I am pleased to report that AMaGA ENVi has been very active and very healthy for the two years since our last BGM. We have conducted eleven events that have attracted almost 500 participants. We have grown our audience base and effectively collaborated with a number of other institutions and networks including AMaGA Vic, Department of Education Strategic Partnerships Networks and newCardigan, to provide meaningful activities for Victoria’s museum education community. We have experimented with the timing of events and have had success in moving from an after-hours model of delivery to events conducted during working hours.
Our website has become a more popular and effective method of communication boasting 346 followers and we have launched a Facebook group. I’d like to thank Christine Healey for the incredible work she undertakes to moderate these sites. We have taken the first steps into delivering a mentoring program thanks to Sacha Fawkes and we were able to recognise our very own Ian Watts who received an OAM for his services to museum education.
The committee has remained strong with up to thirteen members over the last two years and I’d like to thank them for their collective efforts. A volunteer organisation relies on the goodwill of the committee and we are very lucky to have so many people interested in our network. A number of committee members are stepping down this evening. I’d like to thank Louise Riley who has moved to Newcastle. Silvia Ercole has left the museum sector but kindly agreed to continue as our secretary until this BGM – thanks Silvia. Michele Stockley and Sacha Fawkes are not seeking re-election and I thank them for the tremendous work they have done. It is pleasing to see we have a number of new members seeking election this evening so the committee remains very healthy. I’d also like to recognise the extra work of our executive team in Christine Healey as Vice President, Silvia as Secretary and Michelle Kiag as Treasurer. You are all amazing.
Finally, this is my last meeting as President of ENVi. I think I have been involved in the committee for about 15 years and I attended my first MEAV event in my first year at Sovereign Hill 27 years ago. The network has been an important part of my professional life as a museum educator, providing the opportunity to understand the bigger picture rather than my little silo. But most importantly it has provided the opportunity to network with like-minded and passionate colleagues from across the sector and to develop some wonderful friendships. It has been such fun that I’d like to stay on the committee even though I am semi-retired!
Thank you,
Peter Hoban
2020 Biennial General Meeting
Melbourne Museum
19 February, 2020
amagaenvi.org 
Dear Peter – it was great to work with you all those years and it was so easy to overlap the fun with the professional side of things when you were involved. Enjoy your retirement! It’s a hoot!
Well done Peter. Thanks for your indefatigable efforts. It was always a pleasure sharing committee duties, social events and professional development activities with you.