Demonstration Garden for Sustainable Living

Participants in this highly successful program included unemployed people from Kempsey LGA, people with mental health issues from Kempsey and Port Macquarie - Hastings LGA. They were mostly referred by New Horizons Enterprises Limited.

The demonstration garden for sustainable living was been developed to:

• showcase environmental practices to the general public
• demonstrate practical reuse of materials
• educate people in sustainable practices
• provide a venue for group tours, school excursions, disability service and aged care outings
• offer a training facility in for environmental skills to engage people in further study for particpation

Hornsby TAFE Outreach Community & School Gardens

Hornsby TAFE Outreach responded to local need by supporting requests from community groups to design and develop sustainable food gardens in order to enable participants to engage in a vocational and community learning environment

Through appreciative inquiry in local communities they collaborated in partnership with schools and council to develop an intergenerational, place based program, Community and School Gardens. A primary objective of the program included participants designing and developing sustainable food gardens. The program successfully meets the Social Inclusion agenda by providing the opportunity and capability to learn, work, engage and have a voice.

Sustainability Programs in Vocational and Community Engagement

Vocational and community engagement is core to Outreach practice. Sustainability can be an powerful approach to making life transitions and altering perspectives.