Environmental Defender's Office

Environmental Defender's Office Community Education Program – Critical Evaluation and Program Development


The Environmental Defender’s Office (EDO) with the Centre for Popular Education UTS invites interested postgraduate students to undertake a critical evaluation of the office’s community education programs. This evaluation may focus on the extent to which the office’s current practice is consistent with popular education theory and/or focus on opportunities for practical improvements to the existing program. Please see below for background information about the EDO and our community empowerment objectives. Students undertaking research on this topic will be provided access to the following resources: interviews with EDO staff and volunteers. interviews with participants in EDO community education activities. training notes and teaching materials for EDO workshops and seminars. written feedback from workshop and conference participants for the last ten years. observation of EDO community workshops in metropolitan and/or rural areas. Students will be supported by staff in the Centre for Popular Education UTS www.cpe.uts.edu.au A learning contract will be negotiated and satisfactory completion willentitle students to academic credit in UTS Masters degrees in the Faculty of Education. About the Environmental Defender’s Office The EDO is a not-for-profit community legal centre specialising in public interest environmental law. We work with the individuals and community groups working to protect the natural and built environment. The EDO has an active program of casework, community education and law reform. In addition, we provide free initial legal advice to the community. The Environmental Defender’s Office (NSW) has placed strong emphasis on the importance of empowering communities to participate in environmental decision-making since its inception. This emphasis is reflected in our mission statement, our strategic objectives, and in our day-to-day operations, including our advice, casework, law reform and community education functions. 1. Mission Statement The EDO's mission is ‘to empower the community to protect the environment through law’ recognising: the importance of public participation in environmental decision making in environmental protection the importance of fostering close links with the community that the EDO has an obligation to provide representation in important matters in response to community needs as well as areas the EDO considers to be important for law reform the importance of indigenous involvement in protection of the environment. 2. Community Education The EDO Education Program seeks ‘to empower the community to participate in environmental decisions and to inspire them to use the law to protect the environment’. The EDO Education Program: produces plain language educational materials, explaining environmental law and policy; conducts community workshops to enable practical participation in environmental decisions; and conducts seminars and conferences on key issues to promote law reform. a. Plain Language Publications The EDO produces a range of plain language publications to explain New South Wales and Commonwealth laws which affect the environment and environmental campaigning. For example, the EDO Environmental Law Toolkit and EDO Environmental Law Fact Sheets cover the following elements of environmental law: environmental planning and assessment; natural resource management; pollution management; biodiversity conservation; and natural and cultural heritage. The guide also includes a chapter on environmental advocacy, covering the following topics: submissions, letters and petitions; using the media; access to information; defamation law and safe speech; incorporating an environmental group; corporations and environmental advocacy; environmental protest and criminal law; and seeking legal advice and representation. The purpose of these publications is to enhance community capacity to participate in decision-making processes. b. Community Environmental Law Workshops The EDO Education Program regularly conducts community environmental law workshops. These workshops are tailored to meet the needs of the workshop participants, but emphasise practical application of the information provided. Our workshop programs focus strongly on opportunities for community participation in decision-making, and provide information on issues such as access to information and community advocacy. Our community empowerment objectives are explicitly reflected in promotional materials for our workshops: Media Release – Environmental Law Workshop in Gloucester Threatened species and mining laws will be among the topics covered at an Environmental Defender’s Office workshop on Saturday, 13 August 2005 in Gloucester. Participants at the workshop will receive practical information to help them better participate in environmental decision making in their local area and understand how the law can be used to help protect the environment. Topics covered during the workshop will include: the legal system; key environmental laws; the planning and development system; threatened species law; pollution law; access to information; effective submission writing; rights of appeal; taking a case to court; and, activists’ rights. ‘Our environmental law workshops aim to demystify the law and empower members of the community to use the law to protect the environment’, said Pepe Clarke, EDO Programs Manager. Any member of the community interested in learning how to have more influence in decisions regarding the environment is welcome to attend. Feedback from workshop participants reflects the perceived value of community empowerment: I wish to thank you for the informative, insightful and inspiring workshop. I was delighted to learn about the positive public education role that the EDO is pursuing by running such courses. The only way the environment will be protected is by giving the tools, knowledge, and confidence to those in the community who are passionate to protect it. Thank you for such a vital and important workshop to empower communities to defend the environment. Potential Evaluation and Program Development Questions What theories about adult learning underpin and shape the EDO’s education practice? What opportunities may exist for the EDO to develop and implement alternative approaches to their social change and community education practice such as problem-based or experience-based learning? To what extent do our existing activities result in positive environmental outcomes? To what extent do our existing activities empower individuals and community organisations? Does an emphasis on service provision engender a sense of dependency and disempowerment? To what extent does our existing approach address the needs of marginalised individuals and communities? Drawing on a ‘Critical Theory’ perspective what are people learning about the environment and the law as a result of the EDO’s activities? In other words, is there (a) instrumental, (b) interpretive and/or (c) emancipatory learning?