About Us

The Victorian Outdoor Education Association (VOEA) is the peak body and professional teaching association supporting teachers and educators in the conduct of outdoor education in schools and other educational programs.

The VOEA is not a government organisation. We are funded through membership fees, special projects, state government grants, revenue from the Education Outdoors Shop and sponsorship.

You will find the following information on this page:

Mission
What does the VOEA do?
The history of the VOEA
What is Outdoor Education?
How to support or sponsor the VOEA
VOEA Council
VOEA Staff
VOEA Constitution
VOEA Annual General Meetings

Mission
The mission of the VOEA is to lead the development and support of the outdoor education profession.

 

What does the VOEA do?
- acts as an advocate for outdoor education in Victoria
- provides a resource and advisory service for outdoor educators
- develops and reviews curriculum, guidelines and standards in outdoor education
- promotes a philosophy of environmental awareness and conservation

The VOEA supports its members through newsletters and journals, conferences, professional development, selling resources, consultancy and network links. In turn the VOEA relies on fees from members, resource sales and events for its operation.

VOEA is a member of the Council for Professional Teaching Associations of Victoria and Outdoor Education Australia.

 

The history of the VOEA
The inaugural meeting of the VOEA was held on December 6, 1981. To start off, the VOEA was run solely by a volunteer council (like other Australian outdoor education associations). In 1990, the VOEA employed Jay Henderson, a councillor since 1986, as the first part-time Executive Officer. Jay's Executive Officer position grew from one day per week up to three days per week by June 1994. The Council decided that the position should be made full time and employed Margaret Nikolajuk on that basis from 1994.

Since then, the association has grown to employ one full time staff member and three part-time staff members. Erik Westrup's article "VOEA Beginnings: A founding member reflects", provides a wonderful overview of the people and circumstances involved in creating the VOEA.

 

What is Outdoor Education?
Outdoor Education is defined by the VOEA as educating for healthy relationships through sustainable outdoor experiences.

 

How to support or sponsor the VOEA

The VOEA relies on input from people to help improve our website content, to submit articles for Journeys as well as to add and comment on content of the VCE Outdoor and Environmental Studies Resource Kits. If you have a story you would like to submit for Journeys or a teaching resource you would like to share, please email it to education@voea.vic.edu.au.

There are three ways in which you can financially support the VOEA.

1. Become a member

2. Use the Education Outdoors Shop

3. Advertise in or sponsor one of the following ways:

Year planner: Each year we produce an A3 sized year planner which is sponsored by 1 organisation.  The sponsor paid $600 this year for a 3cm by 42cm advertising space on the one-sided, full colour planner.  The planner is sent to all VOEA members and widely distributed as promotional material for us.

Annual Outdoor Education Conference: The VOEA hosts a state conference each year for which we seek a number of different types of sponsorship.

Journeys: Journeys is the VOEA’s quarterly news-journal.  Each issue is sponsored by an organisation who receives in return prominent advertising space within the issue as well as having their logo featured on the VOEA’s internet homepage and a free insert in the mailout.  Visit www.voea.vic.edu.au/publications/journeys for more information on advertising and advertising rates for Journeys.

Please call 03 9349 4311 or write to emily@voea.vic.edu.au if you are interested in sponsorship or advertising with the VOEA.

 

VOEA Council

Gordon McDonald, President
Andrew Mannion, Secretary
Des Russell, Treasurer
Councillors: Clare Dallat, Sandy Allen-Craig, Jarrod Paine, Terry Gunn, Matt Charles-Jones

 

VOEA Staff
Executive Officer: Tony Carden (full time)
Membership Coordinator: Emily Boldiston (part time)
Office Administrator: Alice Buscombe (part time)
Education Officer: Jodie Taylor (part time)

Back to top

Constitution

VOEA Constitution

Application for membership of the Victorian Outdoor Education Association: Word Version | PDF

Annual General Meeting

2007 AGM
- Reports
- Minutes

Back to top