Growing Award Report for Vegware
November 18th 2016
On 16th November we heard we have been successful in getting 12 months funding from Awards for All – which is fantastic! In addition to the baseline support we are currently offering this will allow us to:
- Increase staff covering the project from 2 very part-time posts (about 8 hours a month) to up to 4 hours a week until December 2017
- Support 10 new schools to start the Growing Award over the next 12 months
- Continue to support those that are currently doing it, including produce and present certificates to those that request them
- Deliver 3 twilight/CPD sessions across Highland in early 2017
- Promote the Award at events and through on-line support and materials
- Develop the Award for adult groups and those independent of schools
- Identify and train 3 volunteers, or those working for other organisations to support schools further afield than Inverness/East Ross area
- Work towards making the Award self-sustaining by early 2018.
Other activity as part of the on-going work:
- Attended a networking event on community growing in the Highlands which a parent from one of the Skye Growing Award schools came along to and I re-kindled a connection with a group interested in the adult version of the Award
- Verifying applications from an Inverness primary school for a further 8 Silver Awards and hopefully visiting at the beginning of December to present the certificates.A bit on RoWAN!
RoWAN is a small waste reduction charity that has been operating in the Highlands since 2001. We have delivered a number of successful projects which have engaged a wide range of individuals, communities, organisations and schools in relation to increasing recycling and reducing waste and CO2 emissions. These projects include:
- “R U Up 4 It?” food waste reduction project with 11 Highland schools, funded by Junior Climate Challenge Fund from April 2012 until end March 2015 1 full-time, 1 part-time staff.
- “Volunteer and Advocacy Project” working with Highland Council to encourage higher levels of recycling (especially up-cycling) in 2 areas of Inverness. 2 part-time staff from Oct 2013-June 2017. Funded by Zerowaste Scotland
- Zerowaste Volunteer projects across Highland from 2008 until present
We have built up strong connections with a number of national and local agencies and have good working relationships with several departments within Highland Council – e.g. education, waste management. Staff and directors benefit greatly from being part of a range of networks accessing a considerable amount to knowledge and good practice which will be used to benefit this project.
We use a variety of approaches to encourage behaviour change, and all our staff and volunteer directors are committed to making their own contributions to address the impacts of our changing climate. We currently have 1 full time and 3 part-time staff and employ sessional workers as and when required working across the Highlands. The Board consists of between 5-6 volunteer directors, many who have been involved in RoWAN since its inception.
