Grants and Awards

The Sustainability in Practice Awards highlight services which become the catalyst for building communities where children are encouraged and supported to be active members and responsible citizens. Daily practices modelled by the educators are built on respect, care and advocacy across four dimensions: social, political, environmental and economic. The journeys toward sustainability for early childhood services in Queensland are documented in the Sustainability in Practice Awards and highlight the significance of lifelong learning of sustainability.

The QECSN Committee is grateful for the support of Queensland Senator, Larissa Waters. Senator Waters has shown her support by kindly donating prize money for 2018, 2019, 2020. We would like to thank Senator Waters and her office for supporting the wonderful work of sustainability educators in the Early Years.

The Sustainability in Practice Awards are open to members of QECSN Inc. to showcase the projects which demonstrate their commitment to learning for sustainability. QECSN Inc. hopes that these awards will inspire others to evolve into future Sustainability in Practice Award participants and winners.  Our aim is for these awards to become a significant influence on the continued integration of sustainable practices and principles into the operations and curriculum of early childhood services in Queensland. 

Making a submission for the QECSN Sustainability in Practice Awards is simple. The submission form is designed so that information your Services Quality Improvement Plans (QIP) may be copied into the submission form or alternatively, added to your QIP if the project has not already been documented. 

The three categories of QECSN's Sustainability in Practice Awards are;

  • Service Engagement and Improvement through Sustainable Practices and Processes
  • Educator(s) leading change: Rethinking sustainability
  • Children leading change for sustainability

Applications due-  Friday 15th September 2023 Send to admin@qecsn.org.au

Award Guidelines

2023 QECSN Sustainability Award Application form

Award Judging Criteria

Previous Winner: 2018 Educator Leading Change

Previous Winner: 2019/2020 Service Engagement and Improvement 

Previous Winner : 2019/2020 Educator Leading Change

Previous Winner: 2019/2020 Child Leading Change for Sustainability

Please note, submissions for QECSN's Sustainability in Practice Awards may be made by members or non members. 

Previous winners of the Sustainability In Action Awards are;

2017 Indooroopilly Montessori Children's House, Emma Nall

2018 Willmore Kindergarten, Sharon Kemp, Mackenzie from Aspley East C&K Kindergarten

2019/2020 Gaven Community Kindergarten, Cherie Jenkins & Shani Mills, Harper from C&K Banks St Kindergarten

2021 Winners Deadly Kindy Gundoo Mirri, Ipswich Grammar Junior School, Jenna from Alderly Kindergarten

2023 Winners Montessori Children's House Auchenflower "Following the Paper Trail". Educators Leading Change Award: Tracy Dean-Jones "Bush Tucker Garden".