Creative Catchment Kids

Creative Catchment Kids began in 2010 as an initiative of Wirraminna Environmental Education Centre. The program aims to improve engagement between our funding partners and school students across the Murray-Darling Basin. Our programs provide opportunities for positive, cooperative activities that encourage students to learn about and respond to, natural resource management and the importance of agricultural production. Since it began, more than 60 schools from Cabramurra to Tibooburra have benefited from being involved in Creative Catchment Kids each year.

Creative Catchment Kids adopted the Enviro-Stories literacy-based program in 2011 and since then it has been a highly rewarding program for the students, schools, parents and supporting agencies. Creative Catchment Kids is more than just a book writing program, it is a curriculum linked program that encourages links between schools and communities, leadership and team work within the students, connects students with their local area and celebrates local achievements.

In 2015, Wirraminna won the NSW Junior Landcare Award for their Creative Catchment Kids program. This was followed up in 2016 by the program winning the National Junior Landcare Award. A great achievement for everyone involved.

Creative Catchment Kids in the Murray Region 2011–2017 Evaluation Report

This report on the Creative Catchment Kids program between 2011–2017 was commissioned by Petaurus Education Group (PEG). Data was collected through document analysis, survey and case study development, with the survey designed and analysed by PeeKdesigns. Anecdotal evidence has been assembled at stages over the delivery of the program and has been woven through the more formal evaluation design. The analysis of data collected from participants involved in the program across the Murray region in southern Australia highlights the importance of the Creative Catchment Kids to successful learning and teaching and adds to the body of evidence regarding the educational and social value of hands-on projects, place-based in nature.

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Virtual library

You can read hundreds of stories that have already been written by kids in the Enviro-Stories Library – many of these books have been produced under the Creative Catchment Kids program.