News

Thousands of Victorian students at over 200 schools and youth organisations from Altona to Yackandandah, will be getting ‘hands on’ with inventive projects that help to educate children about sustainability within their local environment. These grants are made possible through Junior Landcare and Momentum Energy’s Powerful Youth Projects.

Landcare Australia and Momentum launched the Powerful Youth Projects in 2017 to seek new ideas for how children can actively learn and develop skills for protecting local environments. Through this program, Victorian schools, childcare centres and youth groups can apply for grants of up to $1000.

Following a successful first year, which saw more than 24,000 students engaging in over 200 projects, the Powerful Youth Projects program rolled out across the state again in 2018. To encourage the enthusiasm shown by so many schools, Momentum Energy generously increased their funding to ensure that 219 schools across Victoria were awarded grants.

The variety of projects ranges from veggie or bush tucker gardens to composting or recycling projects, sensory gardens and other sustainable or environmental ideas. Other projects include those to learn about biodiversity and healthy ecosystems, including bee projects, frog bogs and native revegetation.

Momentum Energy Managing Director Paul Geason said Momentum was proud to support and promote sustainability at the school level.

“Our parent company, Hydro Tasmania, is Australia’s largest producer of renewable energy, so we are keen to promote sustainability wherever we can, particularly amongst school children,” Mr Geason said.

“Momentum Energy’s commitment to promoting sustainability is a big part of our mission to make energy more human.”

Dr Shane Norris, Landcare Australian Acting CEO, is delighted to be able to support so many schools in Victoria.

“Junior Landcare is all about encouraging young people to play an active role in ensuring the safe future of their environment. So it’sfantastic to be working in partnership with Momentum Energy two years in a row supporting thousands of children to get ‘hands on’ with nature. Last year’s projects produced exciting results and we can’t wait to see this year’s projects come to fruition.”