Power to the people!
How we empower communities to act for nature
Community organising
Nigel Hopper and Becky Downey from our Community Organising Team explain the power of community organising.
Nigel Hopper
Becky Downey
What exactly is community organising?
Community organising is about shifting and sharing power to achieve real change for the common good. In BBOWT’s context that means enabling communities to build the power they need to take action on the nature and wildlife issues that matter most to them. It offers a more sustainable way of doing things as people are working towards change that will have a direct impact on their lives; they’re doing it themselves rather than us doing it for them.
What guides this type of working?
Listening is essential, but it’s also about developing people as local leaders. Organisers work to the principle of not doing for anyone that which they can do for themselves. We develop relationships between people to build power within the community, so they can take on the issues they didn’t feel they could before.
How are we applying this to our own work?
We are trying to apply this approach across the Trust. Specifically, within our Community Organising Team, we’re working with schools, community and faith groups and other institutions to find out what change they want to see then helping them organise themselves to achieve that. Our four community organisers are developing listening campaigns in key urban areas, which in time will identify actions local people want to take to win change for nature.
Have we seen any results yet?
One of our community groups has encouraged a housing association to begin maintaining their verges for nature, which is incredible, and we’re working closely with lots of schoolchildren to redefine power, so they start to feel it’s something they have!
It’s early days and this is a process that can’t be rushed. But we are partnering with Citizens UK who have lots of stories of people winning change, including safe access to urban green spaces where they can connect with nature.
Wilder Schools
Teacher training is a key component to grow confidence to teach outside the classroom. The team also plans to work with the whole school through, for example, assemblies, meetings and fundraising initiatives. Our pilot study involving seven schools runs until July and will identify opportunities to co-design the programme with pupils and teachers and to understand how best to work in partnership with school communities.
The full programme launches in September with a new range of schools. In each school, our officers will work with one group of children over three years, starting while the children are aged seven to nine. These ‘longer, deeper’ journeys with schools aim to embed outdoor learning and action for nature within school life.