South West Environmental Volunteerism Initiative

10 months ago I met with Matthew Ebden (lecturer from the School of Health and Social Development at Deakin Uni) and Emily Lee-Ack (South West Volunteerism Initiative) to discuss an idea that we had for an environmental volunteering project. It turns out that Matthew and I had had similar ideas for some time.

The aim of the project will be to connect participants in local Welfare and Community Service Groups (such as Aspire, Brophy's, Community Connections, Gunditjmara Aboriginal Cooperative, Correctional Services, MPower & WRAD) to on ground environmental works. Individual groups will be matched to specific public sites, that we hope will provide them with a sense of connection and stewardship. Groups will be offered a suit of environmental options, including revegetation, weed mapping, seed collecting, bird search, frog search, flora and fauna mapping. In essence project participants will become knowledge makers and play a critical role in building local environmental knowldge and raising awareness of local environmental issues. In addition we anticipate their will be significant social, psychological, spiritual and physical health benefits for all those involved in on ground projects.

I am pleased to announce that after many meetings between myself, Matthew, Bernadette Northeast (Emily's replacement) and Marty Gent (Greenhouse Officer for the South West Sustainability Partnership), this project is almost ready to be launched. Next Friday we will meet with members of what we hope will form the groups steering committee. Bernadette is currently looking for funding for a project officer and who we hope to have employed by the end of the year. We have tentatively called the project Feel Blue, Touch Green but the name has yet to be finalized.

Thus far the environmental aspects of the project will involve Basalt to Bay Landcare Network and Heytsbury Landcare Network but it is anticipated that additional local environmental groups will also come on board.

This is a significant regional project and we believe that it is the first of it's kind nationally.
Stay tuned for more in the local media. For further information please contact myself, Matthew or Bernadette.



Richard : richardb2b@gmail.com
Matthew : matthew.ebden@deakin.edu.au
Bernadette : bnortheast@comconnect.com.au

Further information will be posted in time on our blog http://swevi.wordpress.com/and Ning site : http://southwestevi.ning.com/