HomepageLCSDP Objectives and Activities
5. To develop knowledge networks to foster and share the learning required for sustainable development for the far southwest of Victoria and beyond.
Achievements
It is increasingly recognised that sustainable development of regional and local communities is dependent on building resilient communities, businesses and environments. The development of knowledge networks is central to enable communities and businesses to successfully transform themselves towards sustainable development in a globally competitive world.
The LCSDP Masterplan 2002 defined sustainable regional development as resilient communities developing robust structures and networks of engaged people and organisations capable of learning and adapting to change, surprises and shocks. The LCSDP Leadership Group identified the need to investigate the potential of establishing a learning centre that will manage the extensive relationships, research partnerships and future developments that the LCSDP has facilitated.
RMIT Global Sustainability prepared an intensive program of consultations with a wide range of LCSDP participants to discuss and identify the varying and different expectations of what the envisaged learning centre would look like, how it would be managed and what it would deliver. The program included the preparation and presentation of research on different model of community-based education and learning.
The 'Lake Condah Learning' Development Plan was completed in 2009. The plan included a bold vision of establishing 'Lake Condah Learning' as an education, research and management entity that provided sustainable development learning and education through an integrated community-based and formal tertiary processes based on the breathed of disciplines that activities along the Budj Bim landscape offered e.g. archaeology, social planning, natural resources management, tourism product development, cross cultural awareness services and programs. The plan also included a detailed business management plan to establish and grow the learning enterprise with a proposed corporate structure and management regime.
The identified costs for developing and establishing 'Lake Condah Learning' as a viable enterprise are justifiably high and require serious and committed funding partners. As the 'Lake Condah Learning' Development Plan was delivered, the Global Financial Crisis emerged and dramatically affected the potential of grant organisations contributing resources to the implementation of the plan. Establishing 'Lake Condah Learning' or a similar learning enterprise remains a significant aspiration of the LCSDP.
The LCSDP Church Site Restoration & Active Reconciliation Group in 2006.