Delta Environmental Centre is a private, independent non-profit organisation (established in 1975) that aims, through innovative education and training programmes and consultation, to enable people to improve the quality of their environment by promoting the management and sustainable use of all resources, in line with the South African Constitution. Delta Environmental Centre (DEC) has developed into a facility that epitomises “Environmental Education in Action”
OUR VISION
Dedicated to creating a sustainable environment through education and training for all
OUR MISSION
Create awareness about environmental issues by imparting and sharing appropriate knowledge
Introduce new and innovative knowledge, skills and values towards the environment
Develop responsible values and attitudes toward the environment
Encourage participation in sustainable and inclusive environmental action projects
Upskilling of learners, youth, teachers, business leaders and government officials
OUR VALUES
Respect for the environment
Democracy
Equality
No discrimination regarding race and sex
Ubuntu (human dignity)
An open society
The Rule of Law
Reconciliation
Accountability (Responsibility)
OVERVIEW
DEC is located in Delta Park, Johannesburg, about 10km northwest of the city centre. The Centre is housed in a municipal building that was originally built in the 1930’s as a sewage works. The building is an extremely good Johannesburg example of Art Deco architecture and housed the main works. (The building has now been awarded local heritage status.) The sewage works were closed in June 1963 with the building earmarked for demolition.
DEC’s founder and first chairman, Norman Bloom, had a vision for the building and a board and fund-raising effort was established. Sections of the building were transformed in stages to house a natural history museum, hands-on activity rooms, an auditorium, a large function room, a resource centre and exhibits. About 20 000 learners and 5 000 educators visit the centre annually, as well as over 2 000 conference delegates who use our facilities for seminars, presentations, meetings, launches etc.
Delta Park is a large urban municipal-owned park of 100 hectares and is used as an outdoor classroom. The park houses the Florence Bloom Bird Sanctuary of 10 hectares, with five dams and the Braamfontein Spruit on its eastern boundary.
DEC offers programmes for school groups with topics such as “Creepy Crawlies” and “Energy Conversations” for learners from pre-school to grade 12. Educators are offered workshop training in curriculum-linked environmental issues so that they can foster an appreciation of the need for a “healthy environment” in young people. Vibrant, well-informed environmental “activists” are mentored and encouraged to make planet Earth a “better place for all”.
DEC has matured into a leading institution in the field of environmental education, training and consultation and is an accredited training provider with the Education, Training and Development Practice – Sector Education and Training Authority (ETDP-SETA), and with the University of the North West (UNW). The training of educators and government officials on environmental programmes has become a key focus for DEC.
DEC is an independent organisation and needs to form viable partnerships with the government as well as the private sector.
