Connection to the coast starts with experience
Dive In: Deepening Connection to the Coast through hands-on marine education
Marine Discover Centre South Australia
Our sEEd grants are designed to overcome a simple yet frustrating hurdle for environmental educators, finding the funding and freedom to try something new.
In 2025 we granted six members/organisations a sEEd grant, one of those recipients was the Marine Discovery Centre SA who were looking for ways to broaden their hands-on marine experiences for students.
Located within the Star of the Sea School in Henley Beach, the Centre has been providing marine literacy and ecological sustainability education to school students and the public since 1997.
But feedback from teachers and previous community partnerships showed there was an opportunity to do more: to put greater emphasis on practical, hands-on learning and give participants more opportunities to experience the marine environment directly.
That is where an AAEE sEEd grant came in.
Funding for small environmental education projects is often difficult to come by, with funders typically attracted to larger, more involved projects. Small organisations and educators may not have the time or resources to navigate lengthy application and acquittal processes.
Our sEEd grants are designed to overcome this challenge and in 2025 the Marine Discovery Centre was one of six grant recipients.
The funding helped the centre purchase digital microscopes, handheld magnifying glasses and VR headsets, as well as print Kaurna language resources.
These weren’t simply new pieces of equipment. They created new ways for students to learn, connect with and build deeper relationships with the marine environment.
Kaurna knowledge and perspectives were also embedded with the guidance and involvement of Kaurna educators, strengthening participants understand of caring for Country.
“A highlight for us was bringing Kaurna perspectives and marine science together in a place-based program that encouraged deeper conversations about Country, Sea Country and responsibility for the coast.”
The Centre was able to build and educate for the future. This is the power of environmental education.
“We loved seeing children build confidence through the direct encounters with the local marine environment, particularly those with limited previous access to coastal and marine learning.”
If you’re an AAEE member with an idea for an environmental education project, our sEEd grants are now open, applications close 30 September 2026 COB.
And if you’d like to help make more of these opportunities possible, becoming an AAEE member or making a donation helps support the work that gives environmental educators the chance to test, learn and grow new ideas.