Introduction of water conservation education packages: the opportunites and constraints affecting their success

The Remote Area Developments Group in the Institute for Environmental Scien ce at Murdoch University developed a video and booklet education package on water conservation. The package was developed after research, review of cu rrent efforts in water conservation, and consultation with communities show ed that there was a need in this area. The package was distributed to all c ommunities within Western Australia. Several different workshops were condu cted with Indigenous Environmental Health Workers from around Western Austr alia in remote areas and in the Perth Metropolitan communities using the pa ckage. This paper will briefly describe the opportunities and constraints t hat exist for water conservation in remote Aboriginal communities in Wester n Australia as well as give an evaluation of the education package based on workshops, trials and survey instrument. This paper will explain the concl usions that have been drawn from the study: that a broad delivery style is the most advantageous style for remote communities, allowing the facilitato r to assess the best style of delivery.