incentives eg free waste removal of you recycle; infect media with the idea that over consumption is NOT SEXY

Personal Actions:

• Cameron: HEAT audit @ home; speak at Gungahlin Sustainability Fair on a Green Xmas; plant fruit trees and a veggie patch
• Rachael: put clean comfort on bedroom windows; put cardboard strips along the top of curtains.
• Serena: Use Garden safe dishwashing and laundry liquids; shop at farmers markets; fit efficient shower heads and light globes.
• Millie: install a water efficient shower head;
• Esther: Bike Ride to work, go on green energy
• Louise: plant a  veggie garden; go to youth lead, organise a cultural exchange
• Clare: sustain myself by Yoga etc; offset my flight emissions
• Julia: ride everywhere; go to markets and food co-op
• James: ride a bike more, car pool where possible, reduce length of showers
• Jasmine: – shop at second hand clothes stores; plant veggie / herb garden

Projects:

• Guide for renting sustainably
• Create posters to promote ACT otherWISE workshops
• Green Kulture Tent @ Corinbank
• Corinbank Resource Rescue Team
• “Save water – don’t masturbate” campaign on uni campus
• Collect wine casks for Derek’s roof (insulation)
• Green Film night
• Facilitate Living Smart Program in Canberra
• Eco-songwriting workshop for young musicians
• Set up a community garden with vegetables and indigenous plants
• Start up sustainable schools initiative at Narrabundah and other schools
• Promote energy efficiency  / green design for new homes
• Speak to local supermarkets about introducing more sustainable products
• Set up a green group at work
• Set up a bicycle taxi between civic and Barton

Kate (Pears) ramps up her fantastic ethical fashion initiative in a partnership with MySpace!

Check it out.