EDUCATION


In the Schoolroom: The WWF-India conservation education programme was started in 1969. Aimed primarily at the country's youth, WWF-India has a network of about 700 Nature Clubs across the country with a membership of over 20,000 school-children. The Nature Clubs encourage young members to undertake voluntary work in awareness building, tree planting, running campaigns against wildlife trade and conducting conservation activities. Classroom sessions, class projects, group seminars and debates are also held. Besides, Nature Club members attend nature camps in some of India's finest wilderness areas. The Nature Orientation Camps expose participants to the basics of nature study. And ecological principles and conservation issues are introduced in a non-technical, informal manner.

WWF-India has started a National Programme of Teacher Training Workshops with support from WWF International. Already, 25 workshops have been held with the participation of school teachers, National Cadet Corps and National Service Scheme officers. The workshops discuss the possibility of linking environmental approaches to existing school curricula, devising and conducting activities in the field, and the use of street theatre and other folk art for promoting environmental awareness.

WWF-India has been involved in the design and development of environment education centres. It has designed a captive breeding centre for the endangered Kashmir stag in the northern state of Kashmir. It has also designed and technically supervised the establishment of a nature education centre, including a botanical garden for medicinal plants, in the Mahim Creek area of Bombay, India's industrial and corporate capital. Another education centre is being set up on Chorao island in Goa on India's west coast.

The Conservation Corps Volunteers Programme has created a cadre of young dedicated volunteers who undergo intensive training with NGOs to provide experience in project and resource management.


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