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Improving your knowledge and
learning new skills is really important and
central to organising community action. Many of
those skills are useful in all areas of your
life including home, community and at work.
Listed below are organisations that offer
community development skills (project
management, consultation, book-keeping, health
and safety, fundraising, involving young people,
chairing and committee skills) to more
specialist environmental skills like:
permaculture, dry stone wall building, energy
efficiency advice and nature conservation. The
best place to start is locally; by utilising
local training providers you will build a strong
community network that will be invaluable to you
when you put your newfound skills into action.
With this in mind we have tried to signpost
people to statutory and voluntary organisations
that provide learning opportunities throughout
the UK but every location is special and you
might find you have an environmental trust,
training network or regeneration project in your
area that can help. Please let us know if you
have and we will add their details to this list.
Remember to talk to your social landlord about
your ideas as they all have budgets to cover
tenant participation or community development
training and they might be able to help.
Sources of training advice for county, district
or city areas
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County Councils, Local Authorities and City
Councils will have staff that can advise you
depending on your needs. For instance Devon
County Council have a Youth and Community
Department that offers access and
signposting to youth training, an
environmental department with staff who can
run workshops and presentations on climate
change, recycling and green travel plans.
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Rural Community Councils, follow the link to
you’re your local one. Most employ training
staff that offer their own educational
programme and signpost to others providers,
RCC Contacts.
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Many Council’s for Voluntary Services (CVS)
and Volunteer Bureaus employ specialist
training advisors and organise educational
programmes that offer excellent training in
community and project development. Depending
on your area you may have a voluntary sector
training network or partnership to find out
more visit
Life Long Learning For instance in
Plymouth there is the
Plymouth Community Partnership that
offers training so it is worth doing an
internet search or talking to your local
CVS. To find your local CVS visit the
National Association for Voluntary and
Community Action
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Workers Educational Association offers a
training programme which included community
development and environmental topics to find
your local network.
Government funded initiatives that offer
training
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Every action counts is a government
backed environmental initiative that will
include access to training.
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The Countryside Agency offers a useful
link to learning networks linking
individuals and groups interested in
specific subjects including: renewable
energy, managing woodlands and green spaces
and walking for health.
Training for Residents’ Groups
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The Tenant Participation Advisory Service
is a membership organisation that offers a
programme of conferences and training
workshops, there is a charge for their
training and your landlord might be able to
help with the cost
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The National Communities Resource Centre
offers a wide range of residential training
including environmental workshops. Bursaries
for social housing residents are available
making their training very affordable (£6.50
per head) and the centre with its grass
roofed accommodation and eco-training
facility are inspirational.
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Community Matters is a membership
organisation that offers community
development training for tenants and
community groups. There is a cost to their
training and your landlord may be able to
help.
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PEP offers training and consultancy for
residents’ groups, some of these are
sponsored and delivered free and some have a
cost.
Energy
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Your local energy efficiency advice centre
will offer training to residents and housing
staff to find your local centre visit
The Energy Savings Trust
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For specialist training on energy
efficiency, renewable energy and green
transport visit
Create, a not for profit organisation
helping others to combat global warming.
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Community Action For Energy offers a
programme of training.
The Black Environment Network
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The
Black Environment Network offers
information on training.
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UBUNTU is a membership organisation open
to all black and minority ethnic
practitioners, networks and groups
interested in promoting and delivering
community development learning.
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WRAP offers guidance on engaging black
and minority ethnic communities in recycling
activities.
Young People
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Most county and city Youth and Community
Services offer access to training for youth
workers and youth project development. Talk
to your local youth service department.
Other useful organisations:
The Princes Trust offering young
people’s volunteering and training
opportunities.
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Forest Schools offer training to
individuals interested in volunteering with
or leading a forest school camp
Conservation and community development
Community Directory
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