Publications

Executive summary

The idea of a Sustainable Schools Initiative (AuSSI) was brought to the National Environmental Education Network (NEEN) in early 2002. As a result of agreement at NEEN, the Department of the Environment and Heritage (DEH) took up the idea and provided the seed funding that enabled both Victoria and NSW to establish the pilot of the initiative and gain support from other departments and agencies within each State. In January 2003, Sustainable Schools Initiatives Pilot programmes (AuSSI Pilot) commenced in New South Wales and Victoria for an 18 month period.

Both Victoria and NSW have now piloted their own models of the AuSSI. Each model is based on the same principles with significant differences in strategy and implementation. The purpose of the comparative assessment has been to draw out the lessons learnt from each approach so that other States and Territories can consider and incorporate a broader range of factors into their strategic implementation / adaptation / diffusion.

The comparative assessment identifies some core (or guiding) principles that could apply nationally, and the implications for implementation or adaptation within other States and Territories. It is anticipated that this information will have implications for the other States and Territories developing their Sustainable Schools models in the context of the broader Australian AuSSI.

The comparison has been based on the set of common elements and areas that were agreed to by representatives of AuSSI in each State and the DEH. This was made possible because a similar approach was used for both evaluations. The comparative assessment has not made judgements as to whether the particular aspects of one States programme were 'better' than the others. It is understood that a 'one size fits all' model is an unlikely and unworkable outcome in the context of the 'Common Elements of the Sustainable Schools Initiative' as agreed by the NEEN. These Common Elements specifically allow for differences in approach according to each jurisdictions own circumstance.

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