Education for sustainability Tasmania

Education for sustainability is not simply about providing information but involves equipping people with the skills, capacity and opportunity to engage with the World in an informed manner, focusing on protecting environments and creating a more ecologically and socially just world. People learn how to plan and manage change towards sustainability within an organisation, industry or community.

Education for sustainability is driven by a broad understanding of education and learning that includes people of all ages and backgrounds and at all stages of life and takes place within all possible learning spaces, formal and informal, in schools, workplaces, homes and communities.

Understanding connections between environmental, economic, social and political systems helps us deliver education for sustainable development in a way that goes beyond piece-meal, problem-solving and cause and effect approaches. Education for sustainability is a form of pedagogy that interweaves everything we do and all areas of knowledge, to support more sustainable patterns of living.

Futures thinking engages people in imagining preferred visions for the future. It engages people in meaningful understandings and interpretations of sustainable development and enables the exploration of people’s assumptions. This process of envisioning futures leads people to take ownership and responsibility for a sustainable future and to find a renewed and balanced approach to the way they interact with each other and the environment.

Critical and creative thinking enables people to explore new ways of thinking and acting, make informed decisions, and create alternatives to present choices. It involves reflecting on how people interrelate with each other, understanding cultural differences and creating alternative ways to live together. Education for sustainability provides a lens through which we see and interact with the World and strive for a more sustainable existence.

The engagement of people is necessary in order to build a sustainable future together. Engaging diverse stakeholders and communities is essential, as they value and include differing knowledge systems and perspectives. The process of participation is also important to creating ownership and empowerment.

Universities have a vital and unique role to play in sustainable forms of development based upon principles of justice, prudence, stewardship, collaboration and diversity.  At the University of Tasmania, we believe sustainability is central to the higher education mission of free inquiry and social learning.  We strive to embody sustainable ways of living within the university and to enable pathways towards sustainability in Tasmania and around the world.  We empower the University’s students and staff to be leaders in their fields while contributing to sustainability in their personal and professional lives.

TasTAFE’s vision is to enable Tasmanians to gain the skills and qualifications needed for the state’s workforce and the community to succeed and prosper.

Where would we be without environmental organisations to nurture connections and ideas and inspire us all to work towards building vibrant, healthy communities that live sustainably in a healthy environment? Sustainable Living Tasmania has been around more than forty years getting on with the job of doing just that. The organisation runs a range of programs to inspire Tasmanians into action (e.g. the Sustainable Living Festival, Get Bill Smart program, Live and Learn education sessions and Tassievore Eat Local Challenge) and is a trusted and influential voice (e.g. Don’t Waste Hobart campaign and submissions to government reviews). With an active Facebook page, a popular newsletter and an informative website, Sustainable Living Tasmania reaches out into our community to help Tasmanians live sustainably in a healthy environment, and helps inspire the rest of the world to do the same.

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Education for Sustainability is a cross curriculum priority of the Australian Curriculum. Education for sustainability develops the knowledge, skills, values and world views necessary for people to act in ways that contribute to more sustainable patterns of living. It enables individuals and communities to reflect on ways of interpreting and engaging with the world. Sustainability education is futures-oriented, focusing on protecting environments and creating a more ecologically and socially just world through informed action. Actions that support more sustainable patterns of living require consideration of environmental, social, cultural and economic systems and their interdependence. Programs on offer at the Sustainability Learning Centre support this curriculum priority along with strong alignment with key curriculum areas of Science, Mathematics, English, Geography and Digital Technologies. A future focus is Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

Northern Early Years Group Tasmania Inc (NEYG) is a collective of representatives from health, social services, justice and education who meet regularly to network and share ideas with a view to advocating for and with young children and their families. Our greatest impact is in the area of social sustainability linking with child and family centres in the north of Tasmania and hosting programs that support the most vulnerable families. Our member network organisations promote young children’s social, cultural, physical and mental well-being in various ways that address issues of sustainability. As a founding member of Education for Sustainability Tasmania our aim is to engage with and promote sustainable living initiatives for the benefit of all Tasmanians.