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BEN's Training and Consultancy
Information Pack
Index
The impact of BEN’s training
and developmental support on mainstream
environmental organisations - Case
studies
  
1.
The Edinburgh Green Belt Trust(EGBT)
Edinburgh Green Belt Trust was set up to
enhance the Edinburgh Green Belt
countryside by working with local
communities, landowners and other
stakeholders including local authorities,
government agencies and the business
community. The Trust aims to improve the
appearance, enjoyment and appreciation of
the Edinburgh Green Belt through
education, greater awareness and the
involvement of everybody in the
improvement process through empowerment.
It seeks to encourage active
participation of local people in all
aspects of its work.
The Edinburgh Green Belt Trust's
Community Initiatives Project requested
BEN's assistance with the aim of enabling
their staff to gain the necessary
awareness and skills to effectively
develop a working relationship with
ethnic community groups in Edinburgh.
They accessed BEN's training and
developmental support programme. Staff
from the Trust acknowledged that, prior
to this, they have not been able to reach
out and work with ethnic
communities.
EGBT established commitment within the
organisation to the agenda of developing
ethnic environmental participation and
allocated the necessary resources to take
it forward:
- staff time
- funds
- internal organisational support
Staff from EGBT took part in the BEN
Organisational Needs Assessment Survey to
identify the focus of the training and
support they needed in order to progress
the work of engaging with ethnic
communities.
EGBT gained an overview of ethnic
environmental participation through
taking part in the annual BEN Networking
Conference, which brings together ethnic
community groups and environmental
organisations from across the UK.
Saheliya, an ethnic women mental health
project, is one example of ethnic groups
now engaged with EGBT. They took part in
an educational/therapeutic visit to
Dalkeith country park in June 1999.
Feedback from Saheliya indicated that
staff from EGBT are now skilled in
addressing any sensitive issues regarding
working with the women and are able to
create socially and culturally relevant
opportunities for the women to contribute
to the work of the Trust.
EGBT opened up their work to Edinburgh's
Chinese community through providing
series of talks on local environmental
issues.
EGBT has gained the confidence and skills
to work with other ethnic groups in
Edinburgh without BEN's involvement.
Progress towards involving ethnic
communities in the management committee
is on the agenda.
Taking steps towards arriving at a
composition staff that reflects the local
community is on the agenda.
2. Northamptonshire Countryside Services
- Brixworth Country Park
Northamptonshire Countryside Services
contracted BEN for training in order to
lay down the basis for the development of
its services to ethnic communities within
the county.
The training day was attended by most of
the rangers from across the country and
key officers of the Countryside Services,
culminating in action plans.
The exercise was particularly successful
because of :
- the commitment of senior
management, who backed the
progressive action plans (which
included the attendance of ethnic
festivals during work time in
order to get to know and build up
the relationship with ethnic
communities) and released the
necessary resources to back
initiatives as they emerged.
- the county-wide training
generated a network of support,
and a feeling of being part of a
shared aim.
One spectacularly successful
initiative is the Culturfest in Brixworth
Country Park. Ethnic communities were
given the chance to make use of the park
to hold a cultural festival, shaping the
programme as they wished. Over 4000
people attended the very first
event.
The following year, there were so many
people that the police had to organise
turning people away because of the
traffic problems generated. It is now an
annual feature of the calendar.
Alongside the cultural programme,
Brixworth ran taster fun introductory
environmental activities. The park has
won Millennium Commission funds to be
developed as a centre of excellence with
regard to catering for disadvantaged
social groups including ethnic groups.
They have undertaken ground breaking
focus group work to guide the development
of both facilities and activities. This
has included walking for health groups,
women only activity groups, and planting
with cultural themes.
The involvement of ethnic groups in what
the Countryside Services have to offer
continues to grow from strength to
strength.
3.
Greenpeace UK
Greenpeace is a worldwide environmental
campaigning organisation. The
international dimension of the work of
Greenpeace makes it desirable for the
organisation to connect with settled
ethnic communities, and to draw on the
specific talents of those who are the
continuation of the peoples of the world
in relation to specific aspects of their
work.
Greenpeace consulted and commissioned BEN
to recruit a UK national of Caribbean
origin to represent the organisation as a
spokesperson for the Caribbean Endangered
Whales Awareness Project. This is in
recognition that the direct cultural
connection will facilitate entry into the
local Caribbean scene. Isabel Why became
the first black campaigner in the history
of Greenpeace. The campaign was
successful in engaging the local
population.
Greenpeace is considering further
opportunities for individuals and groups
from ethnic communities to engage with
them. Greenpeace hosted a group
representing different environmental
bodies from Scotland, to highlight what
Greenpeace is doing with regard to
increasing ethnic communities as
stakeholders within the organisation.
Members of the group were particularly
excited to be in contact with their
daredevil campaigners, and see at first
hand where props are built and their
equipment is maintained.
4.
The Army - The Royal Scots. Scotland
The Royal Scots see themselves as having
a special contribution to make to the
environment because of the range of
outdoor activities they can offer. They
have expertise and can make available
many facilities and equipment.
The Royal Scots, having identified that
ethnic representation in their
organisation and activity programmes was
very low, approached BEN for support with
the aim of making their services and
career opportunities open to ethnic
communities in Edinburgh.
A BEN development worker was invited to
an open day to observe and assess the
various opportunities which existed
within the Army e.g. outdoor and indoor
assault courses, 'Look at Life' courses
and work experience programmes.
This shaped the programme of a tailored
BEN training day for over 25 senior and
junior recruitment officers across the
Armed Forces, working to identify new
ways of making the services of the Forces
and other opportunities accessible to
ethnic communities.
A representative from the Royal Scots
attended the BEN Networking Conference to
gain an overview of ethnic environmental
participation, to network and to use the
experience to further develop ideas for
working with ethnic groups.
BEN facilitated a representative from the
Edinburgh Islamic society to offer
officers the experience of direct contact
with a member of Islam, to provide an
insight into Islam and to inspire
possible new and direct approaches to
involve Islamic youth in their work.
BEN facilitated a representative from the
Edinburgh Pakistani Society to give a
talk to officers about the needs and
concerns of the Pakistani community and
to engage in developing new ideas of
making the courses within the Forces
attractive to the Pakistani community.
The Royal Scots are helping ethnic groups
to access the countryside and outdoor
activities, and gain insight into the
army as a career path.
The Army in Scotland recorded an
increased percentage in ethnic
recruitment for 1999/2000. A rare
occurrence of a recruit from ethnic
background walking in voluntarily to join
the Army has been a major breakthrough.
Many ethnic communities regard the Army
as an overall racist force. In order to
counter this image, genuine commitment to
involving ethnic communities needs to be
expressed through continual initiatives
which enable access in a socially and
culturally relevant way.
As a result of the success of the
training and developmental work
undertaken by BEN with the Royal Scots,
the Lothian Police and the Fire Brigade
have approached BEN for similar support
in enabling them to provide activities,
and open up opportunities within the
organizations to ethnic communities.
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