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In June 2023 Sustainable Communities was commissioned by the social enterprise RISE to undertake scoping research into the support available for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer and more (LGBTQ+) persons where domestic abuse features in their personal relationships.

Our research supports RISE in delivering their free programme called Respectful Partnerships, a programme of expert help and support for LGBTQ+ victims and perpetrators whose relationships are affected by domestic abuse. Respectful Partnerships is available for those who are LGBTQ+ living in the London boroughs of Barnet, Enfield, Harrow, Brent, Newham, Haringey, Tower Hamlets, Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster.

Please see: https://risemutual.org/respectful-partnerships-programme

Researchers at Sustainable Communities mapped out the routes for LGBTQ+ people seeking help in domestic abuse situations across London. We found that situations of domestic abuse in LGBTQ+ relationships are often under-reported and more support is needed for those seeking help.

Building on RISE’s long established ways of working with abuse, the Respectful Partnerships programme works sensitively with either couples or separately with individuals affected by this largely hidden and rarely discussed issue. RISE is here to help couples and individuals stop abuse and build loving and respectful relationships.

For more information, email RISE: info@risemutual.org

or Sustainable Communities: hello@sustainablecommunities.uk

Along with staff from Slade Gardens Adventure Playground and Edible Garden in Brixton, South London, Sustainable Communities has been running an upcycling project for children. This has included recycling used clothing into new goods and into fun objects such as glove puppets; raising awareness of wildlife such as butterflies and bees. The garden has bees hives on-site and bees events include a forage and bees quiz to be held during Whitsun Half Term Holiday in May 2023

4 session programme inc a taster session, delivered by Sustainable Communities for community members, including those with protected characteristics, or economically disadvantaged, to reduce their carbon footprint within the challenging cost of living and wider economic crisis; programme can be delivered to groups of adults as well as young people aged 14 , bringing together community members to make better choices and consume more responsibly. 

• To give participants an overview of links between how addressing climate issues can impact on cost of living pressures.
• To discuss consumer choice and provide examples of lower carbon choices.
• To give participants an opportunity to select a particular area that they would like to work on and devise and implement a plan. 

Contact hello@sustainablecommunities.uk

A one day face to face or on line workshop  for small to medium charities,  businesses and enterprises to take immediate practicable steps to reduce their environmental impact and develop these further for long environmental sustainability.

The training event can either be offered to staff and managers from a single organisation or to a group of senior managers and leaders working as a group with leaders from other organisations. The organisation should be represented by leaders who are capable of making and implementing changes to improved environmental sustainability. 

The workshop will introduce the following topics 

• Culture change to work towards net zero 
• Staff and manager involvement
• Improving Business systems and processes – an introduction to  business process reengineering 
• Legislation requirements for a greener environment  
• Reducing day to day energy use, heating lighting,  insulation and ventilation 
• Utility supplies for electricity, gas, water and waste
• Documenting and measuring change 
• Supplies and external services 
• Waste management and recycling
• Improved water efficiency 
• Renewable energy and insulation 
• AQA Unit Award Scheme
• Marketing and branding 
• Available Grants and funding
• Action Planning

For more information please e mail hello@sustainablecommunities.uk

Greenpeace’s May 2022 survey, the Big Plastic Count, shows thats 100 billion pieces of plastic are thrown away each year and only 12% of plastic waste is recycled within the UK (much is sent overseas). A lot of this is single use plastic, made from fossil fuels and used when we buy fruit and vegetables, ready meals or other pre packed foods.

Please watch the video and reduce, reuse and recycle more plastic

https://act.greenpeace.org/page/109419/data/1?source=EM&subsource=OCPOPSOAEM03HC&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=The+Big+Plastic+Count+Results+video+page++OA+20220712&utm_term=

UK households are amongst the biggest users of single use plastics but we need more evidence of this to support government targets for reducing plastic waste. Please help involve households, community groups, schools and youth clubs to gather evidence of how much plastic waste leaves UK households, help set a target to reduce single-use plastic by 50% by 2025 and ban UK plastic waste being exported to other countries.

From April to September 2022 we are running a series of free one hour monthly on line webinars facilitated by our expert practitioners to address key issues affecting the sector. 

Following our successful seminar on 26th April on Volunteer Retention, please find below details of our next three forthcoming seminars: 

May Webinar – Wednesday 25th May at 11 am on Trustee Roles and Responsibilities for Trustees and staff, led by Norman Powell

This interactive webinar provides new and existing Trustees and staff with an overview of how to meet Trustees’ legal duties and responsibilities plus recent changes in regulations 
For further details and registration please use the following Eventbrite link
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/trustee-roles-and-responsibilities-tickets-321238050657

June Webinar – Tuesday 28th June at 11 a.m on Environmental Sustainability for Community Organisations, led by Kuljit Sandhu This interactive webinar will discuss simple methods to reduce the carbon footprint of your community building and organisation, including community involvement, energy and waste
For further details and registration please use the following Eventbrite link

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/reducing-the-carbon-footprint-of-your-community-organisation-tickets-328799537267

September Webinar- Friday 30th September at 11 am – Introduction to Legal Structures for Community Organisations, by led Sarah Bishton Do you need advice to set up a new charity or enterprise?  Or have you got the correct governance structure or do you need to amend it?
For further details and registration please use the following Eventbrite link
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/introduction-to-legal-structures-for-community-organisations-tickets-329590041687

Starting on Tuesday 26th April at 11.00am we are running a series of free one hour monthly on line seminars facilitated by our expert practitioners to address key issues affecting the sector.   
Our first seminar is on Volunteer Retention and is led by Stephenie Linham. Stephenie is a director of Sustainable Communities UK. She has worked as a Community Centre Manager and has been a consultant to the sector for over 20 years including as a consultant and trainer for Community Matters, Advising Communities and the Directory of Social Change.  

Stephenie writes: ‘Our volunteers are such a valuable resource for our charitiesand social enterprises.How do we make sure they feel good about the work they do, are happy and stay witVolunteer Teh us?In this free one hour zoom session I will give you some ideas that have worked for me then give you a chance to share your thoughts and ideas with other participants  before the final feedback session.’
In order to make the session interactive numbers are limited to 30 participants.  Please enrol via Eventbrite by following the link below:
 

 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/volunteer-retention-registration-319782487027

FUTURE SEMINARS As part of this series, the following one hour seminars are also planned for the coming months, all to take place in the last week of each month, date to be confirmed:

May 25th:   Roles and Responsibilities of Charity Trustees 

June:  Environmental Sustainability  

July:   Introduction to Legal Structures 

September: Safeguarding for Trustees and Directors 

Join online or in person the Glasgow COP 26 Peoples Summit for Climate Justice of peoples and communities around the world.

Register for free or donation at

https://cop26coalition.org

hear and help develop ideas, programmes, transformative, community based solutions.

All sessions are broadcast digitally and will help build a movement of grassroots collective inter community action. Learn more about community initiatives from around the globe, how to implement the global green new deal, indigenous ecological knowledge, polluters’ liability, the difference between real zero and net zero.

From October 2021, Sustainable Communities has been working in partnership with Slade Community Play Association and Youth Elements to deliver a 2 year programme to train and support under-employed and unemployed people aged 18-29 years from Lambeth and offer them volunteering and job entry support to work in early years child care, play and youth work and horticulture. We will also offer you employment based awards to improve your employability. Please e mail hello@sustainablecommunities.uk or tel 07761064236 for more information.