Programs &
Initiatives

If you've participated in a sustainablity discussion course, you know how powerful and inspiring they can be. We at Sustan Dane encourage you to jup in and hlep start new courses throughout Dane County.

There are a variety of ways you can participate in the Northwest Earth Institute (NWEI) Sustainabilty Discussion Course program.

Be a Course Coordinator

Are you interested in starting a course in your neighborhood, center of faith, or workplace? It's easy, here are materials to help get you started promoting your course.

• flyers template,
• press releases,
• course brochures

Also, talk to a Sustain Dane staff person, who will guide you through the simple process, answer any questions that may arise, arrange for books, and discuss meeting site locations. (608-819-0689).

Be a Course Mentor

A mentor is a trained volunteer who demonstrates the discussion process during the first regular session of a new course. The mentor's role is significant toward making sure that the class gets off on the right step.

Sign-up forms for those who will be doing the class openings and facilitations. Volunteer, please open and print the course form for the class you are introducing.

• First Session Mentor Check list

Class Schedule (facilitator/opener sign-up).

• Voluntary Simplicitity,
• Healthy Children, Healthy Planet,
• Discovering a Sense of Place,
• Choices for Sustainable Living,
• Globalization and It's Critics,
• Exploring Deep Ecology,
• Global Warming: Changing C02urse

Be a Course Introductory Presenter

An introductory presenter is a trained volunteer who comes to a general informational meeting to introduce the course of interest.

The presenter describes the purpose, process and content of the course being offered and organizes new classes that form from the introductory presentation.

Volnteers, here are a few three forms you'll need when you give an introductory presentation for any of the discussion courses.

• Introductory Presentor's Checklist
• Attendance Sheet - pass this sheet around so at people present the night of the Introduction can indicate interest in participating.
• Simplicity Wheel
• Bryant's Presentation Outline

Don't Forget the Celebration

• Celebration Checklist
• Handout brief description of all the courses. Hand this out to encourage members to select another course.

Activity sheets for each course

• Voluntary Simplicitity overview
• Healthy Children, Healthy Planet overviw
• Discovering a Sense of Place overview
• Choices for Sustainable Living
• Globalization and It's Critics
• Exploring Deep Ecology
• Global Warming: Changing C02urse

Join the Next Annual Presenter/Mentor Training Event

Once or twice a year Sustain Dane conducts a training for community members who want to become discussion course volunteers. If you are interested in becoming a volutneer, contact Sustain Dane at 608.819.0689 or info@sustaindane.org to indicate your interest, and learn when the next training is being planned.

Training includes learning about the basic topics to include in the presentation, some role playing, a training manual with helpful tips and checklists. Training sessions are flexible, sometimes involving a saturday and sunday, or maybe split into several week-day evenings.

First class of volunteer's.

Outreach

These one page hand-outs are summary descriptions for each course. The hand-outs are convenient to print, read on-line or save a copy to your computer. Share this page or print a handout to share with your friends, co-workers, neighbors and those who might be interestested in creating a discussion course.