Bega Valley Shire’s EnviroMentors program a hit with local preschools

Bega Valley Shire Council has partnered with Keep Australia Beautiful NSW to inspire a new generation of sustainability champions and waste warriors, with the program being a big success with preschoolers in the region.

Bega Valley Shire Council has partnered with Keep Australia Beautiful NSW to inspire a new generation of sustainability champions and waste warriors through the program, which has been designed to help children to foster ownership of sustainability and waste awareness.

“First and foremost, this is a fun program that focuses on the positives of getting waste management right,” the Council’s Waste Education Officer noted.

“Waste education can sometimes get bogged down in focusing on the negative impacts poor waste management can have on the community and environment.”

“When delivering waste awareness messages particularly to young children it is important to keep it fun and focus on solutions and the positive knock-on effect this can have on the world around us.”

Over 280 preschoolers were entertained and educated by the Keep Australia Beautiful team across the five days when the program ran, with nine local preschools taking part. 

The positive feedback from educators and parents was wonderful to hear, the Waste Education Officer continued.

“We heard reports of children talking about the visit long after the educators left for the day, which is a really promising sign,” she said.

“Already, students are asking for the program to come back again, demonstrating the value of this long-running program that educates on sustainability and waste management throughout Australia.”

Now in its 28th year, the EnviroMentors program reaches more than 30,000 students annually.

Learn more about EnviroMentors here.