AUDIENCE:

Year 5/6 primary school students.

CONTACT:

Sara Schmude—Schools Landcare Coordinator.

OVERVIEW:

The award-winning Frog Dreaming conference, started in 2008, brings together people with place through storytelling. A 2-day event held near Uralla NSW, focuses on bringing yr 5/6 primary school students together with secondary students in a forum supported by our local Natural Resource Management (NRM) community made up Landcare, government agencies and environmental education

specialists.

Frog Dreaming succeeds in delivering an engaging and interactive learning program that connects youth with each other and in turn connects them with their local environment. Starting pre-conference students identify a local natural resource asset/issue and develop their idea into a creative story to be played out on day 1 of Frog Dreaming. This experience then forms a baseline in which the students have the opportunity to build on their knowledge, skills and confidence to turn ideas into on-ground works within their respective communities.

We use tribal groups (mix of participants) as a vehicle to deliver the conference program to the students – it is here they have the opportunity to explore tribal totems with our NRM gurus and high school student mentors and again using the power of storytelling and the ‘kids teaching kids’ methodology learn all about the importance of

interconnectedness, local biodiversity and sustainable land management. A series of NRM & creative arts workshops/activities on day 2 further builds the students skills/knowledge in areas such as soil and water health, bush regeneration, aboriginal traditional arts & land management. In 2012 together with the local community we planted out a paddock in the shape of a giant tree frog.

Beyond Frog Dreaming we continue to provide support and build relationships within the school communities – our social media hub is one avenue where we further engage the school networks in our Landcare community projects.

CASE STUDY #001

“Frog Dreaming provides an important experiential learning

opportunity for students to engage with their passion for the natural

environment and Aboriginal culture. This event is making a real

different to the level of understanding and engagement young people have with pressing

environmental needs and opportunities."

Adam Blakester, Starfish Enterprises + Frog Dreaming Mentor

BUDGET OVERVIEW*

What financial resources are required to run the event? * Based on 125 participants (includes students, presenters, gurus + coordinating team)

FROG DREAMING: PEOPLE, PLACE, STORYTELLING

ITEM DETAILS BUDGET REQUIRED

Administration Stationery, printing, signage, office expenses 750

Catering 6 meals @ $26pp—provided by local school P&F 3250

Communication Telephone, internet, newsletters, website 750

Equipment Venue hire, tables / chairs, AV, portaloo hire, accommodation 2160

Materials Tribal group materials, workshop + presenters resources 2260

Miscellaneous Revegetation project—plants, stakes, cartons 1600

Travel School visits ($0.74/km) + bus supplement 1700

Wages Coordination team ($45/hr) 7845

On costs Presenters ($55/hr) 2850

The giant tree frog revegetation

project planted at ‘The Hill’,

Kentucky 2012.

PHOTO: Michael Taylor

ACTION PLAN FOR FROG DREAMING:

What happens by when + who does it?

OBJECTIVE ACTIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS OBJECTIVE TIMEFRAME WHO COMPLETE

Steering Committee Sara Schmude (SS) Frog Dreaming Coordinator, Bec Smith (BS) (AHS), Steph McCaffrey (Uralla SC), Matt McKenzie (Thalgarrah), Michael Taylor (landholder), Harry White (BRG CMA) - 2 meetings held

May 31 Aug 31

SS Yes

Contact Submit, sign with Border Rivers-Gwydir CMA 1 June SS

Sponsorship Sources, applications submitted, finalising. Border Rivers-Gwydir CMA; Uralla Shire Council; Northern Inland Regional Waste; New England Mutual; Caring for our Country

15 June SS

Partnerships Uralla Arts (A Parker); Thalgarrah (M McKenzie); UNE (S Smith + J Shephard); Aboriginal Land Council (M Brogan)

20 June SS

Recruit schools Uralla Central, Kentucky, Bendemeer, Niangala, Drummond, Minimbah, Kingstown, Armidale High School

31 May SS

School visits Develop school performance themes (2 visits/school to work on performance)

June-Aug SS

Venue logistics 2 site visits– mapping out performance, camping, workshops space, bus routes + facility locations

Aug-Sept SS

Participants Confirm final participants numbers, t-shirt sizes, special requirements + conference information + map; risk assessment; media permission forms

31 Aug SS

Workshops Presenters invited + confirmed—associated resources + materials acquired

31 Aug SS

Mentors Workshops with Armidale High School mentors (x12) Sept 10 BS

Catering Numbers to caterers (Kentucky School P&F) Sept 10 SS

Event Coordination Maps to bus drivers; Running Sheet; tribal mentor/guru folders prepared; hire tables, chairs, portaloos; website updated; event timetable confirmed.

Aug-Sept SS

Promotion Media release (x2) - incl. photo, testimonials, conference info—school newsletters, web, newspaper, radio.

Sept 14 Sept 30

SS

Event Dry run with presenters/gurus/mentors/steering committee Coordinate 2-day conference

Sept 12 SS+BS

Evaluation Evaluation sheets to teachers/students/presenters Facebook + blog feedback – post photos

Sept 20 Sept 30

SS

FROG DREAMING: PEOPLE, PLACE, STORYTELLING

Frog Dreaming was so much fun and I

learnt about so many things—and

last year I came back as a Mentor to help

one of the groups learn about and do a

performance about koalas.

Katie Williams,

Student

SUPPORTERS OF FROG DREAMING:

FROG DREAMING: PEOPLE, PLACE, STORYTELLING

USEFUL RESOURCES

The following sites provide examples of the types of forms and documents required to host an event such as Frog Dreaming:

FROG DREAMING WEBSITE www.hicub.org.au/schools Southern New England Landcare’s dedicated website to Frog Dreaming. Includes event timetables, media releases, educational packages, SNEL Schools Landcare Kit, Lunch

Munchers Education Kit, School information sheet + more.

WORKING WITH CHILDREN: NSW COMMISSION FOR CHILDREN www.kids.nsw.gov.au Further information on Working with Children Checks for employees + volunteers.

RISK ASSESSMENT FOR LANDCARE ACTIVITIES www.landcarensw.org.au Templates for Risk Assessment are available at the Landcare NSW website.

WORK HEALTH + SAFETY TOOLKIT www.landcarensw.org.au Includes policy templates and checklists for Landcare groups + Landcare activities.

EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES www.environment.gov.au/education/aussi/educational-resources.html The Australian Government’s Sustainable Schools Initiative website. Includes links to kids enviro-education sites such as CSIRO, Bureau of Meteorology + more.

www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/education/BiodiversityTeachersGuide.pdf A 70-page Biodiversity for Kids handbook developed by the NSW Department of Education + Training in conjunction with NPWS. Includes factsheets, activities + lessons plans for primary school enviro-education.

SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND LANDCARE www.snelcc.org.au | Sara Schmude: sara@snelcc.org.au | 02 6772 9123 | PO Box 85, Armidale NSW 2350.