ASEN is the national network of students active on environmental and social justice issues. We link together 38 university environment collectives and five state networks around Australia. ASEN adds to the amazing work being done on a local level by providing even more opportunities for young environmentally and socially aware people to gain the skills, education and experience necessary to become lifelong change agents.
Check out our guiding principles and values in the ASEN Charter
What Does ASEN do?
ASEN is the sum of its parts -these being local uni collectives, which in turn make up the state networks.
Collectives
Campus and other collectives carry out campaigns, share information, educate and empower students. They are involved in activities on and off campus.
State Networks
State Networks support collectives, encourage communication and resource sharing among different collectives, organise get-togethers and skill shares and facilitate campaigns within the state. The States stay in contact and try to share resources and ideas all over the country. Check out our state networks page!
Campaigning
ASEN campaigns on many environmental and social justice issues. Check out our campaign resources page!
Education and Training
ASEN works each year to skill up, educate, empower and connect members of the environment movement. We kick off the new year with a training camp for new organisers held in Canberra, timed to coincide with the Corroborree for Sovereignty on January 26 at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra. Over seventy enviro-minded young people from across the country network, plan, learn and skill up for the year ahead.
In 2007, ASEN and the AYCC organised a youth climate conference. Switched On brought together high school and university students and other young people to discuss the root causes of climate change, learn from successful social movements and plan how to take action.Check out our activist education page!
Students of Sustainability Conference
Each year, ASEN helps to organise the Students of Sustainability conference, with a focus on a variety of environmental and social justice issues. Organised by a collective of enviro activists in a different place each year, SoS attracts 600-800 people. The conference consists of workshops, inspiring talks, discussions, plenaries, planning sessions, actions, practical skill-sharing, networking, and hanging out with other enviro kids from all over the country.
In 2009 SoS will be held in Melbourne - check out the website.
Resources and Publications
ASEN publishes a biannual Zine called Germinate. ASEN also produces other resources to help with campaigns and with education. Check out our campaign resources page and our archive.
ASEN is against all forms of oppression and discrimination. The network works to oppose and challenge racist, sexist, homophobic or classist statements and actions.
Structure of ASEN
ASEN is a network of collectives. Collectives are the building blocks and we are committed to the principles of collective organising. Individuals in the movement come together in collectives, these collectives come together in state networks, and they all come together in the national network: ASEN. Individual collectives have the autonomy to determine their own projects and internal procedures.
What is a collective?
A collective is a group of people working together towards a common goal, or sharing similar aims or interests. Collectives actively aim to avoid hierarchies of power or information. They are unaffiliated to political parties. They are open and participatory, and every person’s opinion is given equal weight in decision making. Participants are encouraged into equal ownership of the collective.
Collectives allow people to give each other momentum and inspiration, to share experience and knowledge. They are also supportive environments to get active in, so that you can be a force of change and do what you talk and dream of. People who participate can be diverse in how they contribute and experience it.