EVENTS AND TRAINING

Setting up a Community Group
27 November 2007
Doncaster

This BTVC event identifies all the elements needed to set up an environmental or community group, including planning and involvement techniques, legal, finance requirements and communicating with the public. It is aimed at anyone involved in setting up a group, development workers who support groups and those in similar roles whether paid or voluntary.

Voluntary organisations £105 + VAT, Local Authorities, statutory & other non-voluntary organisations £160 + VAT

Info: http://shop.btcv.org.uk/shop/level3/554/stock/6103
Helen or Jacki at ETN  0121 359 2113, ETN@btcv.org.uk

Waste Educators Conference
4 December 2007
London

The first ever national Waste Educators Conference, the launch event of the Waste Watch Education Network

£90, free entry to members of the Waste Watch Education Network.

Contact: Lauren Prince on 020 7549 0321 or lauren.prince@wastewatch.org.uk

Defra Research on Benefits of Third Sector in Waste management: Invitation to Participate
5 December 2007 London
12 December 2007 Manchester
Resources for Change and its partners are investigating the hypothesis that third sector organisations are adding value to waste management over and above that created through private contracts. Their findings will inform Defra’s policy making. This work is endorsed by: the Community Composting Network (CCN), the Community Recycling Network UK (CRNUK) and the Furniture Re-use Network (FRN). All of whom will be engaged as stakeholders in the process.
Are you working in the waste sector, with experience of third sector delivery of local authority contracts?   If so, please make sure they gain a full picture of the benefits the third sector can bring by attending a one day workshop in London or Manchester.

Travelling expenses and bursary will be available to third sector attendees.

Contact: http://www.r4c.org.uk/Default.aspx?tabid=416  Ruth 01938 555759

CRNS Waste Prevention Seminar & Best Practice Toolkit for Real Nappy Projects Event
Thursday 6 December 2007
Stirling

Waste Prevention Seminar
10.00 – 12.30
This event is aimed at any organisation undertaking waste prevention activities, those who wish to initiate such activities and anyone with an interest in waste prevention.  Showcasing the main INCREASE Programme funded organisations (Changeworks, The Wise Group, RoWAN and Friends of the Earth Scotland) and encouraging discussion around methodology, monitoring and the achievement of targets.

Info: http://www.crns.org.uk/index/siteevent-details-action/id.168/title.-waste-prevention-seminar

Best Practice Toolkit for Real Nappy Projects Event
1 - 4.30
This seminar will be of particular relevance to CRNS members, local authorities, NHS (antenatal/postnatal), new and existing Real Nappy Projects and all those interested in minimising waste through raising awareness of Real Nappies.

Info: http://www.crns.org.uk/index/siteevent-details-action/id.167/
title.-real-nappy-best-practice-event

Contact: Joyce Walsh  01786 469002 events@crns.org.uk

Furniture Re-use Network Conference
Thursday 10 – Saturday 12 January 2008
Manchester

*Special discount* secured for CRN UK members - residential booking £50 + VAT off per delegate
non residential booking it £30 + VAT off per delegate (from non member rates).

To view sub-plenary topics & book visit: www.frn.org.uk/annual_conference.asp Tel: 0117 9543571 francesb@frn.org.uk
             
CRNS 3rd Annual Conference and Awards           
More Than Recycling 08 - Sustainable Futures Through Community Recycling
Tuesday 11 March 2008
Perth Concert Hall, Scotland

MTR08 will focus on the social, environmental and economic benefits that can be achieved through effective and innovative local community recycling partnerships.

Info: http://www.crns.org.uk/index/mtr08 Joyce Walsh  01786 469002

The Big Green Challenge
This is a £1 million prize fund to encourage and reward people working together to find new and better ways to tackle climate change. The challenge is aimed at not-for-profit groups and organisations to
develop and implement new approaches that lead towards a 60% reduction of C02 emissions in their communities.

Remaining regional events:

• Wednesday 28 November - London
• Thursday 29 November - Cardiff
• Friday 30 November - Norwich
• Tuesday 4 December - Edinburgh
• Thursday 6 December - Sheffield

Info: http://www.nesta.org.uk/news/events/index.aspx

Successful Procurement and Negotiation in the Third Sector
Acevo and the DTA will be delivering a series of regional seminars on behalf of the Finance Hub on successful procurement and negotiation. Suitable for anyone who has an interest in procurement and negotiation in the third sector, including people from: third sector organisations, social enterprises, funding organisations

Tuesday 4 December 2007 Cambridge
11 December 2007 - Newcastle
14 January 2008 - Bristol
23 January 2008 - Manchester
7 February 2008 - Brighton

10.00am to 5.00pm
£39 (Acevo members) £49 (non members) 

The seminars will be based on the following draft briefings: Best practice in negotiation, best practice in tendering/bidding, best practice in impact reporting. VAT issues in establishing delivery partnerships and consortia.

Info: https://www.acevo.org.uk/UserFiles/File/
Procurement_Negotiation_Seminars_Flyer.pdf
Orli Gorenski 0845 130 1627

Furniture Matters – Knowledge Sharing Day
Recycling Re-use training

Tuesday 5 February 2008

Morecombe
Lancashire

Cost £50 per person or £80 for 2 people from the same organisation.

We want to share information with colleagues across our sector in order to help you develop. So whether you are just starting a project; want to develop or change focus; or even if you are already operating a successful project and just need a bit of new inspiration - this day will be for you!

Your day with Furniture Matters will include:

• Presentation on the history of Furniture Matters and they work
• Site tour
• Question and answer session
• Lunch
• Information Pack

Contact: Julie Armer 01524 428016 http://www.furniturematters.org.uk

CIWM Waste Awareness Courses
The course provides an introduction to waste management and gives delegates the knowledge, understanding and skills to improve the management of wastes. So far Community Waste Network East has trained 180 delegates with some of the courses being provided in-house as well as at public venues.
 
Cost: £40 community and charitable sector, £100 local authorities, £125 for business sector

4 December, Cambridgeshire
24 January, Cambridgeshire
26 February, Witham, Essex, with an emphasis on WEEE
4 March, Braintree, Essex, with an emphasis on construction waste
27 March, Suffolk

Contact: Heidi Seary - heidi@crn.org.uk or tel: 07966 450426

WRAP Recycling Managers Training Course
Courses are aimed at recycling and waste officers and managers in local authorities and those from not-for-profit/community organisations or private waste management companies who are directly involved in delivering and managing local authority recycling.

For September - December 2007 dates & locations visit

http://www.wrap.org.uk/local_authorities/training/index.html

Masters in Social Enterprise Management, Post Graduate Diploma and Certificate in Social Enterprise Management
The next intake for this flagship programme is January 2008, and Liverpool John Moores University
are now looking for managers who work in social enterprise/third sector organisations who want to develop their skill base. The programme is a three-year part-time programme. On successful completion of the first year, students gain a Certificate in Social Enterprise Management and a Postgraduate Diploma is awarded on successful completion of the second year.

Info: http://www.ljmu.ac.uk/socialenterprise/index.htm   Bob Doherty  0151 231 3342 r.doherty@ljmu.ac.uk 

Women & Work: Sector Pathways Initiative
Raising Skills and Unlocking Potential. To help in the up-skilling of women in the energy and utilities sector, Energy & Utility Skills is offering sector employers the benefit of a highly subsidised Women & Work: Personal Development Programme, designed to equip women with the tools they need to help with their career development. This opportunity is currently available to employees working in England only.

http://www.wrap.org.uk/local_authorities/training/index.html

Environmental Conservation (Community Recycling) Level 2 NVQ

This NVQ is designed for:

•  Waste operatives

•  Community Recycling - Local Authority or voluntary sector recycling operatives or technicians and kerbside collection staff

•  Shop floor staff/operatives

The NVQ aims to improve an individuals understanding relating to waste management and ensures that they are competent to segregate, store, transport, recycle and dispose of waste in accordance with organisational policies, procedures and applicable legislation. This qualification also supports sites waste management licences.

EMS are approved providers with A4e employment in Yorkshire and Humberside, East Midlands, West Midlands, London and the North East and can offer 100% funding for level 2 NVQ's in Community Recycling. To discuss eligibility criteria: Tel:   01246 418913, info@em-solutions.co.uk   www.em-solutions.co.uk

WRAP Collection crew communications future training

WRAP are producing toolbox talks to help collection crews to communicate better with the public and increase recycling. Downloadable versions are expected to be available through the WRAP website by the end of the summer . These new training packages include materials for interactive sessions that can be delivered in the depot. They are designed to be delivered by supervisors and guidance on how to use the materials will be included. Sessions, which will provide underpinning knowledge for the NVQ level 2 in Recycling Operations, will include 'Understanding the bigger picture', 'Knowing about local issues', 'Good and bad environmental practice', 'Dealing with conflict' and 'Engaging with the public'.

Every Action Counts
Every Action Counts is a Defra initiative (England only) focused on enabling community and voluntary organisations to look at the wider sustainable development issues within their organisations. The programme covers resource use, energy, ethical shopping, sustainable transport and caring for your local environment.

CRN UK and FRN are both involved in this initiative and as part of this we encourage your community group to become involved as well. Please register your organisation at www.everyactioncounts.org.uk to access the available advice and the list of easy steps to benefit your group.

Interested in free training?
Do you have any volunteers or members of staff who may be interested in becoming a Community Champion? One aim of the Every Action Counts programme is to recruit 'Community Champions' who will work through action plans with organisations to help them develop more sustainable practices.
Champions will be equipped to work voluntarily with a variety of community organisations to look at sustainable development within an organisation and to run through a toolkit to identify changes they can make.

Community Champions will attend a FREE two day accredited training course. Part of this training will focus on presentation and facilitation skills as well as training on wider sustainable development issues.

Course dates will be set as required and BTCV (who are delivering the training and community champions initiative) will adapt dates to suit. For example, if a group register together they can arrange dates and location to suit.

To register and further info: www.btcv.org/communitychampions
When registering your organisation or as a Community Champion, please indicate you have heard of this initiative through the Community Recycling Network.
Contact: Lizzy White via eac@crn.org.uk