‘Hear its whispers’: listen to the land

Students will be inspired to ‘listen to the sounds and voices of the land, waters and skies’ as part of a unique First Nations-led program aimed at increasing awareness of the environment.

Proudly supported by Sunshine Coast Council, the award-winning program will challenge young people to be curious and better understand and care for our precious natural world through this year’s theme ‘HEAR on Country – Are you listening?’.

Funded by ratepayers through the Environment Levy, Kids in Action is an engaging environmental program for school-aged children.

The program is proudly run in a partnership between Traditional Custodians and First Nations People on Kabi Kabi and Jinibara Country and Sunshine Coast Council.

Registrations are now open for schools to join the 2024 Kids in Action program.

Day one is the Kids in Action Environmental Projects Day, to be held at Maroochy Regional Bushland Botanic Gardens on Wednesday May 8.

Day two is the Kids in Action Kids Teaching Kids Conference which will be held at UniSC on Wednesday September 4.

Empowering young people to care for Country

Sunshine Coast Council’s Environmental Operations Manager Adam Connell said this year’s program encouraged the Coast’s youth to be curious in exploring their own personal relationship and responsibility to Country.

“Country is alive and speaks to us every day,” Mr Connell said.

“At Kids in Action, First Nations knowledge will be shared to encourage students to hear its whispers and roars and actively listen to the sounds and voices of the land and waters.

“We will challenge students to come together to make a promise and commitment to care for this precious environment, to connect on a deeper level and make decisions that benefit both the land and water and all its inhabitants.”

Mr Connell said students would then be encouraged to share their learnings with each other.

“This could be done in a variety of ways including developing a video, interactive display or workshop; creating a social marketing or behaviour change campaign; by making a podcast or using performance arts like poetry, music or a play.

“We invite Sunshine Coast teachers and students to join us for Kids in Action in 2024 and come together to be the stewards that Country needs us to be.”