110 people trained and counting
February 2010
And that’s just in January and February. We’ve been training Home and Community Care workers in simple household sustainability audits, and most recently it’s been the 110 HACC workers at the Latrobe City Council, in Gippsland.
The carers are now incorporating the audits into the visits they make to 500 of their clients - people who require assistance to continue living independently at home. With their new sustainability knowledge, the carers will be able to suggest changes which the client or their family could make, which will save money on energy bills, help them live more comfortably, and help protect the environment at the same time.
Carolyn Whalan, who did the training, said that the most interesting bit was finding out about “all the energy that is used for heating and cooling homes – and how effective insulation and draught proofing can be.” She’s already started using some of the ideas in her own home. She hasn’t started doing the audits yet, but has discussed it with some of her clients: “One client was really interested when I told them about the training and said ‘sign us up’.”
Besides auditing the homes of 500 people in the Latrobe Valley, the program will fund a series of sustainability measures, like fixing water leaks and sealing draughts in many of the houses. The installation will be done by TRY Sustainable Solutions, who are reputable and accredited, and a charity which helps young people get into the workforce.
The HACC training is part of Sustainable Living in the Valley, which is bringing a whole series of sustainability projects to the Latrobe Valley over 2010. The Youth Eco-Challenge started on February 16, and will skill up students at the BEST Centre in Morwell in sustainability and leadership, and also meet the requirements of one of their Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning subjects. Eco-Wise Action will be helping people at the Traralgon Uniting Church go greener in February and March, and more Eco-Wise Action sessions are in the pipeline. HACC training with the South Gippsland Shire Council will be happening in April and May.
Finally, Sustainability on a Shoestring workshops have been running since November and will continue through until May. The workshops come in series of two, three or four, are free and open to anyone, and focus on ways you can make your home more sustainable and save on your bills without spending lots of money. If it sounds like your cup of tea, see if any of these workshop dates suit you, and contact Kate Senko by email or on 5136 3504 to bags yourself a spot:
9 and 23 March at the Traralgon Neighbourhood House
11 and 25 March at the Churchill Neighbourhood House
29 April, 5 and 12 May at Morwell Park Primary School
Look forward to seeing you there!
