Flick the Switch – Energy Reduction Program for Schools

Flick the Switch is a school energy reduction program managed by Leaders for Sustainability Inc. It is fully aligned with the Resource Smart Schools Energy Module which is part of the free program offered by Sustainability Victoria that supports Victorian schools to embed sustainability across the school facilities, community and curriculum, while saving resources and money for the school.

In 2024 the Flick the Switch Program will be enhanced so that teachers are given the tools and strategies to empower themselves and their students to take immediate energy reduction steps in their school and their homes.

We will develop an online learning opportunity so teachers can access self-paced training modules.  We will support this with live coaching sessions and presentations.

2024 Flick the Switch – Hume City Council

With support from the Hume City Council – Flick the Switch will be rolled out in the region during 2024 as follows

• Participation is free for 5 schools.
• Local schools apply through our Expression of Interest process.
• Successful schools will receive
  • access to our comprehensive yet easy to use online learning platform.
  • project funding as they complete different milestones.
  • one on one coaching sessions with our sustainability expert.
  • access to further council programs
  • invitation to graduation event to celebrate progress.

Note: Other schools in Hume City Council are able to access the online component of the course for free. Contact us to receive your passcode to gain free entry to our online academy.

Contact Jane Stewart on jane@leadersforsustainability.com or 0411 838 033.  

2022 & 2023 Flick the Switch – Hume City Council

As lead facilitators of the program, we were engaged to help a range of local schools in their energy reduction activities and the whole of school approach to leadership. All schools who participated in the year long program in 2022 and 2023 received the following.

• Energy audits to learn more about the energy used in each school.
• Professional development opportunity for teachers and staff.
• Expert individual assistance to develop an energy action plan for each school.
• Resources to support the delivery of each energy action plan.
• School energy incursions to be delivered by CERES Environment Park.

The goals of the Flick the Switch program and our other support services remain the same.

• Align all school energy efficient activity with the Resource Smart Schools Energy Module.
• Plan school energy efficient programs using energy audit data and recommendations, strategic planning templates and worked examples.
• Help teachers and students learn about energy issues (energy generation and trends in Victoria and Australia, energy and generation issues and their consequences and energy reduction strategies).
• Build teacher leadership capacity to lead the Flick the Switch program in their school using our unique developmental framework.
• Build student leadership capacity in their school using the results of many years of our own research and development of student leadership programs.

Flick the Switch – Moonee Valley Council

Moonee Valley City Council worked with Leaders for Sustainability during 2020 to offer local schools the chance to reduce their energy expenses in the Flick the Switch Program.

Flick the Switch provided free expert advice, curriculum support and resources to help schools reduce energy costs and get students involved in hands-on environmentally friendly activities. The program started just as Melbourne was locked down due to CO-VID 19 restrictions.  Rather than wait to deliver the program face to face, TLfS quickly pivoted their way to a virtual environment and delivered the program to the following schools through virtual workshops and coaching sessions.