Training & Education
ECOSS has a learning component which is delivered through partnerships with education institutions and community groups.
Cire Training Horticulture courses are conducted in partnership with ECOSS (Ecological and Social Sustainability). By partnering with Cire we can deliver this course in a working nursery, which is an excellent environment for learning.
We aim to access the broad depth of knowledge and skills from within our community to
- provide career pathways for those wanting a sustainable approach to growing local industries such as horticulture, agriculture and related fields.
- equip individuals with knowledge, skills and practical strategies to support and enrich a sustainable way of living.
- trial and demonstrate systems that are ecologically sustainable
- pass valuable knowledge from older to younger generations.
Training and education will be delivered through several streams:
- Accredited education programs, providing pathways to employment, delivered in partnership with registered training organisations (RTOs).
- Pre-accredited education programs, also delivered by partner RTO’s, which allow participants to engage in areas of specific interest or need, and which can be credited as subject units toward accredited education qualifications if participants choose. The goal is to help participants to enter more mainstream courses and/or employment and to introduce different subjects.
- Short courses and workshops, delivered either by ECOSS or in partnership, which will provide skills and knowledge of general interest.
- School education programs.
These programs have the potential to include:
- Sustainable technologies – ECOSS will advance knowledge and skills in all aspects of construction, and will use infrastructure projects at the site to demonstrate application of a wide range of building methods and ‘green technologies’ covering construction materials and energy efficient design; renewable energy generation; water harvesting, conservation and re-use through bio-purification; fire preparedness; avoidance of material that create health hazards; retrofitting existing buildings; energy auditing.
- Sustainable land-use and food security – techniques applicable to rural industries and home gardens through the use of permaculture design, regenerative agriculture; organic and biodynamic systems; carbon sequestration; propagation, seed saving and conservation of heritage varieties; composting and worm farming; bee keeping; weed and pest control; aquaculture; poultry and small livestock.
- The household economy – food preservation, soap-making, green cleaning, slow foods, medicinal herbs, etc.
- The natural environment – conservation and land management, revegetation, enhancement of ecosystems services.
- Arts and crafts. Self-sufficiency skills are becoming rare in our modern society: learning how to turn a woolly sheep into a woolly jumper, how to use natural dies, make pottery, create furniture from local resources, metal-work. Creativity is promoted through ferro-cement sculpturing, garden landscaping, tiling and mosaics, art in various media.
Programs will be directed towards turning interests into employment and business opportunities wherever possible.
Our next available training courses are Horticulture Taster Courses, run by CIRE Services here at ECOSS.
