Multicultural Leaders in Sustainability
Young migrants and refugees might be new to the country but they are often passionate about the environment. That’s why we're working with them to help them make a difference.
Through our Multicultural Leaders in Sustainability program, we provide young migrants and refugees with the leadership skills they need to help their communities live more sustainably.
We take them on a four month training program in leadership and sustainability. Then we help them run their own sustainability projects, taking the message straight to migrant and refugee communities. The project was designed by Environment Victoria and the Centre for Multicultural Youth. Our successful graduates are awarded the Certificate I in Active Volunteering, which helps them on their path towards further study or employment.
The response is always enthusiastic. As one participant said:
‘I felt excited to learn new things on the MLS program. Speaking in public is very hard for me but now I know I have something important for people to hear.’
The program is a great way for young people new to Victoria to learn more about their new home and the environmental challenges we face. And it is a great way for us to learn about them. Coming from countries as diverse as Sudan, Pakistan and Mauritius, they each bring unique perspectives and knowledge to the program.
We’ve run the Multicultural Leaders in Sustainability program since 2007. So far, we’ve run the program in Melbourne, Dandenong, Noble Park, Sunshine and St Albans. Since 2011, we've been running MLS in partnership with AMES and in 2012 we've made another change: working with young people in their first or second year of English languge classes at AMES. MLS is now called Home Planet and is being delivered with the St Albans and Footscray AMES English language schools, with support again from Brimbank City Council and City West Water.
Our multicultural leaders have already had a positive impact on our environment, with our most recent 2011 Brimbank graduates saving 24 tonnes of greenhouse gases and more than 1.1 million litres of water. They also delivered a Sustainability Show to present information to other AMES students, ran a planting day at Iramoo native grassland reserve, set up an e-waste collection at AMES and a did photo shoot to create a set of photographs to demonstrate environmental actions.
Over the years, Multicultural Leaders in Sustainability has been funded by a whole range of foundations, companies and government bodies coming together. This has included the Victorian Government Community Support Fund, Yarra Valley Water, South East Water, Metlink, the Ledger Charitable Trust and the Norman H. Johns Trust (managed by Perpetual Trustees), Foster's Group Community Grants, the Jack Brockhoff Foundation, the Reichstein Foundation, the Ian Potter Foundation, the Fouress Foundation, the Lord Mayors Charitable Foundation, the ETA Basan Charitable Trust (managed by Trust Company Ltd) and Ivor Ronald Evans Foundation (managed by Equity Trustees). In 2012, Home Planet is being funded by the Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation, The R.E. Ross Trust, Brimbank City Council Community Grants, City West Water and AMES.
Check out our new sustainability translations - in languages from Amharic to Zomi!
MLS 2011 participants help restore grasslands
Find out what all the buzz is about, below.
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Sunday, 11 December 2011
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- The Quick Guide To Sustainable Living |
- State budget submission 2009–10 |
- Victoria - the Green Jobs State. Seizing the opportunities |
- Peak oil and Victoria |
- The Victorian Green Renters' Guide: Sustainable Living Tips for Renters |
- Victoria: The Green Jobs State - creating a green, prosperous and socially inclusive Victoria |
- Green Jobs Summit - Program |
- Green Jobs Summit - Tony Nicholson, CEO, Brotherhood of St Laurence |
- Building comparative advantage in the low carbon world: Victoria’s clean energy jobs opportunities |
- Increasing Victoria’s competitive advantage in green jobs. Tim Piper, Australian Industry Group |
