Subsidies for Schools and Early Learning Centres

Merri-bek City Council subsidises a number of sustainability education and action programs for local schools and early learning centres. The programs are designed to engage and educate students about how different choices we make can impact the environment and what they can do to make a difference in their school or kindergarten and at home.

Programs include:

ResourceSmart

ResourceSmart Schools is an award-winning Victorian Government program that assists schools to embed sustainability in everything they do. Schools minimise waste, save energy and water, promote biodiversity and take action on climate change to benefit their school and community.

Managed by Sustainability Victoria, ResourceSmart Schools provides practical support to reduce resource use and make cost savings, integrate sustainability into the curriculum and share learnings beyond the school gate.

CERES coordinates and delivers the ResourceSmart School in the Northern, Southern and Eastern Melbourne metropolitan regions. For more information go to CERES Education.

Each year Council provides funding for five schools and five early learning centres in Merri-bek to participate in Resource Smart Schools.

To enquire about funding for your school or early learning centre please contact Council.

Biodiversity education programs

CERES and Merri Creek Management Committee offer a range of programs on biodiversity free of charge for Merri-bek schools and early learning centres.

CERES offers sessions in topics such as: Farm to Fork, Plant a Seed, Sustainable Transport, Worms and Minibeast, Hands on Gardening and Indigenous Plants and Bush Tucker. Sessions run for 45 minutes and are available for a maximum of 30 students per session.

Merri Creek Management Committee have sessions on topics such as Waterbug Discovery, Creating an Indigenous Garden, Fascinating Frogs, Drain Stencilling and Drain Wanders, Food Webs, Catchment Map and Stormwater Story. Sessions run for an average of 45 minutes but can be tailored to suit, for a maximum of 30 students.

A limited number of free sessions are available per school per year.

For more information and to book a session go to the Merri-bek City Council website.

Waste education programs

Merri-bek City Council supports many waste education programs. Council has partnered with Envirocom to provide free waste education sessions that can be delivered face to face or online for schools, kindergartens and early learning centres.

The sessions are designed to educate students about how waste and recycling impact on the environment, and how students can reduce their waste at home and school.

A choice of eight different waste education sessions is available, these can be adapted for preschool to Year 10 students. A limited number of free sessions are available per year.

For more information and to make a booking email Envirocom.