My Environment Skills Hub is a platform created to connect a community of environmental sector professionals to inform, networking, and skills development. The platform enables the community to better understand and collaborate on issues surrounding capacity development for individuals, organizations and national systems that ultimately influence transitions to a just and sustainable South Africa.
The imperative for an online platform arose from long-term consultations and collaborations between numerous public sector and civil society organizations actively implementing skills strategies including both the DFFE’s Environmental Sector Skills Plan and SANBI’s Biodiversity Human Capital Development Strategy.
Since 2010 these strategies have been promoting a sector that is “joined up”. Figuratively, this principal drives the notion that organizations working within the Environmental Sector in South Africa do not operate in isolation but in a system where greater impact can be leveraged by working strategically together. With thousands of young environmental graduates seeking work in the sector, and hundreds of organizations who enhance the impact of their environmental work through their professional networks and partnerships the term “joined up” creates a powerful vision for systems change.
Thus, several stakeholders involved in Environmental Capacity building initiatives have joined forces to design, implement and manage this platform. Whether you're seeking training programs, industry insights, or collaboration opportunities, My Environmental Skills Hub is your go-to destination for fostering environmental expertise and driving positive change in South Africa. We trust you will find it a valuable space for assisting with yours, or your team’s professional development.
Who is it for?
MESH is for anyone, of any age or professional stage who works in, or is interested in 0working in the Environmental Sector. It will also be a valuable resource for those working in other sectors across South Africa who need to develop their Environmental and Sustainability capacities and competencies.
Who owns/manages MESH?
No single organization owns the MESH platform. The hub is managed by individuals from a collection of partner organizations and governed by a steering committee with representatives from across the Environmental Sector in South Africa. If you would like to get involved in developing the platform please contact us (link to contact page).
Currently our partners include:
GreenMatter is an organization that is committed to growing scarce, and priority skills for the environmental sector. The not-for-profit activates through the involvement of a range of organisations, institutions and partners (which include NGOs, SMME's, parastatals, national and provincial government departments), Higher Education Institutes (HEIs), SETA's and Business, in delivering through a shared implementation model on the needs for quality skills and transformation. GreenMatter is the lead implementing partner of the MESH platform.
The South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) contributes to South Africa’s sustainable development by facilitating access to biodiversity data, generating information and knowledge, building capacity, providing policy advice, showcasing and conserving biodiversity in its national botanical and zoological gardens. SANBI is the lead coordinating agent for the Biodiversity Human Capital Development Strategy which has ultimately given rise to MESH.
The legal mandate and core business of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) are to manage, protect and conserve South Africa’s environment and natural resources. In addition to the development, implementation and ongoing review of a progressive regulatory framework for sound environmental management, other critical environmental management interventions by the DFFE include raising awareness on key environment issues and promoting a culture of environmental activism among ordinary citizens, building capacity within the sector, and establishing and strengthening national, regional and global partnerships to address common environmental challenges. The DFFE leads the National Environmental Skills Planning Forum which heavily informs the activities of MESH.