Learn how local government structures can play a key role in creating green and resilient communities on this online course over 3 evenings!

Whilst climate change is a global issue, the impact of floods, droughts and heatwaves, will be felt on a local level, affecting the lives of people in their own communities. And although much of the responsibility to take action lies with national governments and multinationals, many powerful solutions originate locally. With councils embedded in their parish or town, they hold great potential to help communities become greener, more resilient, and fairer.

This course is for existing councillors who want to learn how climate change will affect their constituency. It is for councils that have declared a climate emergency and want to take action, but don’t know where to start. It is for councillors who want to become more proactive, by learning how they can play a role in reducing the inequality climate change is already causing, making their neighbourhoods and homes more sustainable and building community resilience. You will learn from examples across the country, and unpack what works and what doesn’t. To end up with practical strategies tailored to your position and context.

What will I do and learn?

• Understand the expected effects of climate change on local communities in Britain and what this means for communities and local councils.
• Learn how councils can become more ambitious and proactive.
• Learn from inspiring examples of what local councils have done, and feel empowered to achieve something similar.
• Learn how local councils can work with members of the community and the voluntary sector to set up or contribute to initiatives that benefit the lives of their constituents and help communities become greener, fairer and more resilient.
• Learn about different ways in which local councils can generate funding in order to set up or contribute to initiatives that benefit the lives of their constituents and help communities become greener, fairer and more resilient.
• Learn where your local council can be significantly strengthened
• Be supported in creating a practical action plan that you can start to implement as an individual or group.
• Sharing knowledge and experience with other participants that have similar aims and aspirations.

Key Information

Dates: Wednesdays 11th, 18th, and 25th October 2023

Time: 7pm – 9.15pm

Instructions: After booking your spot, you be able to access the webinar link. Join online via Zoom.

NOTE: Your ticket covers all three evening courses

Who will I learn from?

Peter Macfadyen

Peter is pioneer of Frome’s extraordinary town council and author of Flatpack Democracy. He will be sharing his direct experience of creating more ambitious local councils that seek to position themselves as key organisations in a more cohesive community. He has worked in areas of social justice for over 40 years. In 2010 this took him into local politics, co-creating a new relationship between local government and the people in Frome. Moving from politics based on fear and confrontation to listening, empathy and co-operation are central to his ethos. His work and lifestyle see humankind as a small part of the wider ecology, with recycling, reusing, organic growing, cooking, bicycling, community and family all central.

Peter Lefort

Peter runs the University of Exeter’s Green Futures Network, connecting communities and organisations to the latest environmental research and resources. Before that he worked for Cornwall Council developing partnerships for a carbon neutral county. His work in these roles, and as the Co-Chair of the international Transition Network, is to support people and places to collectively respond to complex challenges and our changing world.

The Great Collaboration

The ‘Great Collaboration’ Platform is a partnership project that developed a Toolkit that helps councils choose and record their carbon reducing actions, influencing local council policy and making life better where they are based.

How much does it cost?

We would like our short courses to be as accessible as possible cost-wise, whilst ensuring we are still able to cover material and teaching costs. We, therefore, ask you to pay what you can towards this event based on our tiered system. We have individual tickets available at £40 (reduced rate), £75 (actual cost), and £100 (pay it forward).

Consider contributing more on the scale if you:

• have the ability to comfortably meet all of your basic needs
• have investments, retirement accounts, or inherited money
• travel recreationally
• own the home you live in
• have a relatively high degree of earning power due to level of education (or gender and racial privilege, class background, etc.)

Consider contributing less on the scale if you:

• have difficulty covering basic expenses
• are supporting children or have other dependents
• are an elder with limited financial support
• have unstable housing and/or limited access to reliable transportation

If you select an amount at the higher end of the scale, you will make possible future offerings and support our volunteers who are generously contributing time. Thank you!

Tickets are non-refundable. Depending on the uptake of the course we hold the right to cancel it, in which case you will be refunded.

Discounts

If you are unable to pay for the course and would like to be considered for a funded bursary place, then please complete this form. You will be contacted by a member of our team 2-4 weeks prior to the course starting.

We also offer a bundle deals if you are purchasing more than 2 tickets (at the true price rate of £75): 

- Receive 3 tickets for the price of 2 (total discount of £75)

- Purchase 4 tickets and receive 30% off (total discount of £90)

- Purchase 5 tickets and receive £150 off

Select the suitable option when you are purchasing tickets. If you would like to purchase 6 or more tickets at a discounted price, please enquire by sending an email to: natalia@blackmountainscollege.uk

Accessibility

This course is rated as 1 (most accessible) on our scale of accessibility. Read more about our accessibility policy here.

Please see our booking terms & conditions upon checkout for more information.