In 2008, we conducted a survey and a series of focus groups inviting 50 youth and adult immigrants to tell us their thoughts on the environment, their relationship to it, and their concerns about it.
This research was conducted as part of program development to ensure that workshops and outings are responsive to the needs and interests of the newcomer and multicultural population in Victoria. The questions were designed to explore the following themes:
Understanding and perceptions of environmental issues, as well as barriers and motivations for personal action
Participation and involvement in the community
Through this research, we were able to design programs that meet the twofold needs of newcomers: to share information and take action towards healthy choices for themselves, their families and the environment, while at the same time feeling a sense of belonging and involvement in their community.
Below is a summary of questions and responses we collected. We have used Wordle to create a visual picture of the data. The size of the word corresponds to the number of times it appeared on the responses.
What is your country of origin?
What concerns do you have about our natural environment?
When you hear the words global warming, what comes to mind?
What topics are you interested in learning about?
What areas do you want to take action on?
Based on these responses, we developed a hands-on, experiential learning program that focuses on four key areas:
