Teachers and Students Work to Improve Environmental Communications Skills and Gain practical Experience with ENV
Education for Nature – Vietnam (ENV) carried out a ten-day intensive training course in late December into early January for teachers and students from seven universities nationwide.
The training was carried out at ENV’s National Environmental Education Training Centre at Tam Dao National Park. Ten teachers and students attended the scholarship course.
During the course, participants learned about environmental education, and developed their communication skills, utilizing different tools and methods to reach their target audience. The trainees also had the opportunity to work in teams, developing specific awareness initiatives focused on urban environmental issues. Training outputs included a radio program, a competition for office workers, a lesson plan for university-level students, as well as a newspaper article and an internet forum.
Like all ENV training courses, the active environmental education program in Tam Dao villages and schools drew links between classroom training and practical application of environmental education within an actual community setting.
ENV trainers design each training course specifically to meet the needs of the trainees. Since 2000, ENV has carried out 30 major training courses for environmental educators, teachers, students, rangers and protected area staff, and community stakeholders. Four major training courses were carried out in 2006 involving community partners from the Cat Ba Golden-headed Langur Conservation Project, students from four universities, forest rangers from eight protected areas,
Fisheries Department staff, and project staff from a endangered terrapin project in Cambodia.
ENV’s training courses are aimed at providing participants with practical skills and experience that will enhance their ability to develop and carry out awareness raising activities at the local level. More than 200 people have completed intensive training courses ranging in length from one week to two months. Following the training, additional support, technical assistance, and information are provided to graduates through ENV’s national environmental education (EE) network.
In 2007, ENV will begin carrying out joint activities with EE Network members throughout Vietnam through the Mobile Wildlife Awareness Unit, which will travel around the country to raise awareness of, and ultimately combat the wildlife trade.
ENV’s innovative training programs would not be possible without the generous support of Global Environmental Action (GEA).
