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An invaluable course for anyone looking to develop community activities for energy-saving, climate change and related issues.

Date: Thursday 1st December, 2011
Time: 10:00-16:00
Location: TCPA, 17 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1Y 5AS

Comments from participants of previous Talk Action courses run by this facilitator:

“Really useful clarity on communicating climate change. Excellent!” Rona Gold (West Lothian Council)

“Extremely good day, thank you!” Kate Hogarth (Scottish Environment Protection Agency- Sepa)

“Enjoyed it all - great job” Kathleen Kirkness (Changeworks)

The Course:
Organisations and individuals need to take energy and climate change issues into account when planning their work. Delivering climate goals will require the engagement of a wide range of stakeholders, including community organisations.

This course will teach you the skills and information needed to develop long-term engagement of civil society organisations, groups and individuals in work on climate change and low-carbon living.

The new Localism Bill stresses the need for better community engagement: the question is how to make that engagement happen on this complex issue. While some groups are active on limiting and adapting to climate change, this poses unique challenges to the majority who may have other interests and priorities.

This course outlines why climate change can be a particularly problematic issue for communities, how to overcome this and how this links to issues around the new Localism Bill and the ‘Big Society’.

People attending this course will:

• Learn the ways in which community engagement can deliver lasting change on climate and energy issues and how to make this happen.
• Understand why community engagement on climate change can be problematic.
• Be clear on the best ways to start a dialogue around climate change.
• Learn to lead a discussion on the positive aspects of low carbon living.
• Learn to support and work with communities.
• Be able to offer guidance to any community group on reducing their own foot print.
• Receive guidance on how to develop an action plan.

Who should attend this course:

The course will benefit anyone working with or seeking to work with community organisations on behaviour change, projects or local action planning. It will include a review of the new moves towards localism and how these impact on climate and sustainability work.

It is designed for climate and energy staff, community workers, organisers and activists. It covers approaches to work with both enthusiastic and less engaged communities. All participants will have time to work on developing their own actions plans for work after the course.

A course manual will be available to all participants, along with a copy of ‘Better Places, Better Planet’, a book written by Chris Church for the Community Development Foundation.

The Facilitator:

The course is run by Chris Church who has over 20 years experience of work with communities on climate and sustainability issues. As an experienced trainer, his courses for Talk Action are popular and have run regularly for three years. Chris has written manuals on local action for BTCV, Groundwork and the Community Development Foundation. He is Chair of the UK Low Carbon Communities Network.

Chris has also worked with the Community Sector Coalition, many local Councils, the Environment Agency, the National Trust, BTCV, Defra, Groundwork, the European Union TACIS programme, Surfers Against Sewage and numerous community organisations. He is trained as a teacher and has been developing and running training programmes for 22 years.

Cost:
£288: Large Charities, Public Sector and Businesses
£130: Small Charities and Independent Consultants

Concessionary rates available for students, pensioners and unemployed. Please contact info@talkaction.org for further details.

Bespoke courses can be arranged for groups at a date and location to suit you.

Prices include a hot Mediterranean buffet lunch, fair-trade refreshments and networking time.

For bookings and further information, please contact:

Talk Action
Jonathan Elliott
Tel: 0207 324 4774
Email: jelliott@talkaction.org

The venue is fully accessible with wheelchair-accessible lavatory facilities.

Supported by: Environment Job.