Strategy for developing sustainability services
A new approach to voluntary sector services in Staffordshire
Problem
Approximately twenty years ago humanity as a whole became
responsible for consuming more in any one year than the remainder of the
planet’s global system could replace. Since then both human population and
consumption rates have increased in total. The report of 27th Session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) held in
Our Aim
To be the lead organisation within Staffordshire’s Voluntary Sector that will:
- Generally: support and develop voluntary community action across Staffordshire to reduce current levels of depletion of local and global resources and contribute towards the achievement of national and international targets
- Specifically: to encourage communities within Staffordshire to contribute to the achievement of three of the higher level outcomes of the Local Area Agreement:
- A sustainable transport system which improves access to essential services for all, reducing the reliance on the car.
- Reduce the volume of waste to landfill and increase recycling rates.
- Reduce carbon emissions.
(N.B. Achievement of the fourth’ higher level objective’ within the
Voluntary Sector: ‘Enhance and ensure access for all to environments that are
valued, protected and enjoyed’ is being led by Staffordshire Wildlife Trust)
Outcomes
- A net increase in the number of rural communities that have access to collective transport schemes:
- New or extended public transport services where usage levels will lead to reductions in private fuel consumption
- New or extended voluntary car sharing schemes
- New or extended schemes for the distribution of local produce for local consumption
- A net reduction in the amount of material emanating from community buildings and voluntary groups that goes to general waste achieved by:
- Recycling and composting
- Reuse and reduction of consumption of new materials
- A net reduction in the use of fossil fuels in community buildings and by voluntary groups achieved by:
- Energy efficiency and insulation
- Consumption and production of renewable energy
Team responsible for service delivery
- New specialist post to coordinate and deliver community work with specific voluntary administrative support and more general assistance from current administrative team
- Voluntary specialist technical support (from former members of ‘Sustainable Staffordshire’)
- Support from existing Community Officer team by application of existing services:
- RASP
- Voluntary car-sharing schemes
- Rural Hub
- Small grants from Community Chest
- Grant finder service to help fund larger projects
- Village Agent assistance with development of community strategy and administration
- Providing ‘Every Action Counts’ training programme for potential ‘Community Champions’
Estimated additional annual costs
|
Item |
Estimated annual amount (£) |
|
Sustainability Officer post |
£32,000 |
|
Promotional & technical support materials |
£3,000 |
|
Administration |
£15,000 |
|
Total |
£50,000 |
Proposed funding for year 2008
|
Item |
Estimated annual amount (£) |
|
Existing funds |
£7,500 |
|
Fund raising target |
£7,500 |
|
Value of voluntary time |
£7,500 |
|
Bid to LAA SDTG |
£27,500 |
|
Total |
£50,000 |
Paul Newman
