web discussion on environmental activism

[colist-admin at comm-org.utoledo.edu]

[ed:  here is an opportunity to engage in a web-based discussion around
environmental activism.]

From: James Whelan <James.Whelan at mailbox.gu.edu.au>

Dear Comm-Org participant

I'd like to encourage you to contribute to an on-line discussion amongst
environmental activists in Australia. The discussion is very pertinent to
Comm-Org core issues - how to build capacity for training in the environment
movement? The website www.ala.asn.au/environment is interactive and built
around three central questions:

1.How do people learn to be competent and effective environmentalists?
2. How can we build the capacity of the environment movement to achieve our
goals in protecting and conserving Australia's environment?
3.What types of formal training might help?

Lessons you've learnt in other types of social change work/organisations
would be good to share also.

One of the ideas I've thrown into the discussion is a proposal I'm
developing to establish an internship scheme. Several NGO's participating in
the Comm-Org discussion have sent me information on their internships -
thanks. If anyone else knows of operating mentorship/placement/internship
arrangements in social change organisations, please talk with me!

This email from Linda Parlane (who is organising the project) explains how
to contribute, navigate the webiste and so on.


>Dear friend
>
>I would like to invite you to participate in the 'Capacity Building and
>Training in the Environment Movement' Project.
>
>The project aims to answer these questions:
>
>How do people learn to be competent and effective environmentalists?
>
>How can we build the capacity of the environment movement to achieve our
>goals in protecting and conserving Australia's environment?
>
>What types of formal training might help?
>
>The project also aims to develop strategies for capacity building and for
>meeting the training and learning needs of Australia's environmental
>advocacy groups - including your group.
>
>The project is sponsored by Australia's national and state environment
>groups, who want to develop a coordinated and cooperative approach to
>training and learning for the whole movement.  And it starts TODAY!
>
>We want to hear about any training for environmental advoacy that you are
>aware of or that you have yourself been involved with.  We would like to
>hear of your experiences of that training and your views about how training
>and learning in environmental advocacy organisations could be enhanced.
>
>We will be gathering your ideas through a web-based discussion.  Adult
>Learning Australia has kindly established a special web site for us to use
>for our discussion.  You can find it at
>
>www.ala.asn.au/environment
>
>You can find out more about the Capacity Building and Training in the
>Environment Movement project on the web site.
>
>You will also find four 'Issue Forums' on issues relating to training and
>learning in environmental advocacy organisations.  These Forums are:
>
>1. What training has there been in the environment movement?
>2. Training for the environment movement
>3. Learning in the environment movement
>4. Proposed training strategies and getting funding.
>
>Each 'Issue Forum' has its own brief 'Discussion Starter'.  There are some
>enticing and intriguing previews of the discussion starters at the end of
>this message
read on!
>
>Each 'Issue Forum' also has space for you to write a response, give your
>opinion or pose a question.  You can also post resource materials and links
>relevant to each issue.
>
>You can also send us feedback about the project - there's a 'feedback'
>button on every page.
>
>The discussion starts today and goes till Friday 26 November.  After that
>we will summarise the discussion and incorporate it into our report to the
>National and State environmental groups.
>
>WARNING
>This is a public site, so ANYONE can read it.
>
>If there is any information that you would like to contribute, but you
>would not like a determined journalist to discover and print in their
>newspaper, please send that information straight to me at the project email
>address: vitrain at attglobal.net
>
>CONFIDENTIALITY
>If you wish to make a contribution that you consider should remain
>confidential, we undertake to respect your wishes.  If it is necessary and
>appropriate to use your views in our report, we will check with you first
>and ensure that you cannot be identified.
>
>PLEASE JOIN IN
>We want to hear from you and people like you all over Australia.  We hope
>you will join in!  And if you know of other people, who like you are
>committed to enhancing the effectiveness of the Australian environment
>movement, feel free to forward this message to them and ask them to join
>in.
>
>So please visit the web site, have a look around and please join in!
>
>Cheers
>Linda
>
>SUPPORTERS AND SPONSORS OF THE
> 'CAPACITY BUILDING AND TRAINING IN THE ENVIRONMENT MOVEMENT' PROJECT:
>
>NATIONAL GROUPS
>Australian Conservation Foundation, Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace,
>Humane Society International, The Wilderness Society, World Wide Fund for
>Nature
>
>STATE CONSERVATION COUNCILS
>Conservation Council of the South East Region and Canberra; Conservation
>Council of South Australia; Conservation Council of Western Australia;
>Environment Victoria; Nature Conservation Council of NSW, Queensland
>Conservation Council; Tasmanian Conservation Trust.
>
>CONSULTANTS:
>* Centre for Popular Education UTS, Rick Flowers and colleagues
>* Linda Parlane
>
>CONTACT US
>vitrain at attglobal.net
>
>WHAT ISSUES ARE UP FOR DISCUSSION ON THE WEB SITE?
>
>Visit the Issue Forum WHAT TRAINING HAS THERE BEEN IN ENVIRONMENT MOVEMENT?
> It claims:
>
>"In late 1996 Environment Movement Training Working Group surveyed the
>major environment groups, Conservation Councils and Environment Centres in
>all States. The survey concluded that overall very little training was
>being done. The survey concluded it was obvious that training and support
>work was given low priority when allocating group time and money."
>
>Do you agree?
>
>
>
>Or try the Forum on TRAINING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT MOVEMENT.  And tell us
>what you think a 'competent and effective' environmental activist should be
>able to do.
>
>
>
>The LEARNING IN THE ENVIRONMENT MOVEMENT Forum asserts that 'learning does
>not just happen in formal settings like seminars and courses.  Is that
>right?  How did you learn your paid or volunteers job in the environment
>movement? How might that learning be enhanced?
>
>
>
>One of the challenging questions posed in the Forum PROPOSED TRAINING
>STRATEGIES IN THE ENVIRONMENT MOVEMENT is:
>
>"Should training for the environment movement aim to be regulated?  To be
>regulated means to agree to negotiate and meet standards that are set by
>government accreditation authorities.  Would it be desirable to develop
>training packages for the environment movement that meet the various
>requirements laid out by governments?  State and federal governments fund
>curriculum development projects for professions and industries.  Should
>parts of the environment movement be seeking this sort of funding?"
>
>What are your ideas on that one?
>
>
>
>ALL THIS AND MUCH MORE ON THE CAPACITY BUILDING AND TRAINING IN THE
>ENVIRONMENT MOVEMENT WEB SITE.  SEE YOU THERE!
>
>
>Linda Parlane
>Capacity Building and Training in the Environment Movement Project
>Email - vitrain at attglobal.net
>