Gardening becomes primary prerequisite

BY ALEX MCDONALD

Woolloomooloo’s Plunkett Street Public School, Ultimo Primary and Key College in Surry Hills have all signed up for Youth Community Greening, a new education course to give disadvantaged youngsters some practical gardening skills.

Launching the initiative with students from Plunkett Street Public, Botanic Gardens Trust executive director Dr Tim Entwisle said experienced educators would assist teachers and students to create environmentally sound gardens.

‘Students involved in the program come from the most disadvantaged schools in the state ‘ schools where a high percentage of the student population lives in community housing,’ said Dr Entwisle.

The Community Greening coordinator Stephen Paul said the initiative would not only assist disadvantaged students but would also create gardens for their families and local communities. ‘The biggest challenge would be the students that don’t have a history of gardening and getting them enthused and giving them the skills to develop gardening projects,’ Mr Paul said.

Youth Community Greening is a relatively small operation: with one full-time teacher and two part-time community greening officers to assist.

Stephen Paul said the shape that each garden takes is mostly up to the students and teachers. They can be taught to grow produce, to plant bird-attracting native gardens or traditional bush tucker, which would be created in cooperation with local indigenous artists and elders.

Students from Plunkett Street Public School will now attend community greening lessons, and use the same bed planted by former students.

Any NSW school with a large percentage of disadvantaged students is eligible join the program.