Rural Community Carbon Network R C C N www.ruralaction.org.uk collaborate|2007 28 June 2007 Simon Berry ruralnet|uk

What is the RCCN? 3-year programme Raise the awareness of the collective approaches to climate change It builds on existing, isolated community action It will support other rural groups who wish to take collective action It will provide access to an online panel of experts good practice ‘New Media’ toolkits a mentoring service linked to a small grants programme RCCN will link up existing groups with nascent ones for peer-to-peer support and knowledge transfer through events, twinning and online.

3-year programme

Raise the awareness of the collective approaches to climate change

It builds on existing, isolated community action

It will support other rural groups who wish to take collective action

It will provide access to

an online panel of experts

good practice ‘New Media’ toolkits

a mentoring service linked to a small grants programme

RCCN will link up existing groups with nascent ones for peer-to-peer support and knowledge transfer through events, twinning and online.

Why rural? New employment opportunities Development of under-utilised assets (eg woodland) Local employment (eg in micro generation) Opportunities for local generation Emphasis on local: local food, local energy Rural proofing - does car=bad?

New employment opportunities

Development of under-utilised assets (eg woodland)

Local employment (eg in micro generation)

Opportunities for local generation

Emphasis on local: local food, local energy

Rural proofing - does car=bad?

Where does the RCCN come from? The Community Broadband Network 2003-5 Phone Co-op DTI Defra Co-operatives UK CISCO

The Community Broadband Network

2003-5

Phone Co-op

DTI

Defra

Co-operatives UK

CISCO

What did CBN achieve? Growth in the number of DIY community initiatives Establishment of an independent Co-op Change in BT policy? Stronger communities -> spin-off initiatives Success?

Growth in the number of DIY community initiatives

Establishment of an independent Co-op

Change in BT policy?

Stronger communities -> spin-off initiatives

Success?

The RCCN approach Building on what is already happening Resourcing the network to support itself Augmenting Experts Online Mentoring Exchanges New media materials Events Making local action more effective not interfering with it

Building on what is already happening

Resourcing the network to support itself

Augmenting Experts Online

Mentoring

Exchanges

New media materials

Events

Making local action more effective not interfering with it

The Networks Online Active Brokerage System was demonstrated to show how the RCCN would recruit mentors from community projects and match them transperently to other communities requesting support.

Progress to date - internet resources www.ruralaction.org.uk

www.ruralaction.org.uk

Progress to date - mapping initiatives www.ruralacti on.org.uk

www.ruralacti on.org.uk

Progress to date - fundraising Yes Maybe No

RCCN Budget Summary (3 yrs) On-going action research (Carnegie) 15,000 Project set-up, protocols, procedures, technology (ruralnet|uk) 15,000 Awareness raising 88,500 Capacity building 472,000 Networking and facilitation 234,500 Monitoring and evaluation 26,000 Project management 130,000 Succession planning/fund raising 15,000 ---------- 996,000 50% reduction in carbon emissions in 70 communities with 350 households would be worth £635,000

On-going action research (Carnegie) 15,000

Project set-up, protocols,

procedures, technology (ruralnet|uk) 15,000

Awareness raising 88,500

Capacity building 472,000

Networking and facilitation 234,500

Monitoring and evaluation 26,000

Project management 130,000

Succession planning/fund raising 15,000

----------

996,000

50% reduction in carbon emissions in 70 communities with 350 households would be worth £635,000

RCCN - exit strategy Becomes an inter-trading membership organisation - possibly with a co-operative structure

Becomes an inter-trading membership organisation - possibly with a co-operative structure

RCCN - please get involved www.ruralaction.org.uk [email_address]

www.ruralaction.org.uk