Closing date: 9am on Wednesday 6 July 2022.
Are you looking for an unpaid opportunity that will help you to increase your confidence, empower you to change things for the better, and where you can – empower others, all while helping to tackle climate change? CAfS is recruiting 20 community climate champions across Cumbria to help us deliver the second year of a programme to boost knowledge about climate science and solutions and inspire people to take action in their own lives.
Champions will run interactive sessions for their local communities, ranging from short ‘climate crash course’ sessions to conversation cafes or reading groups, or just giving a talk or running a discussion with a small group.
By raising awareness and understanding about climate change, you’ll empower people to act and play their full part in bringing about a zero-carbon Cumbria.
You’ll receive training to deliver these sessions in your community, including a 1 day comprehensive, accredited Carbon Literacy training course. Plus you’ll have the full support of our Community Climate Champions Coordinator. We also hope to arrange a one day Zero Carbon Britain training (Centre for Alternative Technology) as an optional extra for those who wish to attend.
This is a fantastic opportunity for you to develop new skills, as well as bringing benefits to your community and playing a really important part in tackling climate change.
The role description below has full details about the project and the role.
This opportunity is open to people over the age of 18 only. If you’re under 18, please do keep an eye on our website and social media, as there’ll be opportunities for youth volunteers at a later date.
We wish to support diversification of the voices in the Cumbrian climate movement and particularly welcome applications from individuals on a low income, individuals in areas without an existing sustainability group or from anyone who feels that their voice, or the voice of their community is under-represented.
Application Process
Please apply by completing the expression of interest form below. Please do not send a CV. Guidance for submitting your application is included in the form.
Closing date for return of applications is 9am on 6 July 2022.
Role specification
If you prefer to download the role and person specification, please use the link below:
THE ORGANISATION: Cumbria Action for Sustainability (CAfS), Rural Eden Foyer, Old London Road, Penrith, CA11 8ET.
LOCATION: Home-based and in the community
REPORTS TO: Community Climate Champions Coordinator
MINIMUM TIME COMMITMENT: Roughly 4-5 hours/month August onwards, following 10 hours of induction and training in July/August. Starting from August, ideally you would run at least one session every 2 months. This could be an hour or 90-minute session or a quick climate conversation café session or a reading group or giving a talk to a small local group.
BENEFITS: This is an unpaid role, with benefits including:
- A free full-day accredited Carbon Literacy training session (worth £139 – see training dates listed later in document). We also hope to arrange a one day Zero Carbon Britain training (Centre for Alternative Technology) as an optional extra for those who wish to attend.
- Increased skills and abilities in delivering climate science and solutions training and/or conversations.
- Improved confidence and empowerment through opportunities to be mentored during the process.
- The chance to be part of a structured and supported network of people who can learn from each other.
- Social opportunities, including forums, a buddying system, group and one-to-one chances to get the tailored support you need to enjoy and make a difference in this role.
- The opportunity to have costs met to enable you to deliver the training, for example venue costs, Microsoft Office subscription, Zoom Pro accounts or a webcam.
- The opportunity to build skills and experience that could support a future application to be a paid freelance carbon literacy trainer.
DURATION: Your induction would take place in July. Your sessions would be delivered from August to December 2022, but being able to sustain your commitment by delivering ongoing events or talks beyond this time will be valuable.
APPLICATIONS BY: 9am on Wednesday 6th July 2022. Please apply using the application form. Please note that champions will be selected based on their application only; no interviews will be held for this role. We encourage applications from those who wish to build knowledge or confidence, as well as from those who are experienced.
CAfS ROLE AND PURPOSE
Our vision is a zero carbon Cumbria, and we strive to bring about a better way of life, in balance with our environment. Our mission is to empower and enable people, communities and businesses to live and work more sustainably by sharing our knowledge, practice, skills, networks and practical experience.
ABOUT CAfS
Our vision is a zero carbon Cumbria which is socially, environmentally, and economically beneficial for all.
Our mission is to promote and facilitate low carbon living and its benefits – inspiring and supporting individuals, communities and organisations across Cumbria and beyond to take action to decarbonise lives, communities and businesses by 2037 or sooner. We do this through events, advice, training and practical projects across the county as well as providing specialist consultancy services. We share our knowledge, skills and practical experience as widely as possible.
CAfS is an award-winning charity with a team of 28 highly skilled staff, working with a pool of specialist contractors and volunteers to deliver around 20 major, transformational low-carbon projects each year. Now in our 24th year, CAfS is the first point of reference in the county for information on sustainability and low-carbon living.
ABOUT ZCCP
The Zero Carbon Cumbria Partnership is working towards making Cumbria the first net zero carbon county in the UK, by 2037.
It’s an ambitious and inspiring challenge that will touch on many aspects of life in Cumbria to bring down the county’s greenhouse gas emissions to net zero. One part of this work is an exciting five-year programme of community activity to help people reduce their carbon footprint, particularly from food, waste and the goods we buy. It’s all been made possible thanks to a £2.5 million grant from the National Lottery Climate Action Fund.
The partnership brings together 80 organisations spanning the public, private and third sectors, with the aim of cutting greenhouse gas emissions – the root cause of the climate crisis.
Community Climate Champions can play a key role in generating the necessary changes and actions needed within their communities to enable Cumbria to reach its 2037 net zero ambition.
About this project
Following a successful climate champions project in 2021 CAfS are recruiting and training a further cohort of community climate champions to run a widespread programme of events on climate science and solutions across Cumbria, supported by a training coordinator. This exciting project is possible thanks to funding from the Emergence Foundation and The National Lottery Climate Action Fund.
We are aiming to reach communities who may not have the support of a sustainability network, who are concerned about climate change but not sure what to do about it.
We are hoping that alongside the original network of climate champions the additional 20 champions, between them, will also train or run events for hundreds of people over the life of the project, so that they will develop a sense of agency through having a much better understanding of the causes of, and solutions to, the climate crisis. This will ultimately benefit the environment by action taken to reduce emissions and tackle climate change.
All champions will receive free Carbon Literacy training and in depth support. A training package has been developed and the network of volunteers will be supported in a variety of ways to deliver events, talks or reading groups to those they wish to influence, including businesses, groups and other organisations, even to friends and family.
Main purpose of role
To work with the CAfS Community Climate Champions Coordinator as part of a team of volunteer community champions to run a widespread programme of events, training and facilitated discussions on climate science and solutions across Cumbria.
Champions will identify groups within their own communities to work with, as trusted messengers, and as such will be able to support a step change in the understanding of and attitudes towards climate change solutions across Cumbria. We wish to diversify the voices in Cumbria’s sustainability movement and particularly wish to reach under-represented groups in areas without an active sustainability group, and particularly welcome applications from those on a low income.
Key areas of responsibility
- To keep own knowledge of climate change and emission reduction measures up to date.
- To prepare for talks and events by becoming familiar with resources and attending any train-the-trainer training provided by CAfS.
- To run events, training or facilitated conversations with own chosen audiences and to engage the participants effectively (online as well as face-to-face given COVID considerations)
- To use the training provided by CAfS to shape these sessions
- To gather data, both quantitative and qualitative, to enable monitoring and evaluation of the project by the coordinator.
- To evaluate the sessions you deliver and to share your learning with the team of champions.
- To share your learning and resources with other champions.
Main tasks
- Identify groups and organisations that would like to take part in climate science and solutions training. We want champions to be able to deliver this training (or hold conversations that share the key messages from the training) to groups across Cumbria throughout 2022 and beyond.
- Work with other community champions and the Community Climate Champions Coordinator to share resources to deliver training.
- Deliver training sessions and conversations in the community to groups and organisations.
- Provide peer support, and share lessons learned with the pool of champions.
- Help to evaluate sessions for impact.
Skills, abilities and attitudes required
- A basic understanding of climate science and ways to reduce carbon emissions. A free full day’s accredited Carbon Literacy training session will be offered to build on existing knowledge.
- Confidence, or a desire to build confidence, in public speaking, running events or training.
- Good communication and interpersonal skills, including dealing with difficult situations and conflicting views.
- A non-judgemental attitude and an understanding that there are a range of views around action on climate change.
- Willingness to deliver training sessions and conversations using online platforms if needed. Support will be given.
- Willingness to engage with CAfS training on science and solutions, and also on how to engage with different audiences.
Timescales and time input
Your induction would take place in July.
Starting from August, we would like you to run at least one session every 2 months until at least December 2022. This could be an hour or 90-minute session or a quick climate conversation café session or a reading group or giving a talk.
Whilst the core period of delivery for your sessions will be August to December 2022, being able to sustain further sessions beyond this time will be valuable.
Successful applicants will hear back from us by Thursday 7th July at 5pm.
There are two dates when appointed champions could attend the full day accredited course (comprised of two morning sessions or two afternoon sessions):
- Tuesday 19 + 26 July 9.15 AM -1.15 AM
OR
- Wednesday 20 + 27th 1.15-5.15 PM
NB – If you are unable to attend on these dates there will be another opportunity in August.
CAfS contact
Clare Taylor is the Community Climate Champions Coordinator and will induct, train, support and guide the champions. Please email [email protected] with any questions and please do submit the expression of interest form by the deadline.
