Eco-champs build on their training
The Aller River Pilot Project started in July 2016 with Phase 1 which was funded by eThekwini Municipality and the current Phase 2 started in April 2017 and has been funded through a grant arranged by the University of Cambridge.
APART from providing income from part time jobs, the Aller River Pilot Project aims to leave a legacy of empowered youth positioned to contribute to their communities and the environment.
Phase 1 of the project included an intensive, customised, hands-on, in-house training provided to seven eco-champs recruited from the Clermont community by DUCT’s Education, Training and Development practitioner, Pandora Long.
As part of their phase 2 capacity building, the Clermont eco-champs elected to engage in formal training towards the award of National Qualifications Framework Level 2 certificates in Environmental Practices.
Project manager, Nick Swan, said seven unit standards that address knowledge and skill areas such as monitoring water quality, handling of waste, the water cycle, water and waste water systems and processes, combating problem plants, applying environmental management tools to assess impacts, functions of the ecological environment and taking action to address impacts on the environment, will be included in the short course.
ALSO READ: Clermont Eco Warriors: “Every drop is precious”
The training is provided by WESSA’s Work Skills Department.
Key training processes include three contact tutorials, each a full week long, in September and November 2017 and in January 2018.
Although eco-champs have found aspects of the training challenging, in particular the language used, they have affirmed the relevance and value of the training to their work.
The January contact tutorial scheduled for Monday, 22 to Friday, 26 January, will use the Aller River as the physical context for the training.
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