A GREEN crew from AMES in Noble Park is spreading the sustainability message.
About 60 young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds graduated from the centre’s Home Planet program at an environmental fair late last year.
Home Planet, delivered in partnership with Environment Victoria, saw participants set up sustainable projects including compost, cooking, water, waste and garden groups.
They graduated with a Certificate I in Active Volunteering, and AMES youth services co-ordinator Margot Hennessy said they had the nous to spread the good environmental word to the rest of their communities.
“It’s all part of the program for our 16 to 25-year-olds to help them with settling in to Australia, improving English skills and getting to know their new home and new country,” she said.
The gardening group transformed garden beds at the AMES Noble Park site into more productive and functional spaces, including fruit and vegetable plots and beds with built-in irrigation systems.
The cooking group will launch a 28-page book featuring recipes from around the world that use sustainable cooking techniques and ingredients.
The composting group has been spruiking its new knowledge to local primary schools.
Environment Victoria project manager Katerina Gaita said the participants’ confidence levels had grown.
“It’s great to see them grin ear to ear as they now help others understand the issues they themselves had no knowledge of only months ago,” she said.
“They are proud of themselves and happy to be doing something for their new home and new environment.”
Last year’s semester two graduates are expected to pass on the environmental message to more than 300 people.
Mohammad Nasimjan took part in the program during semester one last year and returned to volunteer in semester two.
The 24-year-old from Afghanistan has been in Australia for a year and said attitudes to recycling and composting were very different in his new home.
“We know very little about these matters in Afghanistan,” he said.
“All the rubbish goes in one place. There is a lot to learn when you get here.
“When I first arrived I couldn’t do recycling in the right way, but now I can and I am also teaching other people how to do it.
“It feels very good to know we are making a difference.”
Mr Nasimjan said participants had learnt how to maintain their own environment and save water and energy.
“When they are saving energy and water they are also saving money and this is very important for them,” he said.
“They also make lots of new friends and they also have started their own community groups to help people that live around them.”
AMES in Noble Park can be contacted on 9547 0553.
