OzGREEN calls to the community to join up and help prepare for future disasters Coffs Coast Highlight Section Nambucca Valley by News Of The Area - Modern Media - November 25, 2021 Nick Radford leading a Greywater Tour at his place organised by the North Bellingen Resilient Communities group during the pilot program. OZGREEN is seeking community volunteers to run its award-winning Resilient Communities program across twelve localities on the North and Mid North Coast. Bellingen-based not-for-profit environmental and sustainability organisation OzGREEN is seeking applications from local people living in twelve communities across the Mid North Coast for the role of Volunteer Community Facilitators for the program. Advertise with News of The Area today. It’s worth it for your business. Message us. Phone us – (02) 4981 8882. Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au “The aim of the Resilient Communities program is to support communities to innovate actions that strengthen community and personal resilience to prepare for future disasters,” Anton Juodvalkis, OzGREEN’s CEO told News Of The Area. Commencing February 2022, the ten-month program sees facilitators build skills and hands-on experience using OzGREEN’s award winning engagement process. Community facilitators will be trained to deliver community resilience workshops which cover eight topics including fire, community health, food, water, energy, infrastructure and the economy. OzGREEN’s Resilient Communities Coordinator, Kathleen Hannah said, “Engaging local people to lead this program is key because groups can focus on challenges that are specific to their location and environment. “Local people have the local knowledge and they know what their community needs. “Our program simply provides a structure and a process that inspires and empowers participants to generate ideas for change and assists groups to identify tangible actions they can achieve on a personal or community level – taking control of their own resilience and disaster preparedness. “Resilient Communities is a unique and fantastic opportunity for motivated people to develop important leadership skills including group facilitation, project management and public speaking skills with significant training and support from OzGREEN.” “We love that this program is building community connections and creating a network of like-minded people that can facilitate grassroots change across our region, which is so needed at this time,” said Anton. There are limited places available and OzGREEN is inviting community members of the Coffs Coast and Hinterland, Nambucca Valley, Clarence Valley and Macleay Valley areas to apply before 30 November. Apply at www.ozgreen.org/vcf_apply. By Andrea FERRARI Donna Sowman and Alison Heely, two of North Bellingen RC facilitators in the 2020/2021 pilot program, attend a Greywater tour at Nick Radford’s place. Volunteer facilitators along with OzGREEN’s Sue Lennox, Anna and Anton Juodvalkis and Kathleen Hannah attend the first Facilitator Training Session as part of the Resilient Communities Pilot Program.
