2019/2020 AGM Papers

President's Report 

AAEE ACT Chapter President’s Report AGM 2019/20 - Viv Pearce OAM

First, I must thank our Executive, Jodie Green, Bren Weatherstone, Julia Landford, Sue Jones and Taz Whan for the great ideas, collegiate work and support they have provided our local environmental educators and myself during difficult times. I think our local network is stronger for their contributions.

When I began writing the Annual Report for this year’s national AAEE (see below) I thought we hadn’t achieved as much as we had planned, I was wrong. We have but in a different way.

Despite Covid restrictions, we have managed to connect and support educators in the ACT. Over the last year, we have also widened our collaborations from solely environmental educators to include educators in science and geography. We have also strengthened our links nationally and drawn closer to colleagues in other states. At the recent national AGM, our Executive member Jodie Green became Vice -President of AAEE and I joined the National Executive. We have also participated in the development of a national Reconciliation Plan for AAEE.

As you can read in Report (below) we have supported and helped forge stronger links between our local environmental educators whether it be putting the A (for Arts) in STEM, supporting Early Childhood Educators or the ‘Student Voice’. Happily, the Parliament of Youth on Sustainability (SEE-Change) will run again in 2021!

ACT AAEE Annual Report 19/20

To the executive of 19 /20 - Jodie Green, Julia Landford, Sue Jones, Taz Whan and Bren Weatherstone - Thank you! Despite catastrophic bushfire, choking smoke, cataclysmic hail and pandemic, over the past year 19/20 AAEEACT has been able to:

Connect and collaborate:

• Delivering Science Week talks eg on NatureArt, Dance and Science, School Sustainability, Climate Science education, expos and forums including online; ACT schools science fair; Geography and Earth Science educators and GeoScience experts progressing Earth System and Planetary Boundaries Education.

• Coordinating Australian schools participating in an international pilot of a new secondary school climate science ‘game curriculum’ with the Planet Climate Foundation.

• Reassessing how we teach ‘Caring for country’ as environmental education by the world’s oldest living cultures. Cultural competency is taken seriously here in ACT education, with high-quality symposiums and workshops provided to every teacher with the expectation that all educators will attain a very high minimum standard and continuously develop.

• ACT Chapter is proud to have helped progress the National Reconciliation Action Plan for AAEE and looks forward to making a meaningful contribution that helps EE develop a powerfully restorative ‘2-ways’ Australian cultural perspective befitting this spectacularly wise old country.

Support and link diverse environmental educators:

• Representing the education perspective on all issues at the Conservation Council to a range of umbrella groups considering many issues

• Hosting and supporting events by members including; the 2019 ACT Threatened Species Children’s Art Competition Exhibition at Australian National Botanic Gardens; NatureArt Lab (Julia Landford) workshops; Hannah Edwards (H2OK program talk); thought-provoking online EE tours with the National Portrait Gallery; Sue Jones (Director of DanceKids and TakeFlight Education) online workshop during SeaWeek and more.

• Advocating for creative arts as an effective method for teaching environmental messages and maintaining mental health and wellbeing. ACT members have amazing expertise in this area in fact, the ACT Environmental Educator in for both 2019 and 2020 are artists and art educators as well as environmental educators - Julia Landford from NatureArt Lab for 2019 (read Julia’s nomination here) and for 2020 Sue Jones from DanceKids and Take Flight Education (read Sue’s nomination here)

• Connecting ACT members to local resources through our new Environmental Education Directory. We will continue to promote and update the directory in the new year, including (we hope) a beautiful colour printed version. Check out what's on offer at the ACT environmental educators’ network blogspot; ACT EE Resource Directory here.

Support Early Childhood Educators:

• Linking expert nature and sustainability educator members to each other and to early childhood and early years educators and administrators in government
• Encouraging members to further develop and share approaches and material suitable for Early Years learning

Encourage and support the Student Voice by:

• Supporting and participating in the School Strike for Climate movement and celebrating - retiring Executive member, Clara McArthur (also an AAEE Youth Advisory Board member) received a highly commended ACT Conservation Council Award at the end of 2019 for her work in this area.
• Attending SEE-Change’s workshop for teachers and facilitators participating in 2020 Parliament of Youth on Sustainability. Regaining funding for this important project was a team effort and with this year’s event postponed, we look forward to participating in 2021 and hearing student’s perspectives and solutions. 
• AAEEACT inaugural early career and emerging environmental educator in 2019, Taz Whan (read Taz’s nomination here) has added depth and on the ground classroom expertise to our Executive. This year we have upgraded our early career and emerging environmental educators award to two categories, one for school and care-centre settings and one for non-school and community settings. This will promote environmental education to a wider cohort and encourage emerging educators to give it a go.

Treasurer's Report 

2019 / 2020 Financial Statement 

Independent Audit/Review Report 

Independent Review Report to the members of ACT Chapter of the Australian Association for Environmental Education Report on the 2019-2020 Financial Statements

I have reviewed the accompanying financial statements of the ACT Chapter of the Australian Association for Environmental Education, which comprises the statement of Balance Sheet as at 30 June 2020 and the Income and Expenditure Statement for the year ending 30 June 2020.

Committees' Responsibility for the Financial Report

The ACT Chapter committee are responsible for the preparation of the financial report that gives a true and fair view of the financial state of the association.

Responsibility of person conducting review

My responsibility is to express an opinion on the financial report based on my review. The review involves performing procedures to obtain evidence about the amounts and disclosures in the financial report. I believe that the review evidence I have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for my review opinion.

Independence

I confirm that I am not a member of the ACT Chapter and am not related to any member of their Committee.

Review Report

● Revenue from bank interest and AAEE Chapter term deposit are the key sources of revenue to the ACT Chapter of the Australian Association for Environmental Education. The Association received cash however has no major control over any unplanned cash collection prior to entry in its financial records. Accordingly, as the evidence available to me about revenue from possible sources was limited, my review procedures of revenue activity had to be restricted to the amounts recorded in the financial records. I am therefore unable to express an opinion on whether cash obtained by the ACT Chapter of the Australian Association for Environmental Education is complete.

● Expenditure for Catering and AGM costs represent 70% of all expenses. It was possible to trace 100% of all expenditure back to supporting evidence. No issues noted.

● Petty Cash of $26.55 has not been used for a number of years. As the Association now makes payments through EFT, I would recommend that the Petty Cash be redeposited back into the Bank Account.

Opinion

I have reviewed the attached financial statements of the Association. Except for the matters mentioned under Review report qualification, in my opinion:

a) the financial statements of the association are properly drawn up; • So far as to give a true and fair view of the matters required by subsection 72(2) of the Act to be dealt with in the accounts for the financial year reported on 30 June 2019; • In accordance with the provisions of the Act;

b) accounting and other records have been kept by the Association;

c) the review was conducted in accordance with the rules of the Association.


Everard Figueiredo
22 Raymond St Ainslie ACT 2602
Ph: 0402 252 206
Email: figuee@netspeed.com.au

Draft 2018/2019 AGM Minutes

AAEE ACT AGM DRAFT minutes 26 Sept 2019 nature Art Lab Studio M16 Griffith

1. Welcome and open at 6:10 pm on 26 th September 2019

2. Acknowledgement of country – Viv Pearce – Wishes to acknowledge the long-living culture and immense knowledge that first nation cultures have shared and passed on to us as Env Educators.

3. No other business

4. Quorum of 9 Members present. Viv Pearce, Julia Landford, Sue Jones, Jodie Green, Bren Weatherstone, Robbie Ladbrook, Kieth Skamp, Tarun Whan, Samantha Burn

5. Robbie Ladbrook moves to accept previous AGM minutes, seconded by Jodie Green, motion accepted.

6. Committee report - ( Viv Pearce) o A busy year with social media, new earth system and planetary boundaries FB page, continued and strengthened partnerships such as CTSAC, Nature Art Lab, Climate strike for action, Science week and SEAct, ACT for Bees during pollination week, ACTsmart, Dance kids, 350 org, Botanic Gardens, See Change.

o Looking forward to collaborating with SEACT for CONASTA conference in 2020.

o Big win in the advocacy and lobbying – Youth Parliament on sustainability will run again in 2020.

o AAEEact made a submission to Nature in the City consultation o Jenny Dibbley won the National Environmental Educator of the Year (big honour) o Spoke with Future of Education Submission stakeholders in the early years and attended the preschool expo in February.

Sue Jones moves to accept the Report, Tarun Whan seconded and it was accepted by all.

Keith noted how impressive the work of such a small group of people was for a new member to see.

7. Treasurers report o Julia thanked Viv and those who have provided support in delivering the report o Julia tabled the report (see attached) Viv Pearce thanked Julia and moved to accept, seconded by Keith Skamp - motion accepted.

8. New Auditor appointment Viv Pearce moved motion to appoint Everard Figueiredo as the 2019-2020 Financial Year Auditor. Seconded by Jodie Green. Motion accepted

9. Alan Landford then presided over the election of a new executive for 2019-2020.

- 6 nominations

- President -sole nomination from Viv Pearce, - accepted and congratulated

- Secretary – sole nomination for Jodie Green - accepted and congratulated

- Treasurer – sole nomination for Julia Landford – accepted and congratulated

- 3 nominations for ordinary members and 3 positions available

- Bren Weatherstone, Sue Jones, Tarun Whan were elected as ordinary committee members.

- Vacant position is Vice president. – remains vacant until filled.

- Appoint the liaison officer - Sue Jones

- Appoint Public officer – Bren Weatherstone

- Nomination forms are accepted and verified.

No other business. Meeting concludes at 6:44pm

(To be) Signed by President at 2020 AGM

2020 AGM Agenda 

Welcome by the Chair


1. Acknowledgement of Country
2. Agenda review and call for other business
3. Establish quorum (5 members present in person) and record attendance & apologies.


4. Confirmation and acceptance of Draft 2019 AGM Minutes
5. Receive the president’s report on the activities of the ACT Chapter AAEE for the Financial Year to June 30 2020
6. Receive, Treasurer's Report and consider and approve the statement of accounts that are required to be submitted to members under the Act, section 73 (1)


7. Appoint auditor for 2020-2021 Financial Year - continuing auditor Everard Figueiredo
8. Appointment Returning Officer
9. Appointments and elections - Election of a new Executive Committee for 2020 - 2021; Appoint the liaison officer; Appoint Public officer 
10. Questions and other business


Special announcements and presentations to follow - ACT's 2020 Environmental Education Excellence awardees