The Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability, Dr Gillian Sparkes, recently spoke to the 2017 Alpine Valleys Community Leadership Program (AVCLP) at Winton Wetlands, north-east Victoria.
The AVCLP launched in 1998 as an experience and skills-based program to build on the leadership capacity of community members and organisations around the north-east Victoria and border regions.
The program lists an admirable range of purpose-driven objectives, which include:
- To develop a range of leadership programs and workshops in response to community needs.
- To develop and strengthen regional community leadership networks.
- To promote community conversations about issues affecting the region.
- To enable people to make a difference and enhance their contribution to community.
The program now boasts over 300 graduates who contribute to regional business, government and community organisations.
The Commissioner took the opportunity to discuss the State and Benefit framework, a publication which was developed to guide the creation of the 2018 State of the Environment report.
State and Benefit highlights a long-term goal for environmental reporting: to inform community, policy and decision making to improve environmental outcomes and to protect and enhance the benefits we obtain from our environment.
The discussion at Winton Wetlands was an opportunity to emphasise the enormous difference community participation can make to environmental reporting and the state of the Victorian environment.
Follow the link to the State and Benefit [LINK TO BE UPDATED] framework to read more.