SuScit mailing February-2008
CONTENTS:
1-SuScit Project
update:
a- Fieldwork:
Launching phase II in the SuScit fieldwork.
2-Research:
a-EPSRC: ‘Green to
Go’: Research on green technology for transport.
b-NatCen: Abuse and
Neglect of Older People - what is the extent of this in the
c-DCLG: Housing
Choices and Aspirations of Older People: Research from the New Horizon's
Programme.
3-Publication:
a-CDF report: Faith,
Cohesion and Community Development.
b-NESTA report: Transformers-How
Local Areas innovate to address changing social needs.
4-Events:
a-NESTA: Science
for Humanity. New Organization’s Launch.
b-Royal Geographical Society: The future of Low Carbon Energy,
a 21st Century Challenges Event.
c-PIEL Conference: Public
Interest Environmental Law Conference - 2008.
d-ESDN:
European Sustainable Development Network workshop: Experiences with
Participatory Tools and Mechanisms,
e-Mayville
Community Centre: International Women’s Day Celebration.
5-Policy:
a-. DCLG- Local Government Minister John
Healey: Measures to revive deprived areas
6-News:
a-United Nation:
2008 ‘International Year of Planet Earth’-Earth Sciences for Society.
b-Food Ethics
Council: Quizzing
Tesco, Cadbury and HSBC on the Environment.
c-European
Environment Agency (EEA):
Greenhouse gas emissions indicators updated.
d-GLA: Groundbreaking
programme to green
7-Funding:
a-Community
Development Foundation:
Grassroots Grant.
b-ESRC: Assisted
Living Innovation Platform.
8-Training and Jobs:
a-Friends of the
Earth: Power Up! 2008. Rights & Justice residential course.
1-SuScit Project update:
a-Fieldwork:Launching phase II in the SuScit
fieldwork: Exploring narratives and perceptions of local sustainability.
During
last month local residents, sustainability practitioners and researchers have
signed up to take part in the SuScit fieldwork. Throughout March the
participants will be involved in a number of sessions exploring narratives and
perceptions of local sustainability. Further to that, local residents will be
producing films about social and environmental issues in their neighbourhoods,
thereby preparing to initiate a broader discussion about local sustainability
issues across citizens, practitioners and researchers.
2-Research:
a-EPSRC:
Green to Go -Vehicles burning hydrogen emit little more than water vapour.
ESPRC research investigates how to make ‘green’ hydrogen?
One
story from the latest Newsline features a special report on green technologies.
Currently,
approximately 80% of the world's hydrogen is extracted from methane in a
process known as steam methane reforming. Despite being more efficient and
economically viable than other methods of producing hydrogen it has considerable
disadvantages: It require high temperatures - using lots of energy and
requiring expensive equipment and it is also very complex and produces an undesirable
amount of carbon dioxide.
The
three-year EPSRC project is reaching its conclusion and Dr Ding informas that
his research team; his colleagues Dr Alexei Lapkin (
Find
out more: http://www.epsrc.ac.uk/Stories/GreenToGo.htm
b-NatCen-Abuse
and Neglect of Older People - what is the extent of this in the
Elder
abuse and neglect (mistreatment) are increasingly recognized as a difficult
social issue in the
To
find more about the results, click:
http://www.natcen.ac.uk/natcen/pages/publications/research_summaries/NC234_RF_OlderPeople_web2.pdf
c-DCLG: Housing
Choices and Aspirations of Older People: Research from the New Horizon's
Programme.
The
population will be one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century for
housing. This strategy sets out the Department for Communities and Local
Government (DCLG) response to this challenge, their plan to create Lifetime
Homes in Lifetime Neighbourhoods. It summarizes the DCLG plans for making sure
that there is enough appropriate housing available in future to relieve the
expected unsustainable pressures on homes, health and social care services.
For
further information: http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/housingoptionsaspirations
3-Publication:
a- CDF
report: Faith, Cohesion and Community Development.
Community
Development Foundation launched a report that evaluates the Faith Communities
Capacity Building Fund and shows with evidence that faith groups make a
significant contribution to improving local community life.
To
download the publication: http://www.cdf.org.uk/pooled/articles/BF_DOCART/view.asp?Q=BF_DOCART_298024
b-
NESTA report: Transformers-How Local Areas Innovate to Address Changing Social
Needs.
NESTA
Transformers report explores how local areas innovate to address changing
social needs. Through case studies it identifies three critical factors
essential to successful innovation, finally building a working model.
To
download the publication: http://www.nesta.org.uk/informing/policy_and_research/highlights/transformers.aspx
4-Events:
a- NESTA-Science
for Humanity.
Science
for Humanity is a new not-for-profit organisation which is being founded on ‘the
belief that while our society is making incredible progress in the fields of
science and technology, more of this knowledge could be translated into genuine
innovation that could make a difference to the lives and livelihoods of
billions of people.’
Science
for Humanity will work as a facilitator; working with scientists, development
agencies and local communities as well as funding organisations to identify issues
and potential solutions and to bring together the people and the resources
necessary to turn those solutions into real world applications, which bring substantial
benefit to those in the developing world.
Date:
4th March.
Location:
NESTA,
To
find out more and to get involved, click here: http://scienceforhumanitylaunch.eventbrite.com/
b-Royal Geographical
society-The future of low carbon energy, a 21st Century Challenges event.
An event to discuss one of the
most pressing economic and environmental challenges of our age: the future of
low carbon energy
Date: 7 and
Location: Chartered Accountants Hall,
For
further information: http://www.rgs.org/WhatsOn/21cc.htm
c- PIEL Conference: Public Interest
Environmental Law Conference 2008, Energy: Social Responsibility and Environmental
Justice
Date:
Location: Institute
of Advanced Legal Studies, Charles Clore House,
For
further information: http://www.piel.org.uk/index.html
d- ESDN-European Sustainable
Development Network workshop: Experiences with Participatory Tools and
Mechanisms.
Date: 9-10 April 2008
Location: German
Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety,
For
further information, visit: http://www.sdnetwork.eu/?k=ESDN%20workshops&s=workshop%20documentation&year=2008
e-Mayville Community Centre-International Women’s
Day Celebration. 8th March.
The
Mayville community Centre will be hosting an event to celebrate the
International Women’s Day.
The
event will count with motivational speakers, a multicultural fashion show,
dancing singing and much more.
Date:
Location:
The Mayville community Centre
Woodville
Road N16 near
From
For
further information contact Ndidi Ossai on 020 7249 8286
5-Policy:
a- DCLG- Local Government Minister John Healey: Reforms
to revive deprived areas:
Measures designed to bring new life into deprived areas
came a step closer on the 28th of February, as Local Government
Minister John Healey laid regulations in Parliament to enable the introduction
of reforms to empty property rates on April 1.
Announced in the 2007 Budget, empty property rates are
designed to revitalise run-down communities and ensure the effective and
efficient use of buildings
Find
out more on: http://www.communities.gov.uk/news/corporate/704251
6-News:
a- UNESCO-United Nations proclaims 2008 ‘International
Year of Planet Earth’ Sciences for society.
United
Nations proclaims 2008 International Year of Planet Earth. The United Nations
General Assembly in
To
know more, visit: http://www.unesco.org/science/earth/iype.shtml
b- Quizzing Tesco, Cadbury and HSBC on environment-Food ethics council.
A discussion
panel at
Find out more on: http://www.foodethicscouncil.org/node/337
c- European Environment Agency (EEA)- Greenhouse gas
emissions indicators have been updated.
What progress
has been made in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in
Further
information on: http://themes.eea.europa.eu/IMS/ISpecs/ISpecification20041007131701/IAssessment1200928379053/view_content
7-Funding:
a- Community
Development Foundation- Grassroots Grant.
The
Community Development Foundation will deliver the programme: Grassroots Grants.
A £130 million programme that aims to invest in a thriving community sector. It
is funded by Office of the Third Sector (OTS).
The
programme which is funded by Office of the Third Sector (OTS), will run from
2008-2011 and will be divided into two parts: an £80 million small grants fund
for community organisations; and a £50 million endowments programme to enable
local funders to generate additional donations on a matched basis and invest
them in endowments, in that way building their capacity to provide long-term
funding for leading community organisations.
CDF
is currently requesting applications from Third Sector organisations to manage
the small grant and endowment match challenge elements of the Grassroots Grants
programme in their area.
For
further information: http://www.cdf.org.uk/bfora/systems/xmlviewer/default.asp?arg=DS_CDF_TECHART_23/_page.xsl/27&xsl_argx=2
b-Assisted
Living Innovation Platform activities:
ESRC,
the Technology Strategy Board (TSB), the Engineering and Physical Sciences
Research Council (EPSRC) and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)
will jointly be funding a number of activities in the area of Assisted Living,
under the umbrella of the TSB's Assisted Living Innovation Platform (ALIP),
launched in November 2007. (Closing date:
8-Training and Jobs:
a- Friends
of the Earth: Power Up! 2008
Rights
& Justice residential weekend course.
An
interesting opportunity to learn how to make your local campaign more powerful
and effective. Through a series of workshops the Friends of the Earth training
aims to demystify the planning system and teach participants how to use freedom
of information laws.
Date:
16th – 18th May 2008
Location:
Harborne Hall,
To
book a place, visit: http://community.foe.co.uk/events/power_up/