Students across the Central Coast are on their way to becoming the next generation of environmental champions with new funds from the 2023 Woolworths Junior Landcare Grants program.
Schools to be awarded a grant of up to $1,000 include Wamberal Public School, Budgewoi Public School and Goodstart Early Learning – Tumbi Umbi.
They join more than 1,100 schools and early learning centres across Australia to be awarded grants to help build and develop hands-on environmental learning projects.
Over the years, thousands of schools have used these grants to create interactive projects focused on sustainability and have inspired students to play an active role in the future of their natural environment.
This year, the program also officially included First Nations perspectives projects for the first time.
Woolworths and Landcare Australia are excited to award more than 320 grants as part of this year’s funding to projects that focus on expanding students’ First Nations education and deepening their connection to Country.
Woolworths Wyong region Group Manager, Belinda Page, said bringing the classroom to the great outdoors and encouraging kids to get hands-on with nature was always something exciting to see.
“We hope all of the schools across Wyong will have fun working on their new projects,” she said.
With their projects up and running, Junior Landcare’s online Learning Centre, supported by Woolworths, offers a range of free online resources to help students of all ages build their knowledge of biodiversity, sustainable food production, waste management and more.
Landcare Australia CEO, Dr Shane Norrish, said that for more than 25 years Junior Landcare had recognised the vital role children and young people played in caring for the environment.
“Thanks to the Woolworths Junior Landcare Grants and the Woolworths-supported Junior Landcare Learning Centre, young people have an opportunity to experience hands-on learning with environmental education,” he said.
Proud Wiradjuri man and First Nations educator for Junior Landcare, Adam Shipp, said the knowledge from Elders and ancestors was extremely important to capture and keep alive.
“Our lands will be much healthier in doing so, and so I am delighted that a number of Woolworths Junior Landcare Grants will be funding First Nations perspectives projects this year,” he said.
“From creating a yarning circle to learning about bush tucker – these are valuable experiences that can help our kids gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of First Nations culture and knowledge systems.”
To date, Woolworths has contributed more than $5M to about 4,900 Junior Landcare projects across Australia, reaching more than 400,000 children.
Source:
Woolworths