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About community education

Community education is a process used to:

• create awareness of an issue
• enhance people's knowledge, understanding and skills
• influence people's values and attitudes
• encourage more responsible behaviour.

Community education incorporates aspects of:

• public involvement
• adult education
• vocational education and training
• school and tertiary education
• community development
• communications or social marketing (mass media, public relations and campaigns).

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What makes a community education project effective?

Effective community education projects:

• involve stakeholders and learners in decisions about the planning, management, content, style and delivery of the project
• create a supportive environment for influencing behaviour
• support and strengthen existing community networks; help create new ones
• motivate and encourage ownership
• provide opportunities for examining beliefs and values
• identify and promote positive actions rather than discourage undesirable actions
• are relevant, accessible and affordable, recognising the differing circumstances and constraints in a community
• use two-way communication methods
• respond to the diverse needs of a community.

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And what is most important?

Collaboration is the key to successful community education projects.

This guide promotes the use of a collaborative approach which is more `bottom up' than `top down' in its planning, design, management and implementation. However, externally initiated `top down' projects often provide the impetus or lead to the development of community-based projects and therefore play a significant role in promoting good community education.

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Bottom up: community-based approach

The most effective community education projects are often those which come from the community—where there is a clearly identified community need, community ownership of the problem, determination to find its solution, and community resourcing to make it happen. In such instances, the community identifies external groups or individuals it wants or needs to involve.

Case study: Angel Beach

Angel Beach Dune Care group was formed in response to the concerns of a small number of people about their coastal environment. Over a number of years the group has undertaken preservation and rehabilitation work of the littoral (coastal zone) rainforest and dunes. The project has involved local schools, TAFE, LEAP (Landcare and Environment Action Program) participants, Ballina Shire Council and the Tourist Information Centre. Community awareness and education has been an important aspect of this project to encourage involvement and ownership. Education methods used have included presentations and demonstrations followed by hands-on involvement of school students in rehabilitation work; information flow through various media; signs at beach access points; community displays; and print material distributed through tourist access points.

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Top down: externally-initiated approach

Sometimes, the need for a community education project is identified or initiated from outside the community. In such cases, the project initiator should aim to use a collaborative approach that involves stakeholders and target communities as partners in decisions about planning, management, content, style and delivery of the project. Often externally-initiated projects provide the impetus for, or lead to the development of, community-based projects.

Case study: Earth Works

Earth Works is a project which was initiated by the NSW Environment Protection Authority to increase community awareness and participation in waste minimisation, recycling and composting. Nine local councils, environment and community groups were involved in the pilot project to trial the program. The program is based on a peer education approach, with Earth Works course participants later conducting education outreach and waste minimisation activities in their communities. Earth Works has now been adopted by many local councils, community colleges and community groups.

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