“Optimizing your Environmental Education Program, and Moving Learners to Action”
November 5-8, 2012 at the Sanctum Retreat Centre
THANKS to Cenovus Energy, who is the sole corporate sponsor of this event.
Read about our very successful 2011 Clinic – view the team goals, pictures, testimonials and clinic resources.
If you have questions or are interested in applying for 2012, please contact Courtney Scott, the Cenovus Energy Environmental Education Leadership Clinic Coordinator
The 2012 application form will be on-line in early 2012.
What is a leadership clinic?
The Leadership Clinic is a transformative learning opportunity open to all groups that deliver environmental education in Alberta! This leadership clinic is so named because it gives teams the skills and plans they need to become leaders in their field. It has the following characteristics:
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“This clinic was such a worthwhile opportunity for me as an individual and for my team… the location, format and content of this clinic was extremely valuable.” - Linda Hut, teacher, Westglen School
“I’ve been an environmental educator for 30 years – and the leadership clinic is the best professional development model that I have ever participated in.” - Jeff Reading, Climate Change Central |
Who sets the agenda?
You do. This event is participant-driven: team members help design the agenda to ensure it meets their needs. Here are a few examples of professional development sessions that might appear, depending on your stated needs:
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“Leadership clinics are designed to be transformative. These events help participants and teams develop their competencies – the skills, tools, and plans they need to bring about environmental literacy.”
-Abby Ruskey, Executive Director, Environmental Education Association of Washington
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To give you an idea of how these events are structured here is the 2010 Agenda.
Desired Outcomes
The Clinic Planning Team has identified the following desired outcomes for this clinic:
- Help teams identify and implement an action plan that delivers on their goal
- Enable teams to deliver programs that more effectively engage learners in responsible environmental behaviour
- Provide organizations and individuals with relevant training
- Provide a growing network of leaders in environmental education with opportunities to exchange information and ideas
- Measure the success of the clinic through participant feedback and programs evaluations conducted by each organization
Who should apply
The planning team will consider applications from all groups that deliver environmental education in Alberta to formal, non-formal, and informal audiences. An incomplete list of examples:
- A school board striving to implement more environmental education in its schools and classrooms
- A government agency with an education branch dedicated to helping citizens practice some kind of environmental citizenship
- A provincial non-governmental group that delivers conservation education programs in a protected area
- A national group with a significant staff and programs in Alberta
- A high-potential regional or topical network of environmental education players
Please note that groups who have attended previous clinics may re-apply to the, but should recognize that the Planning Team’s emphasis will be on encouraging new teams to attend the clinic.
Who should be on your team?
Your 4-person team should be as broad-based as possible, and include key players. For example:
- decision-makers within – and/or external to – your organization
- staff involved in program delivery
- representative from your target audience
What teams receive
Each 4 person team will receive the following, free of charge:
- Registration and clinic attendance
- 3 nights board and lodge at Sanctum Retreat Centre in Caroline, Alberta
- The opportunity to set a goal to optimize part of their program, create an action plan, and document their success in delivering on their action plan.
- Access to pre-clinic training during Fall 2011, and post-clinic support in 2012
What teams must commit to
Each team must….
- obtain a commitment from ALL of its team members to attend the entire clinic
- support all travel costs to attend the clinic
- create an action plan to accomplish its pre-identified goal
- commit to implementing the action plan post-clinic
- evaluate the effectiveness of their action plan
Selection Criteria
The planning team will be selected based on how well they meet the following criteria:
have a clear, measurable, and realistic goal(s)
- show how accomplishing this goal will improve their ability to engage learners in responsible environmental behaviour
- explain how their team‘s diversity (cultural, professional, geographic, etc) positions the team for success in their planning and implementation
- demonstrate that their organization is well positioned to make the most of the clinic
- the organization is a high-potential group that can create significant impact with its work
Past Leadership Clinics
See what has happened at past leadership clinics:
- 2011: team goals, photos, testimonials and resources
- 2010: photos, testimonials and resources
- 2009: photos and resources
- 2008: photos and testimonials
Lodging and Meals
Each Leadership Clinic Team participant:
- Will have their own room
- can access one of the two hot tubs!
- Will enjoy hearty meals made in house
- Will have the chance for some time to explore the natural beauty of the retreat centre landscape
- Please visit the Sanctum Retreat Site for more information
If you have questions or are interested in applying for 2012, please contact Courtney Scott, the Cenovus Energy Environmental Education Leadership Clinic Coordinator.
The applications for 2012 will be posted in early 2012.
