Goodbye and Goodluck
from Vox Bandicoot

Dear NSW Friends and Colleagues, 

The Sharing Our Stories SSA Conference will mark a bit of an historic point for environmental eduction and community engagement in NSW. As the Environmental Trust Sustainability Street program draws to a close, the words “is this the end, or just the beginning” spring to mind. The fundamental aim of the SSA has always been, to “make ourselves redundant”. True to mission, Vox Bandicoot is in effect “bowing out” of being directly involved with the SSA. Sustainability Streeters in Victoria have assisted this by organising for the incorporation of the Sustainability Street Institute Inc, a not for profit organisation, focussed on the promulgation of the Sustainability Street Approach into the future. 

It must be acknowledged that the Councils of NSW have been integral to the development of the SSA since 2003. Again, the next phase has been given oxygen in NSW. One of the first projects of the Institute will be to get behind a “fantastic redundancy making” idea from Bernadette Mackinnon. with tremendous in-kind on the ground support offered from the City of Holroyd. Working with Bernadette and Phil Smith from Know Hands, a submission is being prepared to “employ” a NSW based Sustainability Street Mentor. 

This has come at the right time for the new Sustainability Street Institute and for Vox Bandicoot. For the Institute, it provides a model for the emerging programs in South Australia and Western Australia, (as well as Brisbane, it seems, in 2009). For Vox, the SSA has been an all consuming mission for the last five years or so, a joyous journey with the humbling privilege of the opportunity to meet and get to know so many local folks in the Villages. However, Vox has some other work to do, and ... 

If you thought the Sustainablity Street Approach was OK, you might like to consider some of Vox’s other programs such as... 

• SeeOS (Sustaining Environmental and Economic Opportunities and Solutions), our workplace culture change and enhancement program 

...OR 

• Sustainability Live – the very famous Vox Theatre Company, which will also have a Sydney Base from 2009. 

Lastly, again, thank you all so very much. It has been an honour and a fantastic learning experience for us. Of course “this is the beginning”! Beyond the Environmental Trust program, please still feel free to call anytime 60/60/24/7/12/10/100.... 

Bests ... 

Vox