About Us

The Victorian Association for Environmental Education (VAEE) is a not-for-profit, membership driven organisation that provides leadership and a voice for the environmental and sustainability education sector within Victoria.
As the peak professional body, the VAEE offers professional support to and promotes the development of environmental education and sustainable behaviour change in both the formal education and community sector.

The VAEE is driven by a voluntary council of elected members, which is made up of teachers, educational professionals from industry, community and business who share an interest in environmental and sustainability education. For more information about the assocation, click on the links below.

VAEE Vision
To improve the environment and create a sustainable future through education.

VAEE Mission Statement
To promote environmental education through advocacy, partnership and professional support.

VAEE Core Services & Programs
The following are the VAEE's key core services and programs:

• Professional development to environmental educators in schools, colleges and the community;
• Development and management of resource materials (environmental education publications);
• Distribution of a quarterly publication, Eingana;
• Distribution of a newsletter, Environmental Events, every two months;
• Special support for VCE teachers;
• Delivery of high profile environmental themed conferences;
• Management of the Victorian environmental education contacts directory;
• Involvement and influencing environmental education policy development in Victoria;
• Lobbying of both Local and State Government on environmental education issues;
• and Effective involvement in Non Government Organisation (NGO) partnerships.

1. Use the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development & other national & state strategies to build reputation that reinforce VAEE as the professional association of Environmental Sustainability Education, providing leadership and co-ordination.

2. Use growing interest in Sustainability Education to create an operation of wider representation of the sector within VAEE to build position, broaden membership base and increase income.

3. Develop infrastructure and systems within VAEE to positively manage future growth, improve on governance practices and nurture staff and council members.

4. Ensure that the growth of VAEE is balanced between project and core in terms of work and income.

5. Develop new service lines to work with the environmental sustainability education sector to:

•  support the implementation of new transformative learning approaches to holistic sustainable education programs.

•  exemplify how sustainability education can be used to deliver the new curriculum, through new pedagogies such as critical thinking & inquiry based learning.

•  create networks that engender strong collaborative partnerships at a local and state level.

•  develop and promote state-wide communication plans for specific audiences.

•  consolidate existing resources to create holistic sustainability education material.

6. Work with other key agencies to use the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development & other national & state strategies, to create an environment in which sustainability education excels.

7. Use 25th Anniversary to draw on historical support for VAEE to build capacity of organisation.

Cross Cutting Themes:

Working together; Connecting and Supporting; Building the Capacity and the Environment; Reaching and Relevance; Walking the Talk

VAEE Logo
The spiral, organic shape of the new logo was seen to represent the shapes and forms that occur in nature from shells and whirlpools to waves and the DNA Helix. It's also creates a feeling of inclusiveness and involvement; the spiral sweeps out from a centre point and encompasses even the most isolated, marginalised and disengaged communities and individuals. The spiral can also represent the empowerment of communities and individuals, who by working together to contribute information and knowledge, can zero in on the essence of an issue and make a real difference to a sustainable future.

Sustainability Educator of the Year
Since 1985, the VAEE has awarded the annual Victorian Environmental Educator of the Year Award. Past recipients of this award have come from a wide range of sectors, but have all made a substantial contribution and shown and ongoing commitment to Environmental Education.

Collaborative Projects
Learning to Live Sustainably: Professional Development for Practitioners and Managers
Stage 1: Laying the Foundations & Piloting Practical Outcomes
Working in partnership with Victoria University, VAEE is running a 7 month project to develop, market and deliver the first stage of a comprehensive professional development package for Sustainability Education and Behaviour Change practitioners and managers across sectors. Piloted substantially in one region, with involvement and support from experienced practitioners in other regions this professional development module project will foster effective engagement, education and behaviour change in environmental sustainability. The ultimate vision being to develop a network of skilled practitioners and managers with consolidated frameworks and skills to effect cultural and behavioural change towards environmental sustainability across Victoria. With the modular resources, this project will provide the mechanisms and processes to transfer these frameworks and skills to less experienced practitioners and managers.

For further information on this project CLICK HERE to see a Project Summary.

If you have any questions about this project please contact Steve Ray on the contact details below.


VAEE Staff

Contacting VAEE