Students across Yarra are coming together to talk about the climate emergency and take action.
Our students recognise the urgency and scale of the climate crisis and want to be part of growing climate action and encourage other students to step up too.
Students at Melbourne Girls' College in Richmond show us the power of humans and renewable energy at their annual Pedal Power Cinema Night and Sustainability Fair - watch here.
Yarra’s support for schools and young people:
Yarra City Council’s New Deal for Schools aims to provide travel choices by creating a safe and comfortable environment for students, parents and staff to walk, ride, or scoot to school. Active transport is a great way to reduce emissions. Stay tuned for more information about this program as it gets developed further.
Other support and opportunities for schools and young people
Bike Ed : VicRoads (FYI there’s a bicycle trailer at Fitzroy Police available to borrow)
Yarra’s support for schools and young people:
Environmental Education - Merri Creek Management Committee (mcmc.org.au) - Incursions and excursions about our local environment and waterways are offered to schools by qualified environmental educators at the Merri Creek Management Committee. These are available free of charge thanks to funding from the Cities of Yarra, Darebin, Merri-bek, and Whittlesea.
Other biodiversity programs and resources offered to residents in Yarra can be useful for schools, namely:
Creating habitats for wildlife (download our Gardens for Wildlife booklet and our Gardening with Native Plants in Yarra booklet) Biodiversity and wildlife in Yarra | Yarra City Council
Free mulch can be collected from the Depot in Clifton Hill
Other support and opportunities for schools and young people:
VINC - Victorian Indigenous Nurseries Co-op, Fairfield
Collingwood Children's Farm, located in the City of Yarra
Yarra’s support for schools and young people:
Yarra’s libraries have energy efficiency kits and other gadgets that you can borrow for free to help you undertake an energy audit. Library of Things | Yarra Libraries (yarracity.vic.gov.au)
Private schools can also tap into BUSINESS | Solar Savers
Other support and opportunities for schools and young people
SWEP offers electricity monitoring for schools that are already monitoring their water
Yarra’s support for schools and young people:
Subsidised compost bins and worm farms. City of Yarra's Compost Revolution | Why Compost?
Rubbish and Recycling Posters – download and print them from our website Yellow-lid recycling bin | Yarra City Council, What to put in your bins | Yarra City Council
Get the families in your school community to organise recycling and waste collection drives to be taken to the Yarra Recycling Centre - Recycling drop off centres | Yarra City Council
Access to a Dropbox folder with a variety of teaching resources
Other support and opportunities for schools and young people:
upcycling workshops | A Fitting Connection | Melbourne Katrina Naish has also developed a donate earn and learn program for the schools if they are interested in adopting a textile collection unit.
Yarra’s support for schools and young people:
Talking with young children about climate action (youtube.com) Psychologist and Adjunct Associate Professor Dr Susie Burke, along with local early years educator Jenna Naim and parents, discuss ways in which to talk to young children about climate change. They also explore how to build these conversations, and a connection to the earth, into everyday life.
Talking with young people about climate change (youtube.com) Hear from local high school students about what gives them hope and leads them to take climate action. Psychologist and Adjunct Associate Professor Dr Susie Burke also discusses how parents and carers can help young people learn more climate change.
Other support - Youth Wellbeing & Climate Distress:
Youth Empowerment & Engagement in Democracy:
ResourceSmart Schools | Sustainability Victoria (CERES is the delivery provider for RSS in our area)
climateclever.org measure and reduce your school’s carbon and environmental impact. Join the program and access curriculum resources.
TROP ICSU - Climate Change Education – resources, lesson plans, and more
Young people at a crossroads | Sustainable Consumption Institute | The University of Manchester
Young People at a Crossroads was a research project about how second-generation immigrant young people and their parents are responding to climate change in Manchester and Melbourne. Some students from Yarra were involved. Several resources accompany the creative book, including an educator’s guide and an eco-anxiety workshop.
Environmental Education in Early Childhood: support, resources and professional development in relation to Education for Sustainability in the Early Years
Play School: Green Team: Free sustainability, activities and teacher notes
Students at Melbourne Girls' College in Richmond show us the power of humans and renewable energy at their annual Pedal Power Cinema Night and Sustainability Fair.