19 November 2009
City West Water has launched a learning resource designed specifically for adult learning centres to teach newly arrived residents about water and water conservation.
With the help of the Yarraville Community Centre, the English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) syllabus has been designed as a comprehensive education resource that serves to educate newly arrived residents about all aspects of water supply in Melbourne.
City West Water Managing Director, Anne Barker, said the syllabus was one of many important initiatives that City West Water has undertaken to cater specifically to its vastly diverse customer community.
“One third of our customers come from a non-English speaking background, and for some who’ve just recently arrived, their experience of water can be quite different from ours, giving rise to misconceptions and sometimes apprehension,” Ms Barker said.
“The ESL syllabus is a comprehensive learning and information resource that has been designed specifically for adult education centres that cater to communities from non-English speaking backgrounds.”
Ms Barker said the syllabus covers a wide range of water related topics, including the source of our water supply, how to receive and pay a bill, and importantly, water conservation.
“While the broader community in Melbourne has grown up with access to a safe and reliable water service, we understand that this isn’t always the case for many people from other countries and we’ve designed the syllabus to help our communities familiarise themselves with the water supply system.
“City West Water is ensuring that the many cultural communities that make up our service area are not forgotten, and that they have access to the same information that is generally available.
“And for us, providing information for the ESL syllabus helps to break down barriers so that we can be seen as an approachable organisation that provides them with the most fundamental of services – safe, clean water.”
Yarraville Community Centre has piloted the syllabus and it will be offered as a resource to all adult education centres in City West Water’s service area for use from February 2010.