Annual Report 1999-2000

PROGRAMME: EDUCATION

Objective: To educate members of the public and promote the knowledge and interest of the community in places and objects which are of national, State or local heritage significance.

Key Strategies:

School based education programs
Use of National Trust historic properties as a focus for learning experiences
Volunteer Guide training programs
Community based activities

Major Achievements:

The development and launch of the Tour Through Time education resource materials
Marketing within the school and education facilities of Western Australia of the Tour Through Time resource materials
Commencement of new major projects for The Golden Pipeline and Luisini's Winery
Development of Volunteer Guide Training programmes

Education Steering Committee:

An Education Steering Committee that takes into account key personnel from all education systems and sectors within Western Australia has been established.
Strategic planning and direction in the development and dissemination of current and future National Trust educational resource material. This ensures that all future educational resource material development is in line with the needs of the systems and sectors involved in education, and will also ensure that these materials are in line with the outcomes focus of the Western Australian Curriculum Framework.
The development of a Corporate Membership programme for schools and education facilities. This programme is now being disseminated to schools, and Parents and Friends' associations within the education systems and sectors of WA.

Publications update:

Tour Through Time - primary and secondary school resources have been completed.
The City of South Perth provided $10,000 part sponsorship towards the cost of the Old Mill schools resources.
The Herdsman Lake Settler's Cottage Primary school resource package has been completed, along with the poster. All other Tour Through Time posters have been published.
The Government House Foundation of WA sponsored and met the cost of the Government House poster ($6,250.00) and also provided $10,000.00 towards the sponsorship of the Primary and Secondary resource packages.
The City of Swan purchased copies of the Woodbridge education resources and provided them to each school within their Shire boundaries. Through their Senior Strategic Planner they have also advertised and promoted the teacher professional development programs for the Woodbridge property.
2000 visitor guides, flyers and booklets for the Perth Observatory; and 5000 flyers, and 3000 visitor guides and booklets for Greenough Hamlet have been published and disseminated.

Tour Through Time Launch:

The official launch of these materials was not budgeted for in the (1999 -2000) financial year so this was built into the (2000 - 2001) financial year budget. The launch of the Tour Through Time resource materials will be launched by the Minister for Education.

Golden Pipeline Project:

Early in the (2000) school year educational consultation was conducted in partnership with the "Spellbound" Interpretation team's community consultation program. This incorporated visits to eight schools in the Midlands and Goldfields regions, including Westonia PS, Kalgoorlie School of the Air, Boulder PS, St Joseph's School, South Kalgoorlie PS, Eastern Goldfields SHS, Coolgardie PS and Merredin SHS.
Quarterly meetings of the Golden Pipeline Teacher working party are being held throughout the year. This working party consists of volunteer teachers representing the different systems and sectors of education in WA. It includes primary and secondary teachers from Government, Catholic and Independent schools along with Water Corporation representatives.
Women of the Pipeline oral histories commenced with preliminary interviews being completed in May and the project was then outsourced to Murdoch University.
The Australian- Irish Heritage Association is undertaking preliminary research into the links between the Irish immigrants and the Pipeline. This research has been undertaken with a $1,500.00 grant from the National Trust and is to be completed by the end of July.

Luisini's Winery Project:

Meetings have been held to identify a focus for the development of future community and educational facilities and use of the Luisini Winery site.
Action will be taken to facilitate harmonious development of the project through community consultation with the nearby residents to ensure their support of any future developments at the site.
The successful launch of the Luisini Winery project was held at the Italian Club and linked to "Italian Week", and the Italian Home Made Wine Judging evening.
The Education sub-committee for this project has now been established with Mr Carmelo Genovese as Chair.

Volunteer Guides:

In the early part of the year visits were made to the various National Trust of Australia (WA) metropolitan properties to ascertain directions for future developments for the Volunteer Guides Training program.
Planning meetings have been held this year with key stakeholders, including Volunteering WA, the peak body for volunteering in Western Australia, to determine strategic planning and directions for future National Trust Volunteer Guide programs.

School Visits and Teacher Professional Development (PD) re National Trust of Australia (WA) properties:

In January over 500 flyers were mailed to metropolitan schools advertising the metropolitan Trust sites
Sales of education resources are slow but steady.
The need for specific teacher Professional Development (PD) at each of the sites has lead to networking with the various education systems and teacher professional development programs have been developed
PD workshops were also run at the History Teachers Association of WA seminar, Saturday March 11, and will also be run at later dates in the year. Education resources are offered for sale at all PD workshops.
Teacher PD programs have been developed and held at the Trust's metropolitan properties. (Separate Primary and Secondary programs) Certification will be given to teacher participants for a period of three years after completion of a two-hour property program.
Negotiations with officers from Kings Park Education Services and the Education Manager, Parliamentary Office are underway to develop a whole-day schools program with a focus on Active Citizenship that will encourage teachers to better utilise the West Perth educational precinct.

Links with Society and Environment Associations and Broader Educational Groups within Australia and Western Australia

Maintenance of ongoing links with the History Teachers Association of Western Australia (HTAWA) by representing the National Trust of Australia (WA) on HTAWA's Executive Committee. The National Trust also offers ongoing support to the National History Challenge 2000.
Executive Committee, Western Australia Social Studies Association (WASSA)
Commitment to Citizenship Education by representing the National Trust at "Discovering Democracy" workshops and seminars to link aspects of Active Citizenship to the activities of a community based organization such as the National Trust.
Submission of a report to the Office of Citizenship and Multi Cultural Affairs on the citizenship opportunities that the National Trust offers to its members and members of the volunteering community of Western Australia.
Western Australian representative for the Education Group, Museums Australia.