1. Minutes from 29th June meeting (see reports from sub-groups)
2. We need your help! Please take a moment to prioritise the Community engagement actions below or add to them (using have your say box below). Is there an action you can help facilitate?

Community engagement draft action plan for 2009-10

Goals
· increase community awareness of/involvement in ORCA
· increase participation in various forms of climate change action by individuals and local groups.

These goals are easily measurable starting from participation now to, say, six months ahead, 12 months, 18 months ahead

Actions

These are not prioritised nor given dates of commencement. They require active involvement beyond the current level. So the first task involves reactivating membership. If adopted, ongoing actions would need to be reviewed periodically.

To complement and reinforce the energy sub-group’s activities eg home energy audits, steps towards community production of renewable energy etc many of these actions focus on food.
Why? Altering our diet to include more plant-based meals is the single most effective measure that any single individual can do as meat is a very carbon intensive commodity, animal industries are a major cause of deforestation and land degradation and use a great deal of water.(See Eating up the world booklet, Livestock’s Long shadow UN report)
Focusing on food builds on –
· Everyday domestic necessity
· Fundamental human sociality – feasting is fun, the notion of hospitality being central to all cultures
· Established local interests eg Permaculture Society, local organic growers, Garden club, community garden project
· Local industries eg dairy, wine, potato growing
· Local possibility – climate, soil and, especially, water supply – to grow a lot more food than we do

Many of the actions listed involve varying ways of creating non-threatening non- hierarchical social spaces that foster informal talk, stories and shared experiences rather than information (which tends to imply the those in the know/those not divide)

1. RMIT Workshop (being organised) but now needs to include random samples of community members

2. Doorknocking/telephoning

If community members don’t come to us, we go to them. Initially this might be simply renewing contact with those who signed the long list after our first forum.
Who? Everyone now active in ORCA. Task divvied up
When? ASAP
What resources?
Communication? Announcement in local rag re recruitment/invitation to be a member

3. ORCA stall at Apollo Bay market

This give ORCA a social face and home space and provides a great opportunity to talk to community members and others; to sell (or give away) excess produce donated by members (eg my lemon tree is loaded and much of the crop will be available in a month or two) and the community garden; raise some funds through sale/donations; to sign up residents and others to a climate action pledge eg re 350 promo – 350 meat free meals
Who? A roster of members, the rule being if you can’t do it when you said then you find a replacement
When? Every Saturday morning starting…
What resources? Cost of being a stall holder, basic stall equipment

4. Weekly column in local media – Apollo Bay News & Otway Light
Continue the current practice of offering items on aspects of climate change, handy hints, news of upcoming events. Extend it by extending contributors.
Who? A roster of members to be established
When? Weekly
What resources? Computer access

5. Conversation cafes to be held at Marrar Woorn The question/topic under discussion to be announced in the local rags. Conversation cafes bring small groups of people together to discuss big things. There is plenty of info on the web about this phenomenon. The topic need not be climate change. It might be futuristic, speculative.
Who? Anyone ORCA member or not willing to act as host. A roster.
When? Monthly.
What resources? Room, food and drink.

6. Info sessions on food production eg vegetarian cookery, jam, pickles and preserving (a CWA member? ) beginners’ guide to composting and worm farming, Fruit tree pruning and selection etc
Who? ORCA invites locals with special knowledge
When? Ongoing at intervals
What resources? Marrar Woorn, own garden, community kitchen, publicity through ORCA column

7. Shopping with a conscience supermarket tour.
Who? An informed guide
When? One off initially, repeated if demand is there
What resources? Bus to Colac, community bus

8. Production by a local artist of an ORCA poster to be on display in sympathetic local traders’ windows.
Who? ORCA member designated to liase with local artist willing to do it
When?
What resources? Printing costs

9. Approach local cafes about advertising meat free days or meat free meals, the aim being to increase availability of plant based meals in cafes/restaurants. Lobby shire council about meat free functions.

10. Community orchard: Approach Shire Council about using part of the Heathfield estate land now not marked for the Great Ocean Green for a community orchard. (Then approach Bunnings, regional nurseries for donations of fruit and nut trees)
Who? Orca member initially, then maintenance group
When?
What resources? Labour, trees etc if given go-ahead.

10. Apply for regular time on local public radio. This could be a 15 minute time slot each week or less regularly. It could include chats with local activists, reports that never make the mainstream news, upcoming events and interviews eg with Shivra Chopra recently in OZ to publicise his book Corrupt to the Core about Monsanto and locals putting into practice their energy reduction measures.
Who? One or two ORCA members
When?
What resources? Radio station

11. Host a harvest picnic. An event full of symbolism to celebrate the earth’s bounty and ORCA’s activities to save it.
Who? Whole ORCA team
When? A yearly event in early autumn
What resources? Some sympathetic person’s property, willing workers to cook, set up, serve, clear away, community choir to entertain with harvest songs.

12. Make a ‘What can I do now?’ brochure