What is AuSSI?
The Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative (AuSSI) provides practical support to schools and their communities to live and work more sustainably. It fosters a whole school approach to change for sustainability with measurable environmental, educational, social and financial outcomes. AuSSI is a partnership of the Australian Government, all state and territory governments and the Catholic and Independent school sectors.
AuSSI engages and supports students, staff and community members to improve the management of a school's resources and facilities - including energy, waste, water, biodiversity, landscapes, products and materials. It also integrates these activities with teaching and learning across the curriculum. By participating in a learning by doing process, students achieve a better understanding of the world in which they live, and have opportunities to help create a more sustainable future.
AuSSI helps to build sustainability knowledge, skills and motivation by supporting training of school staff, whole school planning, development of teaching materials and use of tools for measuring and reporting on sustainability outcomes.
AuSSI does not replace other environmental or sustainability education activities in schools, rather it links to and complements existing programs already being implemented within schools.
Participating in AuSSI provides many benefits to schools, including:
- the opportunity to fulfill curriculum requirements in key learning areas in new and engaging ways
- reduced consumption of resources and improved management of school grounds and facilities
- teachers and students working on real life problems with real outcomes
- professional development opportunities for all school staff
- the school becoming a model for sustainability within the local community
- students being empowered to make positive change in their communities
- students improving their understanding of the complexity of the world in which they live by developing their knowledge, critical thinking skills, values and capacity to participate in decision making about environmental, social and economic development issues.
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Students look at sustainable building design.
About AuSSI
The Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative (AuSSI) seeks to support schools and their communities to become sustainable
