On behalf of our community, we have made an application to participate in the Rewiring Australia initiative, inspired and promoted by Australian/American engineer and entrepreneur, Saul Griffiths.
To make this program work (should North Arm Cove be selected on Sept 20th), we need to form a team of residents who have an interest in the environmental benefits of green energy generation, in sharing energy resources, and in learning how to make this a practical reality for our small community.
Please consider joining the team. You definitely don’t have to be a scientist or engineer, just prepared to participate in the on-line education program and, as a member of the team, to work on an electrification program for our village.
What’s it all about? The following material is taken directly from the Rewiring Australia website - https://www.rewiringaustralia.org/communitypartners
Background
When a household electrifies, they open up a range of financial, health and environmental benefits. When a community electrifies, that impact can be exponential: lower emissions, cleaner air, a supported local economy and more collective power.
Rewiring Australia wants to harness the strength of community-led action and connect new or existing community groups across Australia to run effective electrification campaigns in their community. By working together, we can share ideas, resources and energy to increase each community’s capacity and impact.
Who is it for?
The initial ‘Electrify My Community’ program will be for ten groups at different levels of development to participate in a program supported by Rewiring Australia and other experts.
We know there is a lot of fantastic work already taking place in this space by community groups and individuals and Rewiring Australia aims to facilitate a shared experience, offering opportunities for mentorship and support.
The purpose is not for Rewiring Australia to run the campaigns, but to support and empower local groups to drive positive change in their communities.
In different parts of Australia, we’re looking for a mix of:
Potential groups or newly formed groups of at least 5 committed people who want to start an electrification campaign
Existing groups who want to start an electrification campaign
Existing groups who want to further an electrification campaign
These ten groups would in turn inspire and support more groups, by providing case studies and resources, to kickstart an Australia-wide electrification movement enabling positive climate action.
The key components of the project include:
Funding: Receive a $1000 grant to be spent on your community campaign (eg. venue hire, printing, marketing etc)
Collaboration: Join together with similar groups to build a shared experience, learning and support system.
Workshops: Participate in 4 online sessions over 8 weeks with a key expert and connect with others.
Resources: Have the option to take up a 6 month paid subscription for a website and domain and use customisable communication templates, branding and information guides provided by Rewiring Australia.
Support: Receive data and advice provided by Rewiring Australia’s Community Team to support your group planning and delivery of an electrification campaign.
Your commitment
To have a minimum of 5 people as part of the group
At least 1 group representative to attend 4 x online sessions over 8 weeks
Groups to plan and undertake at least 2 engagement activities in 6 months
Groups to maintain their public communication (eg website, social pages, emails) with their own community
Willingness to share learnings and opportunities with other groups
Submit a report back to Rewiring Australia documenting the campaign
If you are interested in participating in this program, or if you have questions about it, please contact Tony Hann tonyhann7@bigpond.com or Darrall Thompson Darrall.Thompson@uts.edu.au
Give it a go – it might be very interesting and good fun working towards a better future!
Tony Hann 0402 990 999
