**This course will return in 2021

Learn the principles of the Circular Economy & Zero Waste

Together, we will explore nature's cycles, systems thinking, creative design thinking techniques & problem solving in response to our current "take-make-dispose" way of dealing with resources. The course aims to re-think our current operating system where waste and pollution are designed out of the process, keeping materials in use and regenerating natural systems.

Alongside our Waste Education Coordinator, Lauren Kaszubski, there will be guest speakers that work in waste, design and creating circular economy practices. Students will have the opportunity to talk to makers and see a demonstration of the operation and re-moulding of plastic waste into new products. You will also be working with local up-cyclers to remake and repair waste products.

This course aims to inspire creative, regenerative and system thinkers and it culminates in each participant creating their own design of a product or solution that helps us work towards a circular economy.

This course will run over 9 sessions via Zoom from 10am to 2pm. Students will also be set self-paced learning.

Course Sessions:

Nature connection & Nature's Cycles
Introduction to Circular Economy & Zero Waste concepts/principles
Systems Thinking & Biomimicry
Design Thinking & creative problem solving processes
Resource Use & Monitoring
Repair, Remake, Remanufacture
Solutions, Innovation & Ideas
Mentors and professionals in the field
Design/ideas presentations

Trainers and Guest Speakers:

Lauren Kaszubski - Nature Play and Waste Programs Coordinator

It all started in Year 9 when Lauren heard the first-hand story of a woman living in the tree top of a Californian Redwood for 464 days in protest against the logging of local Redwood forests. It was the story that would inspire Lauren to start the first ever Environmental Awareness Group at her high school and go on to study Environmental Science & Management at the University of Newcastle. During her time of study Lauren started working casually in outdoor education programs and this soon ignited her passion to work with children and the environment at the same time. Now-a- days Lauren is all about worm poo, recycling & waste management, and local food systems. Lauren started volunteering at CERES in 2013 and soon after became one of the CERES Excursions casual teachers. As of late 2013 Lauren has been the Waste Programs Coordinator. With her passion and knowledge combined Lauren works towards providing students with creative hands-on learning experiences that they can carry with them throughout their day-to-day lives.

Guest Speakers:

Erin Lewis-Fitzgerald is Australia's leading clothes-mending practitioner, a mending instructor and author of the book Modern Mending.
Her mending has been displayed in art exhibitions in Melbourne and
Adelaide. She is passionate about repair in all its forms; in 2014 she
founded Bright Sparks, a social enterprise that repaired and reused
electrical appliances, diverting more than 15 tonnes of e-waste from
landfill. You can find her online at erinlewisfitzgerald.com and modernmending.com

Sean Trewick is Co-founder of Circular Economy Victoria, a community activator that helps individuals see their skillsets through a circular lens. A process improvement engineer by training, he has worked to help organisations develop purpose oriented strategies and customer centric operations in both Australia and South Africa. Sean is now focussing his energy on building local circular ecosystems that empower circular citizens to drive the transition towards a future within the Doughnut.

Emily Hui is an avid learner and passionate educator with experience in
early years, primary, secondary, International Baccalaureate (IB), Positive Education and environmental sustainability.

As the Director of Community at Education Changemakers in 2019, Emily unleashed teacher-led innovation through the Changemakers program supporting innovative teachers to drive improvements in their schools, design and deliver powerful learning through future-focused project-based learning through Future Ready and co-designing a pilot project and implementing a whole school collaborative planning and teaching with a team of teachers

Emily is a citizen scientist with The EcoCentre, is a co-founder and educator with Zero Waste Victoria and holds both primary and secondary teaching degrees from Monash University and Deakin University.

ACFE Approved Pre-accredited Course subsidies for people living in Victoria

* This is an ACFE Approved Pre-accredited Course and the cost is subsidised for eligible participants in Victoria. ACFE Eligible participants are deemed eligible through an interview process with our career pathways officer. The costs for these participants are $90 – ACFE Information and Eligibility

Contact Karen Mengell on 9389 0127 or karen.mengell@ceres.org.au for more information and to book an interview.

Image credit: Lisa Be, "When the Beach met the Bay"