GEO360 Community and Stakeholder Engagement (8)

Community and stakeholder engagement are fundamental skills for environmental science practitioners in contemporary work place settings for the public, not-for-profit and private sectors involved in the management of environments and natural resources. This subject examines how social values, attitudes and behaviours are related to how we maintain, protect and sustainably grow our environment and natural resources. A critical element will consider how to incorporate these attitudes and values into policy making, strategy development and project management so as to arrive at robust decision making. During the minimum 40 hours of workplace learning, students will design and evaluate a workplace stakeholder engagement project. On completion of this subject, students will possess a range of skills in stakeholder and community engagement management, processes and capabilities.

Availability

Session 2 (60)
On Campus
Albury-Wodonga Campus
Port Macquarie Campus
Online
Albury-Wodonga Campus

Continuing students should consult the SAL for current offering details: GEO360. Where differences exist between the Handbook and the SAL, the SAL should be taken as containing the correct subject offering details.

Subject Information

Grading System

HD/FL

Duration

One session

School

School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary Sciences

Assumed Knowledge

Minimum 30 hours WPL in a previous subject (equivalent to ENM109).

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this subject, students should:
  • be able to explain and illustrate governance of environments and natural resources, including individual and government decision making processes;
  • be able to make sound judgments on the use and application of some contemporary methods of stakeholder engagement;
  • be able to discuss how social values, attitudes and behaviours are related to how we maintain, protect, enhance and use our environments and natural resources;
  • be able to demonstrate skills in a variety of stakeholder and community engagement management, processes and capabilities including conflict avoidance and resolution;
  • be able to critically consider how to apply different stakeholder and community engagement models in environmental management across a spectrum from policy to service and project delivery; and
  • be able to participate in and reflect on a placement related to environmental science and management as a developing professional.

Syllabus

This subject will cover the following topics:
  • An introduction to community and stakeholder engagement;
  • Governance: individual and government decision making processes;
  • Methods of engagement, from consulting to shared ownership of decisions;
  • Cultural and community perspectives and values on engagement;
  • Applying stakeholder engagement to social impact assessment, policy development, service delivery and project management;
  • Conflict resolution and avoidance; and
  • Designing and evaluating a workplace stakeholder engagement project.

Indicative Assessment

The following table summarises the assessment tasks for the online offering of GEO360 in Session 2 2021. Please note this is a guide only. Assessment tasks are regularly updated and can also differ to suit the mode of study (online or on campus).

Item Number
Title
Value %
1
Planning an environmental campaign
15
2
Responding to a 'consultation' opportunity
25
3
Landcare: an iap2 perspective of its evolution
45
4
Community empowerment in a cross cultural context
15

Workplace Learning

This subject contains a 5 days Compulsory Workplace Learning component.

This subject will require a workspace learning placement totaling 40 hours' duration. The WPL component will be designed to align with the students present/ future career practitioner by selecting an employer and project suitable to illustrate the teaching delivered in this subject.

The information contained in the CSU Handbook was accurate at the date of publication: May 2022. The University reserves the right to vary the information at any time without notice.

Back