Training Up Community Leaders in Environmental Knowledge - Report Example

Training Up Community Leaders in Environmental Knowledge to Share with their Communities in the Community Language Name Institution Name Course Name and Code Instructor’s Name Date 1.0 Aim and Background The environmental has become an integral component in the society because it determines the way activities can be accomplished and the most appropriate manner. For example, ineffective management of the environment results in economic and social challenges such as pollution and loss of employment. The government and other stakeholders have used different mechanisms and methods to engage the communities to champion measures to sustain the environment. The engagement has been successful in some sections of the society, but adjustments are required in those communities that have challenges in communication and understanding their expectations. Therefore, methods should be introduced to ensure the communities understand the importance of environment sustainability and strategies that can be used to champion environmental sustainability. The aim of the project is to engage the diverse community on the importance of environmental sustainability. Western Sydney has a diverse population in which more than seventy languages are spoken, and people from more than one hundred nations live. The diverse population, which does not embrace the traditional media, becomes difficult when they are informed and engaged on environment conservation measures. The residents cannot speak and communicate using common languages, and they only understand their own languages. Communicating with these communities on the importance of sustainability and strategies that can be employed to understand the requirements of sustainability becomes tricky (Choi & Sirakaya, 2006). Moreover, the different governments (Federal and State) have introduced measures that make it more expensive if environmental measures are not considered (Fraser et al., 2006). For example, the communities within the region faces challenges when it comes to employment and including the government proposals and policies means the economic position becomes harder for the community. Hence, it is important to engage the community with stakeholders to inform the community about the benefits associated with environmental sustainability. The communities do not appreciate and understand official and common languages, which mean that it becomes difficult to use the traditional media (Koh et al., 2007). The lack of media means the stakeholders have to use an alternative mechanism, which is the involvement of community leaders in educating and informing the public about environmental sustainability (Lyons, Smuts & Stephens, 2001; Reed, Fraser & Dougill, 2006). Community leaders play an integral role in communities and the leaders frequently address community concerns such as conflicts and strategically positioned to advance the requirements of the community. The involvement of community leaders in the project ensures most of the diverse communities are engaged, and information can be transferred easily to the targeted audience. 2.0 Target Audience The project targets two-audience group in general, but there are other minor audiences within the general groups. The target general audiences are the geographically linked communities and culturally, and linguistically diverse communities. From the targeted community, the other important audiences are the community leaders and the communities (Choi & Sirakaya, 2006; Vincent & Thompson, 2002). The reasons attributed to the poor uptake of environmental sustainability measures are the communication challenges, and it is easier to engage the community leaders. For example, some community leaders from target audiences are chosen and educated on the importance of environmental sustainability. The leaders can easily educate and engage the community since they hold positions that allow control and organization (Fraser et al., 2006). Moreover, the leaders understand the strategies, measures and mechanisms that can be used to engage their respective communities. Therefore, training and developing the community leaders on environmental sustainability approaches increase the chances of uptake resulting in change of behavior of the community members (Moldan, Janoušková & Hák, 2012). 3.0 Objectives and Deliverables The objective of the project is to engage the community to understand the importance of environmental sustainability (Choi & Sirakaya, 2006; Agyeman & Evans, 2003). Two approaches will be used to engage the community leaders. One of the strategies is bringing together the community leaders from different communities and be educated on measures of sustaining the environment (Lyons, Smuts & Stephens, 2001). The process will use a teamwork approach in which consultation and general discussions will be used to ensure the different community leaders understand the concerns. The educating process will use images and videos that are available on YouTube and other media channels; translators will be used to communicate to ensure the community leaders understand the message (Fraser et al., 2006). The second approach is engaging with individual and group leaders from each of the community. For example, more than 70 languages are spoken in the region and it is possible to find a population that speaks more than one language. Therefore, leaders in groups based on their diversity in language, the communities that the leaders represent are brought together, and more specific information on sustainability is communicated to them (Koh et al., 2007). The Western Sydney is divided into reasons and environmental conservation diverse across the regions and it is important to educate the leaders on the appropriate strategies that are applicable to their specific regions (Moldan, Janoušková & Hák, 2012). The deliverables include the use of the video and the use of a piloting scheme to determine the significance of the education to the community (Choi & Sirakaya, 2006). The purpose is to ensure the community leaders understand the importance of the training and their expectations in advising the targeted audiences (Koh et al., 2007). Furthermore, brochures and other documents will be distributed to the leaders so that the leaders use the content to educate and engage the communities (Fraser et al., 2006). The purpose of communication is to ensure the leaders do not forget what they have to deliver and strategies that can be used in delivering the content (Lyons, Smuts & Stephens, 2001). 4.0 Tasks The tasks to be accomplished can be summarized as follows: Translators – these are the individuals who understand and can communicate using more than one language: an official language and a community based language (Moldan, Janoušková & Hák, 2012). The individuals will translate the information so that the community leaders understand the content, which they are taught and the community leaders may request for further clarification through these translators (Choi & Sirakaya, 2006). Printing the brochures – the documents will be given to the community leaders (Moldan, Janoušková & Hák, 2012). The content will be written in the language the community leaders understand and sometimes in communities’ language. The community leaders will use the brochures as a guide in teaching the community (Koh et al., 2007). Searching for the appropriate video – numerous videos exist on measures that can be use to sustain the environment online (Koh et al., 2007). The most appropriate videos will be searched, and the content translated into the language, which the community leaders understand (Fraser et al., 2006; Reed, Fraser & Dougill, 2006). Looking for an appropriate location to educate the community leaders – it is the region in which the leaders will come together and discuss the topic of environmental sustainability. The location should be near to the targeted communities and large enough to ensure the community leaders are comfortable (Choi & Sirakaya, 2006). Choosing the appropriate community leaders – the leaders will be engaged on the topic and requested to attend the teachings (Koh et al., 2007; Reed, Fraser & Dougill, 2006) Informing the community leaders to attend the meetings – updating the community leaders at the optimum time to attend the meetings (Choi & Sirakaya, 2006) Educating and engaging the community leaders on their expectations – training and educating the community leaders on what they have to accomplish to improve the environmental and measures to continue sustaining the environment (Lyons, Smuts & Stephens, 2001) Looking for additional equipment such as projectors (Fraser et al., 2006) 5.0 Timetable The following is the predetermined plans in accomplishing the requirements of the project Task Start End Evaluation/Evaluators Choosing the community leaders; each of the communities will be engaged and requested to identify some of the community leaders based on their influence in the community 1st June 6th June Team members Determining when the community leaders are they are free/available 1st June 6th June Team members Compiling information when they are free and community leaders who accept participation in the project 7th June 10th June Team members Looking for location: the location should be large enough to accommodate the people involved with the initiative 11th June 18th June Team members Looking for translators and trainers: the individuals should have an idea of sustainability and be ready to be informed on how to community to the community leaders 11th June 25th June Team members Determining the content of training (general content and specific content based on locations/community) 11th June 30th June Team members Informing the leaders about the location and time 1st July 2nd July Team members Training the leaders (general information and information based on localities/communities) 7th July 21st July Team members Allowing the leaders to engage the community: the community leaders will attend community-based functions and engage the participants on environment sustainability 14th July 14th August Team members Attending some of the community engagement sessions to determine the type and applicability of environmental sustainability information 21st July 14th August Team members Doing a general research to determine whether the communities understand what they were taught 15th August 21st August Team members Reviewing the training and objectives of the project 22nd August 30 August Team members Make decisions on the general nature of the product: if the project was successful, should the project be extended to other regions or corrective measures should be introduced 1st September 7th September Team members 6.0 Outcomes The expected outcomes of the project include: The local community understand and acknowledge the importance of environmental sustainability measures and strategies (Choi & Sirakaya, 2006; Lyons, Smuts & Stephens, 2001) Embracement of appropriate waste management such as recycling (Koh et al., 2007) Effective management of lighting and energy systems such as switching off lights that are not used (Fraser et al., 2006; Reed, Fraser & Dougill, 2006) The community plays a role in advancing measures that champion environmental sustainability (Choi & Sirakaya, 2006) The community and community leaders become ready to embrace any measures and strategies to advance the requirements of sustaining the environment (Fraser et al., 2006) The views from the community are collected and used to inform other stakeholders on the best approach to ensuring the requirements of environmental sustainability are achieved (Choi & Sirakaya, 2006) References Agyeman, J., & Evans, T 2003, Toward just sustainability in urban communities: building equity rights with sustainable solutions. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, vol. 590, no. 1, pp. 35-53. Choi, H. C., & Sirakaya, E 2006, Sustainability indicators for managing community tourism, Tourism Management, vol. 27, no. 6, pp. 1274-1289. Fraser, E. D., Dougill, A. J., Mabee, W. E., Reed, M., & McAlpine, P 2006, Bottom up and top down: Analysis of participatory processes for sustainability indicator identification as a pathway to community empowerment and sustainable environmental management, Journal of environmental management, vol. 78, no. 2, pp. 114-127. Koh, J., Kim, Y. G., Butler, B., & Bock, G. W 2007, Encouraging participation in virtual communities, Communications of the ACM, vol. 50, no. 2, pp. 68-73. Lyons, M., Smuts, C., & Stephens, A. 2001, Participation, empowerment and sustainability: (How) do the links work? Urban studies, vol. 38, no. 8, pp. 1233-1251. Moldan, B., Janoušková, S., & Hák, T 2012, How to understand and measure environmental sustainability: Indicators and targets, Ecological Indicators, vol. 17, pp. 4-13. Reed, M. S., Fraser, E. D., & Dougill, A. J 2006, An adaptive learning process for developing and applying sustainability indicators with local communities, Ecological Economics, vol. 59, no. 4, pp. 406-418. Vincent, V. C., & Thompson, W 2002, Assessing community support and sustainability for ecotourism development, Journal of Travel Research, vol. 41, no. 2, pp. 153-160. Read More

The reasons attributed to the poor uptake of environmental sustainability measures are the communication challenges, and it is easier to engage the community leaders. For example, some community leaders from target audiences are chosen and educated on the importance of environmental sustainability. The leaders can easily educate and engage the community since they hold positions that allow control and organization (Fraser et al., 2006). Moreover, the leaders understand the strategies, measures and mechanisms that can be used to engage their respective communities.

Therefore, training and developing the community leaders on environmental sustainability approaches increase the chances of uptake resulting in change of behavior of the community members (Moldan, Janoušková & Hák, 2012). 3.0 Objectives and Deliverables The objective of the project is to engage the community to understand the importance of environmental sustainability (Choi & Sirakaya, 2006; Agyeman & Evans, 2003). Two approaches will be used to engage the community leaders. One of the strategies is bringing together the community leaders from different communities and be educated on measures of sustaining the environment (Lyons, Smuts & Stephens, 2001).

The process will use a teamwork approach in which consultation and general discussions will be used to ensure the different community leaders understand the concerns. The educating process will use images and videos that are available on YouTube and other media channels; translators will be used to communicate to ensure the community leaders understand the message (Fraser et al., 2006). The second approach is engaging with individual and group leaders from each of the community. For example, more than 70 languages are spoken in the region and it is possible to find a population that speaks more than one language.

Therefore, leaders in groups based on their diversity in language, the communities that the leaders represent are brought together, and more specific information on sustainability is communicated to them (Koh et al., 2007). The Western Sydney is divided into reasons and environmental conservation diverse across the regions and it is important to educate the leaders on the appropriate strategies that are applicable to their specific regions (Moldan, Janoušková & Hák, 2012). The deliverables include the use of the video and the use of a piloting scheme to determine the significance of the education to the community (Choi & Sirakaya, 2006).

The purpose is to ensure the community leaders understand the importance of the training and their expectations in advising the targeted audiences (Koh et al., 2007). Furthermore, brochures and other documents will be distributed to the leaders so that the leaders use the content to educate and engage the communities (Fraser et al., 2006). The purpose of communication is to ensure the leaders do not forget what they have to deliver and strategies that can be used in delivering the content (Lyons, Smuts & Stephens, 2001). 4.0 Tasks The tasks to be accomplished can be summarized as follows: Translators – these are the individuals who understand and can communicate using more than one language: an official language and a community based language (Moldan, Janoušková & Hák, 2012).

The individuals will translate the information so that the community leaders understand the content, which they are taught and the community leaders may request for further clarification through these translators (Choi & Sirakaya, 2006). Printing the brochures – the documents will be given to the community leaders (Moldan, Janoušková & Hák, 2012). The content will be written in the language the community leaders understand and sometimes in communities’ language. The community leaders will use the brochures as a guide in teaching the community (Koh et al., 2007). Searching for the appropriate video – numerous videos exist on measures that can be use to sustain the environment online (Koh et al., 2007).

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