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Anglesea Neighbourhood Environment Improvement Plan

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................................................... 2

2. BACKGROUND ................................................................................. 4

3. THE STORY SO FAR .......................................................................... 6

4. A PROFILE OF OUR NEIGHBOURHOOD ................................................ 8

5. WHY A NEIGHBOURHOOD EIP IN ANGLESEA? .................................... 12

6. VISION FOR OUR NEIGHBOURHOOD................................................. 13

7. OBJECTIVES.................................................................................. 13

8. GUIDING STRATEGIES FOR ACHIEVING OBJECTIVES .......................... 15

9. KEY AREAS OF ACTIVITY................................................................. 20

10. WORK PROGRAMS.......................................................................... 21

11. RISK MANAGEMENT ....................................................................... 33

12. MONITORING AND EVALUATION ...................................................... 35

12. PLAN IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS.......................................... 37

13. SPONSOR AND PARTNERS............................................................... 40

APPENDIX 1

ANGLESEA NEIP COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP GROUP - DRAFT CHARTER ........... 42

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1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This Anglesea Neighbourhood Environment Improvement Plan (NEIP) is a pilot in EPA’s NEIP program. A NEIP is an action plan for improvements in sustainability at the local level, developed by the community, for the community. The Anglesea community has a high level of interest in environmental issues and has demonstrated a willingness to participate in new environmental programs. The main sponsor is the Surf Coast Shire and key supporters are Barwon Water, EcoRecycle and Alcoa World Alumina Australia. There are a variety of environmental challenges facing the community. This NEIP will help guide activities for the next three years to build capacity of the local community to live more sustainably and protect the special, natural environment at Anglesea. It provides an opportunity for government agencies to:

• Test the implementation of specific environmental programs in a receptive community

• Learn what activities and resources can influence people’s behaviour • Achieve corporate environmental goals that require community

participation • Develop a model that can be applied in other communities

It provides an opportunity for business and industry to:

• Demonstrate their commitment to the environment and long-term future of Anglesea

• Run more cost efficient businesses • Support the aspirations of their local community

For the community it provides an opportunity to:

• Live more consistently with what they value and create a better future for the next generations

• Save money • Enjoy community life more – to meet people with similar aspirations • Help other communities in future

This Anglesea NEIP has been developed using an action/learning approach with considerable involvement from the community in taking action at home or in community groups that have built awareness, knowledge and skills needed to develop a NEIP. The community has participated in a number of activities including:

• Learning sessions on seven key sustainability themes • Eco-foot assessments at home • State government workshops on the NEIP process • A workshop to identify a “straw dog” (working) shared vision and priority

actions • A “straw puppy” workshop with the Anglesea Primary School • Groups to develop a community garden and to address pest plants and

animals • The development of the Sustainability Action Plan • A sustainability forum • The development of a NEIP Proposal to EPA & the development of this

final NEIP

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SUMMARY OF OUR NEIGHBOURHOOD ENVIRONMENTAL

IMPROVEMENT PLAN VISION A proud and connected community creating a prosperous and sustainable future in a healthy and beautiful environment OBJECTIVES

• Build community capacity to live more sustainably • Protect Anglesea’s natural ecological values • Reduce Anglesea’s ecological footprint • Develop a model program and share learning with others

GUIDING STRATEGIES FOR ACHIEVING OBJECTIVES

• Work with the early adopters • Use credible community change and capacity building science • Use an ecological framework for understanding and measuring changes

to the environment KEY AREAS OF ACTIVITY

• Working with householders on sustainability activities at home • Working with businesses on sustainability activities • Working with the Anglesea Primary and Pre-school on sustainability

activities • Recognising, supporting and building on the work of others

WORK PROGRAMS Our priority projects will be Cool Communities, Anglesea Plastic Bag Free Campaign and developing Community Leadership. In addition we will conduct other Community Initiated Sustainability Projects where opportunities arise. RISK MANAGEMENT We have assessed the key risks to our success and identified ways of preventing, minimising or managing them. MONITORING AND EVALUATION The Community Leadership Group will apply a common Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning framework for all activities.

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2. BACKGROUND

What is a NEIP?

This Anglesea Neighbourhood Environment Improvement Plan (NEIP) is a pilot in EPA’s NEIP program. A NEIP is an action plan for improvements in sustainability at the local level, developed by the community, for the community.

Why is it needed?

The Anglesea community has a high level of interest in environmental issues and has demonstrated a willingness to participate in new environmental programs. There are a variety of environmental challenges facing the community and members have expressed frustration at not seeing these dealt with properly. The NEIP is the community’s response to these issues.

Who has been involved?

This document has been sponsored by the Surf Coast Shire and drafted by the Anglesea NEIP project team based on input provided by the community. In this document the word community could include anyone with a specific interest in Anglesea but particularly includes project partners, a Community Leadership Group, businesses in Anglesea, government representatives with an interest in Anglesea, residents, non-resident ratepayers and interested adjoining community members. The results of the community planning process and the Anglesea Neighbourhood Character Study undertaken by the Shire in mid 2003 have also influenced the contents of this plan.

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What are the opportunities?

This NEIP will help guide activities for the next three years to build capacity of the local community to live more sustainably and protect the special, natural environment at Anglesea. It provides an opportunity for government agencies to:

• Test the implementation of specific environmental programs in a receptive community

• Learn what activities and resources can influence people’s behaviour • Achieve corporate environmental goals that require community

participation • Develop model that can be applied in other communities

It provides an opportunity for business and industry to:

• Demonstrate their commitment to the environment and long-term future of Anglesea

• Run more cost efficient businesses • Support the aspirations of their local community

For the community it provides an opportunity to:

• Live more consistently with what they value and create a better future for the next generations

• Save money • Enjoy community life more – to meet people with similar aspirations • Help other communities in future

How will we do it?

To meet our common global, regional and local environmental challenges will require leadership, cooperation, perseverance, tolerance and commitment. Some of these challenges require a long-term approach, to think globally and act locally. There will be diversity of opinion and conflicts to resolve but along the way we should always strive to enjoy the process and be rewarded by it.

How long will this plan apply?

The planning cycle proposed is three years - long enough to facilitate on-ground changes and not too long that the social context should not alter too radically.

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3. THE STORY SO FAR In 2001 EPA-Victoria called for expressions of interest in piloting a new environmental tool called the Neighbourhood Environment Improvement Plan. EPA received about 70 expressions of interest from a range of communities and agencies, from which three pilots were selected:

1. With the City of Maribyrnong to restore Stony Creek in Melbourne’s western suburbs,

2. With the City of Darebin to restore Edwards Lake in Melbourne’s North Eastern suburbs and

3. With the Surf Coast Shire to implement an environmental sustainability program with the Anglesea community in Victoria’s south west, along the Great Ocean Road.

The Surf Coast Shire proposed Anglesea as a pilot because social research by Swinburne University of Technology conducted a year earlier indicated the Anglesea community had an exceptionally strong interest in environmental issues. EPA-Victoria agreed for Anglesea to be a pilot because it considered Anglesea an opportunity to investigate how a neighbourhood sustainability program could be applied within a receptive community. The Surf Coast Shire agreed to be the Sponsor. Also, unlike the other two NEIP pilots, Anglesea is a contained village located outside Melbourne. There are a wide variety of sustainability issues and the Surf Coast Shire was working with EPA-Victoria on the implementation of an Environmental Management System and was also a pilot for EPA’s ecological footprint program. The pilot project commenced with the appointment of a project officer in May 2002. His task was to develop an Anglesea NEIP Proposal. Legislation requires the development of a NEIP proposal prior to the development of an actual NEIP. This is to ensure that all parties that may be affected by a NEIP have been given an opportunity to be involved in and contribute to the NEIP. The Anglesea NEIP proposal was submitted to and approved by EPA in January 2003. This Anglesea NEIP has been developed using an action/learning approach with considerable involvement from the community in taking action at home or in community groups that have built awareness, knowledge and skills needed to develop a NEIP. The community has participated in a number of activities including:

• Learning sessions on seven key sustainability themes • Eco-foot assessments at home • Feedback to government on the use of the eco-foot as a tool to promote

awareness, enable measurement and facilitate behaviour change • State government workshops on the NEIP process • A workshop to identify a “straw dog” (working) shared vision and priority

actions • A number of social events involving high profile speakers, music and food • A “straw puppy” workshop with the Anglesea Primary School • Group to develop a community garden • Group to address pest plants and animals • The development of the Sustainability Action Plan • A sustainability forum

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• The development of a NEIP Proposal to EPA • The development of this final NEIP

The following model has been widely used to describe activities that the community has involved itself in during the NEIP proposal.

1

2 3

1. Personal Commitment: households or businesses calculating their ecofootprint and developing a Sustainability Action Plan for their home and lifestyle.

2. Community Action: recognition and integration of existing community

groups and supporting formation of new groups 3. Creating the Future – Developing a shared plan of action (ie a NEIP) to

meet the environmental aspirations of the Anglesea community. So far this NEIP has faced some significant challenges including difficulty in funding the Project Officer’s position, communication with non-permanent rate payers, overlapping with other community groups and organisations, and trying to communicate innovative or complex concepts to the community such as the ecological footprint. Working with communities is generally a slow process especially when there is no perceived direct threat and few direct incentives to drive behaviour change. This can lead to some frustration, both within the neighbourhood and beyond, to those watching who want to see quick results. Other challenges typical of most community projects include:

• Keeping activities interesting and appropriate • Keeping early adopters engaged • Managing a variety of personalities • Cynicism • Limited human resources particularly support with data management • How to promote and reward sustainability behaviour changes • Developing programs to help overcome barriers to sustainability

Despite these significant challenges the community has remained supportive and interested in how the NEIP can benefit Anglesea. More recently the NEIP project has focussed on the development of a household sustainability action plan (SAP) and supporting new community action groups.

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The SAP is a tool modelled on a successfully run program with farmers in southwest Victoria to help them integrate Environmental Best Practice into their farm business. Some community members have been investigating the establishment of a community garden and tackling the ecological and fire threat of pest plants. The NEIP has also influenced the establishment of two small environmental businesses in Anglesea. The last 18 months has seen the beginnings of a community capacity building exercise that sets a strong foundation to go further, to plan and deliver a place based integration program for environmental sustainability. The project team and the community will have learned much along the way, which will influence how things are done in the future. The learning needs to continue and be shared with others along the way. The project team looks forward to working with the new Community Leadership Group who will oversee the strategic implementation of this project over the next three years. This document supersedes the “Proposal to develop a NEIP” that was endorsed by EPA Victoria in January 2002 in accordance with the requirements of the Environment Protection Act (1970).

4. A PROFILE OF OUR NEIGHBOURHOOD The neighbourhood for this NEIP is the township of Anglesea as shown in the map below.

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Environmental Profile

The Anglesea township is located on the eastern end of Victoria’s Great Ocean Rd just over 100km south-west of Melbourne. The landscape is a mosaic of sweeping beaches, tall cliffs, waterways, rolling hills of forests and heathlands. The Australian Heritage Commission (1992) found the heathy woodland in Anglesea to be the richest and most diverse vegetation community recorded in Victoria (Anglesea Heath Draft Management Plan). Wildlife includes Anglesea’s famous kangaroo population, an array of local and migratory birds, as well as passing whales, dolphins, seals, and penguins. The recently created Point Addis Marine National Park is adjacent to Anglesea’s popular fishing and surf beaches. The option of making much of the surrounding forest and heath a National Park is currently being investigated by the Victorian Environment Assessment Council. Alcoa World Alumina Australia of Australia operates a power station and coal mine just to the north of Anglesea. The Anglesea Heathlands, which make up much of Alcoa’s leased land, is co-managed with Parks Victoria to the same standards as a National Park. The Anglesea River estuary runs through the town and is a popular place throughout the year for fishing, canoeing and walking. The town has a number of environmental reserves, including Coogoorah Park, Kuarka Dorla Park, Edna Bowman Nature Reserve, Fairyland Nature Reserve and Lookout Flora Reserve.

Social Profile

Anglesea is also home to around 2000 permanent residents but this varies considerably depending on the number of visitors and regularly grows to more than 10,000 people on some weekends and holiday periods. Population growth has been fairly steady over the past twenty years, but will be limited in the

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future because of the limited housing and land development opportunities available in the township. Part-time residents and retirees own a large proportion of Anglesea homes. In 1996 a vacancy rate of 65% was identified. Anglesea has a primary school, pre-school, community house, community hall, Health Centre, sporting clubs/facilities, three caravan parks and approximately 40 active community groups.

According to research conducted by Swinburne University’s Institute for Social Research in February 2001, 83% of Anglesea respondents identified their community as having “a distinct character, it’s a special place” and also highly rate the “people as friendly, good neighbours, help others” (75%). The research also identifies that 54% of Anglesea respondents acknowledge that there is an “ active community, people get involved in local issues, activities”. The community workshops held as part of the NEIP proposal and the Shire’s recent Community Planning process confirm the strong environmental interest in the community. As well as the strong community base in Anglesea, there are a number of social challenges confronting the future sustainability of the community including:

• Lack of services for children, adolescents and the aged • Lack of public transport • Lack of childcare options • Declining numbers of permanent residents

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Economic Profile

In 1996 (ABS), wholesale and retail trade, the construction industry and the community sector provided about 50% of employment in the township, and it is likely that there have been no significant changes since then. There is also a significant outdoor recreation industry in Anglesea, including a number of busy school camps and the Anglesea Sport and Recreation Camp. This business employs a number of outdoor education and outdoor experience workers. Alcoa’s coal mine and power station generates electricity for the production of alumina products for Alcoa’s smelter in nearby Geelong. The power station and mine employ about 100 people, mostly from Geelong, Anglesea and surrounding areas. Action on environmental programs can influenced by a number of local economic challenges/concerns, including:

• Small rate base • Seasonal trade and competition with more iconic nearby locations • Small waste volumes – not large enough for companies to collect waste,

also no separation of public/commercial waste • Lack of household connection to gas/electricity and pressures on local

firewood • Hard to buy green – have to go to Geelong

Challenges such as these also bring opportunities to bring businesses together, form links with other small towns to achieve required results and building Anglesea’s brand based on our natural assets and the strength of the local community and community organisations.

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5. WHY A NEIGHBOURHOOD EIP IN ANGLESEA? As detailed in the last section, there is a high level of community concern about environmental issues in Anglesea. The NEIP process and the community planning process have provided a list of more specific environmental and socio-environmental issues that the community believe are important. These include:

• Concern about water quality especially acidification of Anglesea River • Tourism pressure: especially on the coastal and marine environment, and

associated problems such as litter and land degradation • Concern about air quality: especially Alcoa’s coal mine and its emissions,

and wood-fired heaters in the community • Anglesea Landfill: concern about waste management efforts and its

impact on the watertable • Concern about development pressure: which could especially impact on

habitat and biodiversity values of the unique Anglesea heathlands • Isolation due to lack of public transport • Poor infrastructure to support cycling and walking around town • Introduction of pest plants and animals • High fire risks increased by inappropriate vegetation within town

boundaries and close proximity of Anglesea to native bushland. • No connection to Natural gas meaning reduced home energy options • Natural resource consumption spikes over the summer period • Deaths and injuries to the increasing kangaroo population • The poor management of the Anglesea River estuary • Stormwater and gravel roads

Social challenges identified by the community include:

• Lack of opportunities for input by non permanent residents • Lack of time and incentives cited by many to help change resource

consumption behaviour • Lack of public education around sustainability/environmental issues • Water and energy made too cheap and therefore lack of incentive to

reduce consumption • Engaging members of the community that don’t perceive a “problem” with

the environment in Anglesea Clearly there are a number of environmental and social sustainability issues that the community are concerned about. There is dissatisfaction in the community that is related to the community having sustainability aspirations but not feeling capable of meeting those aspirations. A Neighbourhood EIP provides a process for addressing this dissatisfaction.

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6. VISION FOR OUR NEIGHBOURHOOD A proud and connected community creating a prosperous and sustainable future in a healthy and beautiful environment

7. OBJECTIVES These objectives embrace the aspirations, goals and priorities identified by the community throughout the NEIP development phase.

Build community capacity to live more sustainably

While interest in environmental sustainability is stronger in Anglesea than other towns there is little to suggest that this community live their lives much differently to most Australians – that is with an unsustainable environmental impact. While having the right environmental attitude is an important ingredient for behaviour change, it is rarely enough to create changes in behaviour on its own (McKenzie-Mohr, 2003). Many communities, including Anglesea, have aspirations and values that are in conflict with their own behaviours. It appears that in Anglesea there are factors other than attitudes that are affecting their lifestyles or environmental behaviours. In addition, simply providing knowledge via information-based campaigns rarely leads to change of environmental behaviours. Research and the experience of social change professionals (Robinson, 2003) is that to move a community from a level of awareness and concern to a level of making changes to their lifestyles requires application of well considered community capacity building and personal change programs. Elements of such programs will include education, mentoring, social events, relationship building, incentives, behaviour support tools and action-oriented activities. It is therefore an objective of the NEIP to build the capacity of the Anglesea community to live more sustainably. In other words the NEIP will provide a process for enabling the community to meet its sustainability objectives – for the community to live in accordance with what it values. This objective also recognises that sustainability will require engaging people and changing habits and behaviours more so than applying a built or engineering solution. It is largely a social problem and will require a largely social solution.

Protect Anglesea’s natural ecological values

The community has made it clear that a very high priority for them is protection or improvement of the immediate Anglesea environment - this includes its air, water, land, plants, animals and other life (see section 3).

Reduce Anglesea’s ecological footprint

Energy efficiency, waste to landfill, water consumption, sewage discharges and industrial emissions are consistently raised by the community as key sustainability issues. These activities are associated with our impacts on the wider environment.

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The cars we drive, the clothes we wear, the food we eat, the water we drink, the houses we live in all require resources and produce wastes. All our resources ultimately come from the natural world and ultimately all our wastes must be treated and absorbed back into nature. We know that all animals, including humans, have some impact on the environment, but how much of our natural resources can we consume? How much waste can the environment handle? How many humans can the planet carry? The ecological footprint concept attempts to answer these questions. It converts the complex concepts of carrying capacity, sustainability, resource use, waste disposal, and more into a simple graphic form. “A population’s ecological footprint is the biologically productive area needed to produce the resources used and absorb the waste generated by that population” (Wakernagel and Rees, 1996). The ecological footprint of the average Australian (read Anglesea community member) is 7.1 hectares. The average personal ecofootprint of the French is 5.7 ha, English 4.7, South African 3.5, Brazilian 2.4, Chinese 1.4, and Indian 0.8 ha. The average U.S. citizen has a footprint of 9.6 while the average Bangladeshi just 0.5 ha. By dividing the productive land on earth (after putting aside a percentage for nature parks and reserves) by the earth’s human population (currently @6,000,000,000) the allocated space per person is just 1.9 hectares. Clearly if we are to play our part in the global quest toward sustainability we are currently more a contributor to the problem than the solution. The NEIP will develop programs that enable the Anglesea community to reduce their air emission, water and energy use, reduce wastes to landfill and purchase green products. This will help reduce our ecological footprint.

Develop a model program and share learning with others

While the journey toward a sustainable Anglesea will be of benefit to many people within and beyond Anglesea, there is also a need for other willing communities to begin their own sustainability programs. The knowledge, skills, strategies and tools that are applied and developed as a part of this project need to be captured and shared for the benefit of other communities.

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8. GUIDING STRATEGIES FOR ACHIEVING OBJECTIVES

Work with the early adopters

It is not the intention of the NEIP to force changes upon anyone in the community. Those who want to be involved will volunteer to do so. The term early adopter is often used to describe that segment of the community that are the first to make changes. Early adopters, who often already have the desired attitude and knowledge, offer the least resistance to change or are most capable of overcoming the barriers to change. Early adopters act as role models that help to cascade change through the rest of the community. It appears that Anglesea is a community with a high proportion of potential early adopters.

Use credible community change and capacity building science

The NEIP program must be guided by credible community change and capacity building science. The work of Doug Mackenzie-Mohr’s research into Community-Based Social Marketing and Les Robinson’s “Seven Doors” model of voluntary behaviour change are used to guide the planning of the NEIP.

Community Based Social Marketing

Community based social marketing is a valuable approach to encouraging changes in behaviour particularly when there is a very specific behaviour change required across a significant number of people, for example, a program for encouraging 50 people to install a low flow shower head. Community based social marketing has four steps:

1. Identify barriers and benefits of a sustainable activity 2. Develop a strategy that utilises “tools” that have been shown to be

effective in changing behaviour Tools include gaining a public commitment, using prompts at the point of desired change, developing community norms, effective communication, incentives 3. Pilot the strategy with a small segment of a community 4. Evaluate the impact of the program once it has been implemented across

a community Details of these approaches can be found at www.cbsm.org.ca and www.media.socialchange.net.au/people/les.

Seven Doors Model

The seven doors model is used as the basis for the Areas of Activity section in this NEIP. The following is adapted from Les Robinson’s 2003 and 2004 workshops with EPA-Victoria and various NEIP participants. 1. Promote sustainability visions and norms The NEIP must connect with the community’s inner dissatisfactions or hopes, dreams and desires. Robinson’s research found that 70 –90% of change was driven by personal dissatisfaction. The NEIP project team has observed a level

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http://www.cbsm.org.ca/

http://www.media.socialchange.net.au/people/les


of dissatisfaction in the Anglesea community caused by the difference between our current unsustainable lifestyles and a desired more sustainable lifestyle. There are many social norms that exist in the community, some are damaging to the environment and others are beneficial. The community is subconsciously led by these social norms. The NEIP should promote visions and social norms that overlap the NEIP audience’s hopes, dreams and identities with sustainability criteria. Where possible, the NEIP should also work in areas where there is strong passion for change. 2. Fill sustainability knowledge gaps in the community The NEIP must help in filling the significant knowledge gaps that exist in the community and assist people in answering questions like:

• What is sustainable, what isn’t? • How unsustainable are we, what are the consequences? • What needs to change and by when? • How do we make the desired changes?

The NEIP will need to provide information that targets the arguments people use to justify action or inaction – the barriers and benefits to change. The use of powerful communication tools like the Natural Step and the ecological footprint can help build knowledge about the changes needed. Knowledge of community building, behaviour change and social marketing can help make these changes possible. 3. Build skills in implementing sustainability The NEIP needs to provide “hands on” learning experiences that build the skills needed to implement sustainable behaviours. Where possible the NEIP should provide opportunities for the community to look, experiment, feel or play with the desired behaviours or activities. Examples include building skills in household energy and water conservation or how to operate a compost bin effectively. 4. Broker convenient products and services The NEIP needs to broker the availability of supporting products and services that make the desired changes easier and sensitively priced. This is because inconvenience is a major barrier to change. An example is facilitating readily available and sensitively priced alternatives to disposable plastic bags in shops in Anglesea. The service of a skilled community facilitator is another example. Robinson’s research found that 70 –90% of personal change was dependant on provision of external services or resources that helped build knowledge, skills or the introduction of a convenient system. 5. Mobilise social influences The NEIP should facilitate social interaction with credible, trusted peers. This helps in building optimism for the required changes and a feeling of not being alone.

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The Community Leadership Group and the numerous sustainability workshops that have been conducted are examples of this. 6. Choreograph change spaces The NEIP should create “out-of-ordinary-life” times and places where visions, knowledge, learning experiences, convenient products/services and trusted others come together. These also provide the opportunities for new people to get involved in the NEIP or for existing NEIP participants to become reinvolved. Examples include the Straw Dog Workshop and the three NEIP events with live music, food and guest speakers. These were out-of-ordinary-life times where new connections were made and comfort zones safely challenged. Robinson’s research found that 64-75% of personal change cases involved interactions within ones own social set. 7. Deliver satisfaction In all cases, personal behaviour change is dependant on sustained satisfactions. The NEIP must be a rewarding experience for its participants. The NEIP can help celebrate successes and provide rewards and incentives, acknowledgement and feedback. The NEIP should collect and disseminate stories about the benefits experienced by the audience.

Use ecological frameworks for understanding and measuring changes to the environment

The Natural Step

The Natural Step provides a science based, objective framework to assess what is or is not ecologically sustainable. The framework is underpinned by four system conditions that define at a principal scientific level what is or isn’t ecologically sustainable. The Natural Step system conditions can be used to diagnose the sustainability of any existing or proposed activity. For any activity to be sustainable it should be consistent with each of the four system conditions. Any activity that is inconsistent with any of the four system conditions is not sustainable. A detailed description of the Natural Step can be found at www.thenaturalstep.org a very brief summary of this framework is: System Condition 1 Sustainability requires that substances from the earth’s crust do not systematically increase in the environment. Issues for Anglesea include: • Our contribution to CO2

accumulation in the atmosphere from the petrol, diesel, and LPG we use for transport and heating and

System Condition 2 Sustainability requires that substances from society do not systematically increase in the environment. Issues for Anglesea include: • Impacts on the Anglesea River

from garden pesticides, sediments and nutrients in urban stormwater

• Litter, particularly plastic bags and food packaging and particularly

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http://www.thenaturalstep.org/


other coal based energy uses in our homes

• Sulphur dioxide and carbon dioxide emissions from the Anglesea power station

This means asking, how we can we, in Anglesea, reduce our dependence on the mining of fossil fuels to meet our energy needs?

when tourist numbers are high • Sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide

emissions to air from vehicles • Wood smoke • The Anglesea landfill • The treated sewage outfall to the

ocean This means asking, how can we, in Anglesea, reduce our dependence on persistent, unnatural substances that can accumulate in the environment?

System Condition 3 Sustainability requires that the natural systems are not systematically degraded by physical means. Issues for Anglesea include: • Excessive vegetation removal • Wildfire (ie other than fuel

reduction or ecological burns) • Pest plants and animals • High water use requiring excessive

extraction from the stressed Barwon system

• Climate change impacts on biodiversity

This means asking how can we, in Anglesea, reduce our dependence on nature-consuming or nature-harming activities?

System Condition 4 Sustainability requires resources to be used fairly and efficiently in order to meet human needs worldwide. The ecological footprint is an indicator of the amount of resource we consume to meet our needs. The smaller our footprint the more “ecological space” is available for other people and species. The relevance for Anglesea? Recent research indicates that the global human footprint is currently greater than 20% of the earth’s capacity. This can only lead to greater conflict over natural resources and rapid reduction in the quality of the natural environment that provides all our needs. Significant consequences for all people, including those in Anglesea, are a much lower quality of life and far less opportunities for future generations. There is an urgent need to improve the efficiency with which we live our lives. This means asking, how can we in Anglesea, live a better life with less?

The Ecological Footprint

The NEIP seeks to assist people understand their impacts on the environment and use this information as a basis for action. The ecological (or eco-) footprint provides a unique and powerful tool for measuring our resource use and environmental impacts. It is ideally suited for raising awareness and educating the community on the impacts of our lifestyle choices.

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The ecofootprint combines the measurement of the environmental impacts of the goods and services, food, energy and water we consume and the waste we produce, to provide an indicator of sustainability. The Surf Coast Shire Council has been participating in the EPA’s Ecological Footprint Pilot Program, which aims at finding new ways of measuring and communicating the ecological impacts of our everyday activities at home, at work and in school’s. Surf Coast Shire has been collating data collected by householders, businesses and school on energy, water and solid waste that will be used to measure the environmental impact (eco-footprint) of the township of Anglesea. "A recent survey has shown conserving the natural environment is the highest priority for the Surf Coast Shire community. I believe the ecological footprint concept will help our community better understand their impact on the environment, and how we can work together to reduce that impact." - Beth Davidson, Mayor, Surf Coast Shire Council This information will be invaluable in helping the NEIP in its activities with householders, schools and the broader community.

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9. KEY AREAS OF ACTIVITY

Working with householders on sustainability activities at home

Houses are the predominant land use in Anglesea and a very large resource consumer. Anglesea community members have consistently expressed a desire to apply sustainability to their homes. It is important to them that they build credibility by having a go at sustainability at home before they try to influence others.

Working with businesses on sustainability activities

This area of activity will drive development of new skills and knowledge in the business sector and help build a sustainable business norm that will encourage further participation by others. Working in this area will require the development of a more convenient system than currently exists. While the pricing and legal frameworks that influence business sustainability are beyond the scope of the NEIP, it is possible for a Sustainability Action Plan (SAP) to be developed with businesses that will provide a more convenient system for encouraging sustainability. The recreational camps in Anglesea provide a unique educational and norm development opportunity. In 2003 there were 35 000 visitors to the camps in Anglesea.

Working with the Anglesea Primary and Pre-school on sustainability activities

The Anglesea community has made it very clear that it is important to continue working with the Anglesea Primary School. The school is already committed to the objectives in the NEIP and undertakes a number of activities that are aimed at reducing the children’s ecological footprint and improving the local environment.

Recognising, supporting and building on the work of others

It needs to be recognised that some of the Anglesea community are already involved in local environmental groups. For example, ANGAIR provide a valued conservation service to the community, and the Anglesea camps and outdoor recreation companies provide an important environmental service to Anglesea and its visitors. However models of a community working together on the broader issue of environmental sustainability are currently rare in Australia.

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10. WORK PROGRAMS

Program design

Detailed work programs for priority projects within the areas of activity will be developed, implemented and evaluated by the Community Leadership Group during the course of the Neighbourhood EIP. The work programs will follow a Results Based Management approach that is best suited to community-based, behavioural change programs. The Results Based Management approach will be used in conjunction with Bennett’s Hierarchy program logic to plan, monitor and evaluate NEIP projects. Project outcomes and indicators will be communicated to project partners in a table known as a Results Ladder. The Results Ladder provides a summary of the overall performance of a project told against a logic hierarchy. It should be evidence based and should include positive and negative findings. In this initial NEIP the Cool Communities project uses a Results Ladder in conjunction with a Bennett’s Hierarchy. The remaining NEIP projects are all in the planning phase and the Results Based Management approach has been used to provide information about:

• The likely inputs required to deliver planned project activities • Timelines and responsible parties named to deliver & support projects

activities • Projected outputs as a direct result of project activities • Short to medium term outcomes • Longer term impacts that may be attributed to the project activities • The likely constraints, enablers, assumptions and risks associated with the

project

Uses of Bennett’s Hierarchy and a Results Based management include: For planning a new project To check the integrity of the logic of an existing project (ie. does activity

“x” lead to behaviour “y”) To guide a results ladder that shows how activities (works) are associated

with intermediate (targets) and end outcomes (objectives and visions). Column named: “What does success look like?”

This step requires the Community Leadership Group to imagine what participants (end users and next users) will be doing if the project is successful It is essential to have a concrete understanding of what change the

project is trying to achieve The change that we are trying to achieve is listed in this second column.

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Column named: “Key Evaluation Questions” Evaluation questions are carefully crafted questions that help guide a data

collection process. They are not the same as questions that form the basis of a survey. At higher levels in the hierarchy we tend to favour the use of evaluation

questions because the questions provide explanations of why something occurs, what worked for whom and so on.

Column named: “Evidence Required”

When preparing a results ladder, evidence is gathered at each level of the hierarchy to see if expected outcomes (targets) have been achieved At lower levels, evidence is usually collected using key performance

indicators (simple things like number of workshops run) At higher levels, questions play a stronger role (eg. what were the

characteristics of people who changed their behaviour)

Priority projects

1. Cool Communities

“Cool communities” is a program for householders participating in sustainability activities at home. Activities include:

• Developing a Sustainability Action Plan household toolkit • Implementation program that includes the facilitation of knowledge, new

skills, overcoming barriers. • Training of community members in household sustainability auditing

The following “Results Ladder” table summarises characteristics and results of the Cool Communities project according to Bennett’s hierarchy and is an example of Bennett’s Hierarchy used to report on the “results” of a project. It should be noted that this project is complete and no further actions are identified for the purposes of the NEIP.

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Program Level Results and ultimate outcomes (level 7) Evidence

Required/Indicators/Methods 1. Inputs $22,500 Australian Greenhouse Office (Cool Communities Program)

$10,000 Barwon Water (Household water saving technologies plus staff time to project)

$8,000 Corangamite Catchment Management Authority $10,000 Eco Recycle Victoria (funding for a paid coordinator) $5,000 Barwon Regional Waste Management Group (staff time and calico

bags) $ Surf Coast Shire Time and input from: • Third Ecology (ESD Architects) • Anglesea Home Hardware • A-Z Plumbing • Sunworks Eco Plumbing • Ecologic • ANGAIR Inc. • Anglesea Hotel – venue and catering

2. Activities • 5 workshops (promoted as “NEIPshops”) on topics of Water Conservation, Energy Efficiency, Waste Wise, Audit Reviews and Biodiversity/Fire Management (all held at Anglesea Hotel)

• Phone and email follow up post workshops to assist audit and other questions from households

• Development of registered household database to assist with information management

• 1 Waste Wise event – Composting workshop at Alcoa 35th Anniversary Celebration

• 6 Media releases and success stories promoted throughout township • 6 Paid advertisements in Surf Coast Echo • 2 NEIP update newsletters • 12 to 15 emails to Registered Households • 5 letters and information posted to registered households It should be noted that the activities undertaken were “participatory” and involved people in a dialogue about sustainability. At the first workshop it was confirmed that the registered households were mostly people already looking to live more sustainably. This group responds best to a program that has higher levels of participation.

Activity type, number and location Change in implementation as a result of Evaluation

3. Participation • 32 registered Households in the Cool Communities Program (Target = 50) Number of targeted and actual


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• 24 participating households in household audits and retrofit program (including the local kindergarten) (Target = 30)

• 5 participating local businesses to assist with household products and installation

• 13 local businesses and community groups involved in running the workshop series

• 2 Community Members, 1 project partner and 3 households took part in the household energy audit training

It should be noted that the primary target audience of this program were the so-called “early adoptors” of new sustainable practices and technologies. It is one of the goals of the program to enable this smaller group to influence others (larger groups of the community and drive market forces) to follow their lead.

participants

4. Reactions • Participating households reported a high degree of satisfaction in the workshop series

• 94% of households felt that the workshops exceeded their expectations, particularly in relation to the households retrofits and products received

• All participating households reported that it was highly beneficial to attend the workshops

• A few households reported that there was not enough follow up post each workshop and that the time between workshops was too long

Participants also indicated that the time lines given to choose products (eg. energy/water saving products) were too short, particularly in relation to higher cost items such as Solar Hot Water.

Additional evaluation will be undertaken by RMIT university in July/August 2004 to help quantify participant and project partner reaction to their involvement in the program. Measures of opinion of end users and stakeholders after each workshop and at the conclusion of the project will be captured by Geoff Brown (Anglesea NEIP Community Leadership Group)

5. Knowledge, attitudes, skills, aspirations & confidence (K.A.S.A.C)

• Anecdotal evidence from workshop participants suggests an increase in knowledge about how to live more sustainability at home (i.e. with less water, energy and reduce waste)

• At the waste workshop, some participants indicated that their attitudes about litter and plastic bags changed significantly. These people reported that they were motivated to make changes in their lifestyle to reduce waste and use of plastic bags

• Participants in the program gained various new skills including basic water and energy auditing and how to read utility bills

• 2 participants gained additional knowledge and skills in how to conduct a household energy audit and report

• 40 participants attended a composting workshop and acquired new

Additional evaluation will be undertaken by RMIT university in July/August 2004 to help quantify changes in KASAC for participants and project partners (supporters) Comprehension of benefits of sustainable practices – as evidenced in household audits Number of applicable skills people


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knowledge and skills in how to effectively compost kitchen scraps and green garden waste

Quantitative evidence has not been collected to date at this level of the hierarchy.

are able to undertake – to be assessed in post program research

6. Practice/ Behavioural Change

• All households who have participated in the workshop series have made some changes at home to reduce energy consumption and/or water use and therefore greenhouse gas emissions

• At this stage it looks likely that 3 households are installing solar hot water systems at home and a further 5 installing rainwater harvesting systems (eg. tank)

There is little evidence to suggest that adoption of sustainable practices has occurred on a wider scale beyond the participating households. Experience to date suggests that broader adoption of sustainable practices in a community is a long, complex process and may require higher levels of support such as the appointment of a regional facilitator/coordinator.

Methods planned to capture data: • Collection of success stories by

NEIP Community Leadership Group (qualitative data)

• RMIT research of participating households

• Cool Communities audit tool (for quantitative data)

• Other evidence collected by community leadership group through existing community networks

Reasons for the above changes? Level of bonding and bridging of the Anglesea community (number of community members and groups participating and supporting the adoption of sustainable practices)

7. Broad End Outcomes Social, Economic, Environmental Conditions (end results)

In the long term, a high degree of positive SEE consequences are anticipated from adoption (or partial adoption) of sustainable practices by a wide range of households in the Anglesea community. In the long term it is also hoped that the efforts made in Anglesea will influence communities in other parts of the Shire and Region to adopt similar practices (i.e. such as the elimination of plastic bags). The level of attribution of the Cool Communities project will be difficult to quantify.

Extent of community footprint (household and business) (before and after) Prosperous (economically healthy/sustainable – net profit, cash flow, turnover) businesses and households in the Anglesea community


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2. Anglesea Plastic Bag Free Campaign (APBC)

This campaign has only just begun and has been presented using a Results Based Management table. The table can also be called a Performance Framework. It is designed to tell the planned “performance story” of the Plastic Bag Elimination campaign in Anglesea.

Anglesea NEIP

PURPOSE: 1. To eliminate the use of plastic bags in the Angelsea Township and to

encourage the use of environmentally friendly alternative bags 2. To build strategies and solutions to address the barriers that exist to using

and suppling alternative bags with residents, local traders and community groups

PROJECT NAME: Anglesea Plastic Bag Free Campaign

PROJECT TIMEFRAME: April 2004 to February 2005

HOW? WHAT WE WANT? WHY? INPUTS required

ACTIVITIES planned By When

Who is responsible

OUTPUTS OUTCOMES LONG TERM OUTCOMES OR

IMPACTS 1. Complete draft community

strategy 30/08/04

Craig McKiernan - SCS

Completed Plastic Bag Strategy for Anglesea

2. Take draft strategy to NEIP Community Leadership Group and Anglesea T&T for endorsement

End September 2004

Craig McKiernan, BRWMG, G Brown

Endorsed community strategy outlining how $5000 will be spent to promote alternative bags

3. Develop a community “Feedback” board to capture community ideas on alternatives

End September 2004

Community Leadership Group group + SCS support

Community feedback board permanently at Supermarket to capture great ideas from community members

4. Print and post up posters highlighting enviro impact of plastic bags in the ocean – in supermarket, butchers

End September

BRWMG Posters up at key points around Anglesea to provide education re enviro impact of plastic bags

$5,000 grant from State Government In kind support from BRWMG, SCS, residents in L’ship group In kind support from Anglesea traders & staff, Tourism & Traders assoc.,

5. Training of Register and counter staff at a workshop

End October 2004

BRWMG, SCS,

Workshop aimed at shop/store counter staff to assist educate re main messages to customers and about the background to the project

50% reduction over summer 100% reduction by next summer

Points like: • Reduction and

ultimately elimination of plastic bag sales in Anglesea

• Increased community awareness of impacts of plastic bags

• Community avoidance of plastic bag use

• Shop owners providing alternative carry bags


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6. Contact main bag manufacturers to discuss sponsorship and product choices for Anglesea traders

End Sept 2004

BRWMG G Brown

List of products and prices to be provided for Anglesea traders

INDICATORS

Outputs

* A completed strategy * Successfully received $5000 grant # workshops # media releases # evidence of * posters/boards up around town * product list re alt bags with prices/options etc.. * $5000 spent on actions id in strategy

Outcomes # traders independently implementing strategy actions * changes in traders and shopper behaviour re plastic bag use * etc….

Long Term Outcomes/Impact * less plastic bags in circulation * reduction in environmental impact * increased economic benefit to traders and shoppers in Anglesea * other towns in SCS following Anglesea’s lead role

PEOPLE/GROUPS/COMMUNITIES/SECTORS INVOLVED

Community Leadership Group Shop owners General community

ASSUMPTIONS & RISKS Shop traders will be supportive of project Acceptance and participation by shop owners may not be sustainable Community willingness to use alternatives Loss of community champion and momentum with project Plastic bags enter community from alternative external sources (e.g. Torquay or Geelong)


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3. Community Leadership Group

Since the establishment of the NEIP in 2001 until 30 June 2004, a paid Executive Officer provided administrative and technical support to the NEIP Community Leadership Group and to individual NEIP projects being undertaken by the community. Funding for the Officer is no longer available and members of the NEIP Leadership are presently sharing the administrative functions of the NEIP. It is the view of the Community Leadership Group however that this arrangement is unsustainable in that the Anglesea community needs a single point of contact who can arrange and facilitate meetings, provide up-to-date and reliable information and undertake ongoing administrative duties. It is also the view of the Community Leadership Group that it is unfair to ask a community member to undertake this role on a voluntary basis. The solution proposed by the Community Leadership Group is to seek funding for a regional urban sustainability coordinator who would play a similar role to that of rural Landcare Coordinators in rural communities. The proposed key functions of an urban sustainability coordinator would include:

• Providing support for the Anglesea NEIP and assisting other communities to establish their own NEIP. This would help meet the objective of sharing the learnings of the Anglesea NEIP with the wider community;

• Providing the community with a point of contact for up-to-date and reliable information on household and community sustainability. The Community Leadership Group has identified the lack of a single point of call for information source as a significant barrier to community education.

• Providing administrative support for communities undertaking NEIP’s. This is an important function that would remove the administrative burden from community volunteers, as past experience shows that if community members are burdened with administration, they tend to lose motivation for undertaking on-ground action;

• Identifying and liaising with project partners to ensure local community action aligns with strategic objectives of other organisations in the region (eg. Water Authority, Local Government, Regional Waste Management Group, Catchment Management Authority).

The Community Leadership Group has already linked with regional project partners to discuss the notion of a regional approach to urban sustainability. Interested partners include Colac Otway Shire, the Upper Barwon Landcare Network, the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority, Barwon Water, Barwon Regional Waste Management Group and several private companies already involved in the Anglesea NEIP. In fact, several of these organisations have expressed interest in establishing a NEIP in Colac to help maintain the values of Lake Colac and minimise broader environmental impacts. Funding to support an urban sustainability coordinator will be sought from the Sustainability Fund and/or the Community Support Fund. If unsuccessful, the NEIP Leadership will continue to review and enhance this concept and aim to establish a long-term funding arrangement for the Anglesea NEIP.


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The Community Leadership Group strongly believe that achievements in urban sustainability will significantly contribute to the health of the broader catchment in a similar way to that of the rural Landcare movement in recent decades.

Anglesea NEIP

PURPOSE: 1. To enable the NEIP Community Leadership Group to be supported with the

necessary skills and funds to ensure its ongoing success and effectiveness as a group.

PROJECT NAME: Anglesea NEIP Community Leadership Group

PROJECT TIMEFRAME: July2004 - ongoing

HOW? WHAT WE WANT? WHY? INPUTS required ACTIVITIES

planned By When

Who is responsible

OUTPUTS OUTCOMES LONG TERM OUTCOMES OR

IMPACTS Sub-group formed Sep – 04 Craig

McKiernan Sub – group

Development of strategy to address future needs

Oct - 04 Craig McKiernan

Strategy and funding submission

Voluntary time by CLG members Sufficient $ from sustainability fund Commitment from project partners & community members

Implementation of strategy

Ongoing Community Leadership Group

strategy

Clear sense of the leadership needs of the NEIP Identification of administrative and support needs for the CLG Clear sense of where the leadership is going

Sustainability of leadership Effective implementation of NEIP Effective engagement of partners and community

INDICATORS

Outputs

Administrative support provided Regular information flows Identification of funding sources Spokesperson activities Maintaining contact and co-ordination of project partners

Outcomes

Key point of contact for community Reliable source of information Administrative burden removed from community

Long Term Outcomes/Impact Stability Increased effectiveness More time for community action Community focus on sustainability actions

PEOPLE/GROUPS/COMMUNITIES/SECTORS INVOLVED CLG

ASSUMPTIONS & RISKS Volunteers available Consistency of commitment and availability Insufficient funding Unable to find right person for the job


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4. Evaluation Plan – Strategy for learning, managing and reporting

Anglesea NEIP

PURPOSE: The aim of the MEL framework is to facilitate the collection of relevant evidence that will assist the Anglesea NEIP Community Leadership Group with decision making and provide concrete evidence of achievement. The framework will also facilitate dialogue and learning to guide the group and projects toward the NEIP vision and objectives.

PROJECT NAME: NEIP Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Framework


HOW? WHAT WE WANT? WHY? INPUTS required

ACTIVITIES planned

By When

Who is responsible

OUTPUTS OUTCOMES LONG TERM OUTCOMES OR IMPACTS

1. Analyse (and collect more) stories collected from Cool Communities project

All Community Leadership Group members

Collection of stories at each meeting

Voluntary labor Materials Support form local media to run stories

2.‘Most Significant Change Technique’ Story gathering

March 2005 Community Leadership Group members Geoff Brown to collate stories

• The Community Leadership Group to gather 1 story each quarter to be analysed at Community Leadership Group meetings (approx 6 stories gathered). Choose top 2 to keep for later forum.

• List of stories of significant change from local community

• Annual Anglesea NEIP Story publication

Documented experience Lessons identified Celebration of effort/success Review future plans in light of learning Establishment of evaluation tools

Sustainability of program Motivation to stay engaged Provides rich material for promotion, funding applications etc

INDICATORS

Outputs

Collation of stories Meetings publication

Outcomes

Better understanding of strengths and weaknesses Identification of success stories

Long Term Outcomes

Impact

Increased conservations about sustainability Increased community activity on sustainability programs (NEIP & others)

PEOPLE/GROUPS/COMMUNITIES/SECTORS INVOLVED All participants

ASSUMPTIONS & RISKS Volunteers available Ongoing commitment from project partners Local media interest


5. Communication Strategy (including Website and logo development)

Anglesea NEIP

PURPOSE: To enable the NEIP leadership to:

• Promote itself and the activities it supports/initiates • Store and transfer information effectively and efficiently • Create an identity for the NEIP and sustainability n Anglesea

PROJECT NAME: Communication Plan – Web and Logo


HOW? WHAT WE WANT? WHY? INPUTS required ACTIVITIES planned By When

Who is responsible

OUTPUTS OUTCOMES LONG TERM OUTCOMES OR IMPACTS

1. Sub-group formed to develop strategy

Feb 2005 Rowan McKenzie

Group formed

Strategy development with NEIP membership

Feb – Jun 2005

Planning documents

Circulation of draft July 2005 Draft strategy Redraft and sign-off July 2005 Final strategy

Project partners to provide technical expertise to develop website 6 months voluntary time by Community Leadership Group members Voluntary input to maintain information

Implement strategy Aug 2005 As per strategy

Community awareness and knowledge of NEIP activities

Greater involvement by community in NEIP activities

INDICATORS

Outputs

• A completed strategy • Group meetings • Planning documents • Website • logo

Outcomes

Increased enquiries about NEIP Higher participation in NEIP activities

Long Term Outcomes

Impact

Greater involvement by community in NEIP activities

PEOPLE/GROUPS/COMMUNITIES/SECTORS INVOLVED Members of Community

Leadership Group Members of broader community

ASSUMPTIONS & RISKS Technical expertise available Community Leadership Group members can sustain effort Community make use of website

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6. Other Community Initiated Sustainability Projects

There has been and will continue to be a number of community initiated volunteer projects that have occurred as a result of new knowledge, skills and capabilities gained through participation in the NEIP program. These projects are often not dependant on outside funding but can be dependant on a large number of uncontrollable variables. The NEIP can bring together people with a variety of skills that can assist these projects develop. Examples of projects already undertaken include:

• A low fuel, locally indigenous demonstration garden at the local CFA depot. • Litter removal as part of Clean Up Australia Day • An investigation into the development of a community vegetable garden • A number of household energy and water efficiency actions. • An organic vegetable delivery business • The establishment of a green purchasing business.

In addition there are a number of community groups and existing government and business programs that are involved in sustainability activities. These include:

• ANGAIR • Coast Care • Green Corps • Surf Coast Shire activities • DSE activities • Alcoa’s rehabilitation and community environment projects

The NEIP will continue to support these projects and will seek to keep a record them in one location so that all the sustainability activities in the town can be recognised by the rest of the community.

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11. RISK MANAGEMENT The Community Leadership Group has identified following risks to successful implementation of the NEIP. Each risk has been assessed as to its likelihood, potential impacts and corrective actions identified. If one of these risks becomes a reality, despite the preventative measures described, a meeting of the Community Leadership Group will be convened and the options for resolving the issue(s) will be evaluated and a decision made on the appropriate course of action.

Risk Likelihood

(H, M, L)

Impact or Consequence

(H, M, L)

Corrective Action

(To prevent or manage)

Not having some funding to keep the group going (employ someone)

H H To be addressed by group

Loss of key members L H Refer of charter

Major sponsors pull-out L H Ongoing communication, promotion and reporting to sponsors

Loss of community interest – through competing priorities, not stimulating enough

M H • Monitoring and evaluation

• Keep flexible

• Key people in community involved (some people still not know about the project)

• Regular promotion and advertising

Lack of effective linkages with other groups in Anglesea and elsewhere

M M Maintaining involvement of other groups in Community Leadership Group

Burn-out of key members

M H • Don’t take on too much

• Share workload around

• Keeping achievements coming

• It is up to us

• Look out for each other

• Sharing leadership roles

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• Having a role and being a part of decision making

Lack of action that overlaps with people’s passions

L M Good planning and leadership practice

Unable to build momentum

M M Continuing to build capacity of leadership

Unable to attract new members into the programs and initiatives

M H • Target younger community – schools/Falls festival

• Youth event – groovy kids involved

• Surf Club

Unable to build leadership team including bringing in new members

L L-M Ongoing support for leaders

Succession planning

Follow up after initiatives re installation and measurement of savings

H H • Project partners take on a responsibility to ensure “capacity” to measure

• Expectation set up that ongoing monitoring happens

• Funding for a person

• Apply for funding build in $$ for monitoring and evaluation

Lack of “community ownership” and action around the plan’s objectives/targets/ actions

H • Promotional activities

• Engaging key stakeholders

• Being flexible

• Have a strategy

• Identifying what’s in it for them

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12. MONITORING AND EVALUATION

Monitoring and evaluation framework

The Anglesea NEIP Community Leadership Group will apply a common Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) framework for all activities in the Anglesea NEIP

What is a MEL framework?

A MEL framework is a documented process that will direct the collection of evidence about program activities participation, intermediate and final outcomes. This framework will set out how and when we reflect on this evidence to bring about continuous improvement, and how and when we report on this data to funders and other stakeholders.

Aim of the proposed MEL framework

The aim of the MEL framework is to facilitate the collection of relevant evidence that will assist the Anglesea NEIP Community Leadership Group with decision making and provide concrete evidence of achievement. The framework will also facilitate dialogue and learning to guide the group and projects toward the NEIP vision and objectives.

Why the Anglesea NEIP needs a MEL framework

Monitoring and evaluation is important as it allows us to be more accountable to the public who donate funds and pay taxes. It also provides essential information to investors to assist in making funding decisions. In time there will be increasing questions about the accountability of sustainability initiatives like the Anglesea NEIP.

Monitoring and evaluation may also be a very rewarding process for individuals involved in the Anglesea NEIP Community Leadership Group. MEL activities can provide concrete evidence of the difference our work is making. It can help everyone to clearly understand what the program is doing and how well it is doing this.

MEL Processes

The Anglesea NEIP has made some attempts to track changes in local sustainability. This data has been valuable and has allowed the NEIP program team to improve the delivery of the program and attract additional funding.

The Anglesea NEIP Leadership Team, in submitting this Plan, proposes that short-term impact is captured using a combination of two techniques, program logic and a modified version of Most Significant Change Technique (MSC: Davies 1996).

Program Logic The logic behind the evaluation process can be described using Bennett’s Hierarchy. This identifies the cause-effect relationship between outputs, intermediate outcomes and ultimate outcomes.

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The program logic will assist us to map out how Anglesea NEIP activities are intended to bring about the longer-term changes in “sustainability” – it will outline intermediate outcomes. It will also guide us to collect relevant information (on activities, outputs, intermediate outcomes etc) in order to determine whether expected goals have been met. The Bennett’s hierarchy logic is increasingly being used by government agencies for monitoring and evaluating community-based program and is consistent with that used in both the Victorian River Health and Landcare strategies. Tracking unexpected outcomes through a story process It is proposed that a simplified version of the Most Significant Change Technique (Davies, 1996) be used to supplement the Program Logic model to track “unexpected” outcomes. These outcomes are often communicated through success stories. To supplement these techniques, a program of regular reflection will be planned. An evaluation and celebration of successes event will be conducted each year and will precede a planning session for the following year.

Implementation

The first step will be to provide a chance for NEIP Community Leadership Group members to learn more about the suggested monitoring and evaluation tools and techniques. A workshop will be run with the group to allow members to contribute to the formation of a shared MEL framework. The framework, results ladder and activities will change and evolve over time. The Community Leadership Group can then apply the MEL framework to the projects it undertakes. Some projects will require some basic monitoring only, whereas other projects (like Cool Communities) may require systematic evaluation and reporting. Everyone who was involved in the development of the NEIP and in any projects arising from the NEIP will be invited to participate in any monitoring and evaluating activities that seek to assess the effectiveness of the NEIP.

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12. PLAN IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS

Anglesea NEIP implementation chart

NEIP PROGRAM DESIGN

VISION AND OBJECTIVES

MEASURES OF SUCCESS

AREAS OF ACTVITY – 7 DOORS 1. Promoting sustainability visions

and norms 2. Filling sustainability knowledge

gaps in the community 3. Building skills in implementing

sustainability 4. Brokering convenient products

and services 5. Mobilising social influences 6. Choreographing change spaces 7. Delivering satisfaction

TARGETING… Anglesea households, businesses, schools and existing community groups

EVALUATION PROGRAM

Development & implementation of activity programs for priority

projects For example • Working with householders to

develop SAPs • Working with businesses and

community groups to develop SAPs • Reducing the impacts of plastic

bags • Community Arts project • Communications project, website

development

COMMUNITY IDEAS &

OPPORTUNITIES

COMMUNITY INITIATED PROJECTS

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Guiding body/bodies

Anglesea NEIP Community Leadership Group will lead the implementation of the NEIP. In March 2004, the members of Anglesea NEIP Community Leadership Group included: Simone Groves BRWMG Rowan Mackenzie Barwon Water Cr Beth Davidson Surf Coast Shire Lauren Mahoney Barwon Water Barry Davidson Anglesea CFA Geoff Brown Project Officer - Anglesea NEIP Caroline Hawkins Anglesea Community Nicole Patterson Barwon Water Neil Tucker ANGAIR Jean Hewitt Community member Neville Wight Community member Tiffiny Gunning Community member Doug McNeil Community resident (Pest plant removal/fire management community group) Craig McKiernan Surf Coast Shire – Environment Coordinator Cr Julie Hansen Surf Coast Shire Enzo Bruscella BRWMG Geoff Forbes DSE Nicole Hunter DSE Rose Read Eco Recycle Victoria Mark Sanders Third Ecology Sharon Rawlings Community Development Officer – SCS Brendan Foran Anglesea Power Station (Alcoa World Alumina Australia) Maurie Dean Pest plant removal/fire management community group Rani Hunt Community resident (Pest plant removal/fire

management community group)

Responsibilities of the guiding body

Community Leadership Group

A Community Leadership Group has been established to oversee and administer the Anglesea NEIP. A draft charter for the group is provided in Appendix 1.

Administrative arrangements

• Frequency of meetings –monthly • Reporting arrangements – meeting notes recorded and placed on website • Group membership is open to all Anglesea community members • The group will operate in accordance with its Charter developed on 26

February 2004

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Consistency with other plans, policies and strategies

The Anglesea Neighbourhood Environment Improvement Plan is consistent with relevant statutory planning, policy and other instruments (Environmental Improvement Plans, Regional Waste Management Plans, Regional Catchment Strategies, Municipal Strategic Statements, planning schemes, State Environment Protection Policies and Industrial Waste Management Plans) affecting the township of Anglesea and proposals in the NEIP. These include the Surf Coast Shire Municipal Strategic Statement, Alcoa Anglesea Environment Improvement Plan and the Corangamite Regional Catchment Strategy.

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13. SPONSOR AND PARTNERS

Name and contact details of sponsor

Legislation requires the NEIP to have a formal sponsor for the plan. The role of the sponsor is to carry the development of the NEIP proposal and the final NEIP. The sponsor submits both the Proposal and NEIP to EPA for approval. Sponsor: Surf Coast Shire

PO Box 350 Torquay 3228 Ph 5261 0553 Email [email protected]

Neighbourhood EIP Project Team

Sharon Rawlings, Craig McKiernan (Surf Coast Shire), Geoff Brown (Tangent Consulting) and Rowan Mackenzie (resident, formerly with EPA)

Names of partners

Legislation requires the NEIP to list partners for the plan. Partners include people, and organisations that signed the NEIP Proposal and new partners who have participated in the development of the NEIP. In general partners are considered people who agree with the NEIP and are willing to assist in some way with its implementation.

Signatures of partners

Partners of this Neighbourhood EIP recognise that the Neighbourhood EIP requires responsible authorities within the meaning of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 to have regard to this Anglesea Neighbourhood EIP when exercising their powers, functions and duties in relation to the segment of the environment to which the plan relates. We the undersigned, being partners in the attached Neighbourhood EIP, agree to undertake the actions specified in this Plan and to implement this Plan in the spirit of Neighbourhood EIPs, with openness and active participation by all partners.

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mailto:[email protected]


Alcoa World Alumina Australia Phil Cooke Manager Anglesea Power Station Coalmine Rd Anglesea 3230 Ph 5263 3209

Anglesea and District Community House Rex Bills Chairperson PO Box 43 Anglesea 3230 Ph 5263 2116

Barwon Regional Waste Management Group Enzo Bruscella Executive Officer 103 Roseneath St Geelong 3220 Ph 5277 9656

Barwon Water Paul Northey Manager Strategic Planning 61 Ryrie St Geelong 3220 Ph 5226 2500

Corangamite Catchment Management Authority Don Forsyth Chief Executive Officer 64 Dennis St Colac 3250 Ph 5232 9100

Eco Recycle Victoria Ian Coles Chief Executive Officer Level 2, 478 Albert St East Melbourne 3002 Ph 9639 3322

Geelong Otway Tourism Kate Robertson 17 Gheringhap St Geelong 3220 Ph 5223 2588

Victorian Local Governance Association Andrew Rowe Chief Executive Officer 60 Leicester Street CARLTON VIC 3053 Ph 9347 2233

EPA – Victoria Tony Robinson Manager South West Region State Government Offices Cnr Little Malop & Fenwick Sts Geelong 3220 Ph 5226 4825

Surf Coast Shire PO Box 350 Torquay 3228 Ph 5261 0600

Anglesea Primary School Pamela Sandlant, Principal 22-28 Camp Road ANGLESEA VIC 3230 Ph 5263 1231

ANGAIR Secretary PO Box 12 ANGLESEA 3230 ph/fax 5263 1085 email: [email protected]

Anglesea community members Caroline Hawkins Barry Davidson Maurie Dean

Jean Hewitt Neville Wight Doug McNeill Kaylene McGregor

Lauren Mahoney Neil Tucker Rowan MacKenzie Tiffany Gunning

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mailto:[email protected]


APPENDIX 1 - ANGLESEA NEIP COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP GROUP - DRAFT CHARTER

Roles and key tasks

• Establish a sustainability agenda in Anglesea • Provide leadership for sustainability activities in Anglesea • Lead the implementation of the Anglesea NEIP • Ensure there are adequate opportunities for wide participation in

sustainability activities in Anglesea

Valued characteristics of the group

In the implementation of our role and key tasks we value the following: • Looking after each other • Building of friendships • New and diverse opinions • New members • Transparency and openness – no hidden agenda • Collective leadership • Goals that are action focused and achievable with manageable workloads • Processes that strike a balance between flexibility, direction and commitment • Processes that are enjoyable/fun. Food, drink and music. • Celebrating our successes • Great communication • Passion for a better environment and community • A sound understanding of the Sustainability issue • A variety of skills

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anglesea neighbourhood environment improvement plan rrr maps... · anglesea neighbourhood...

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