HAMILTON is set to take part in an Australia-first youth program called Project otherWISE. RMIT Melbourne Innovations Professor of Sustainability, John Fien, was a guest speaker at RMIT Hamilton this week discussing sustainability and its local context. As part of his work he intends to bring the otherWISE program, developed at RMIT, to Hamilton to enable local youth groups to learn the concepts of sustainability in their local area.

"Sustainability is an ethical principle more than a scientific one," Prof Fien said. "Certainly the science of land cultivation and climate change are really important, but sustainability seeks to find ways to improve the way of life for people now and in the future." It is learning to use resources today in ways to make sure they are available for our children and grandchildren.

The process of learning is key to Prof Fien's view of sustainability, which began when he worked as a geography teacher. "I've always seen learning as important. It is the process of cultural change. We need to learn our way out of the dilemmas we face."

This emphasis on learning has been reflected in his work at RMIT. Prof Fien is looking at new research to find out ways of building the capacity of teens and young adults to 'live otherWISE'. By this he means to live differently and wisely, to take time to think and reflect.

This research at RMIT by Prof Fien and others has led to them developing a capacity building and training program for youth groups.

For the first time, the otherWISE program will be run in full in Hamilton in July by the International Young Professionals Foundation (IYPF).

"The program will train youth group leaders and support them in training members of the groups to make decisions about consumption and lifestyle that reduces impact," Prof Fien said. "It teaches action competence -competence in making decisions to live otherWISE.

"The program will bring together a dozen youth leaders. In a series of meetings the youth will work out how to go forward, what's best for young people in the Hamilton region.

"At the end of the process, different groups of young people will have a sustainability project they will implement in Hamilton and surrounding areas." The program, previously trialed in Bendigo and Frankston, has support from the Future Environment Fund. RMIT and the IYPF will be working together on the Hamilton based project.

The otherWISE program is open to all youth organisations, such as schools, TAFE, Scout and church groups.

Any youth group in the Hamilton region interested in being involved in the Youth for Youth program can contact Prof Fien at john.fien@rmit.edu.au.

Based his years of work in the area, if there was one thing people could take on board about sustainability, Prof Fien said it would be "to learn to think in terms of forever. Pressures force us into short-term thinking. Slow down, look at alternatives, think otherWISE."