The Sunshine Coast QESSI Hub offers professional learning to teachers and staff members working in all educational settings, including early childhood centres. Staff awareness and knowledge of environmental sustainability in a local and global context is extended as skills in sustainable planning and practices in schools and educational settings are developed. QESSI (Qld Environmentally Sustainable Schools Initiative) promotes a ‘whole school’ approach to reducing the size of an organization’s ecological footprint which recognizes each person – big and small – as responsible for their own ecological footprint enabling every person to contribute to a sustainable future.
Workshop participants identify the organization’s unique environmental issues and current level of sustainability which can include an audit of curriculum used to educate for sustainability. An organization’s sustainability goals can begin to be developed through which an Environment Management Plan emerges. For schools this plan is known as a SEMP- a School Environment Management Plan. For ALL schools in Queensland, Queensland Education Department online tools, including data monitoring of resource usage, now guide the development of school SEMP’s – see: QLD Sustainable Schools Website www.sustainableschools.qld.edu.au . For educational centres other than schools, QESSI facilitators guide staff, committee and/or parents and community members to develop an environment management plan to encompass sustainable practices tailored to reflect the community needs.
The Sunshine Coast QESSI Hub offers full and half day professional learning in developing sustainability in schools and educating for sustainability. Customized workshops for groups other than schools are catered for. Contact the Sunshine Coast QESSI Hub to arrange a consultation info [at] maroochycatchmentcentre [dot] org [dot] au 5476 4777
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