Transition Network Diversity and Inclusion Newsletter
WELCOME to the Transition Network’s Diversity and Inclusion newsletter. This newsletter is compiled by Catrina Pickering, Diversity Coordinator, Transition Network. I aim to get this newsletter out to you approximately every two months.
TRANSITION NETWORK DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION NEWS
Training: The Road to Resilience in Low Income CommunitiesFriday 23rd – Sunday 25th September 2011, National Communities Resource Centre, Chester
This two day workshop at the National Communities Resource Centre in Chester is for people involved in Transition who want to strengthen their work with low income communities. It will include sessions on: Understanding resource problems in low income communities; enterprising case studies presented by the people doing them; exercising Transition talents - practical, outdoors session to reflect on Transition strengths for working in low income communities; supported action planning process to take ideas home. The workshop is being facilitated by Anne Power, Chair of the National Communities Resource Centre and is a one-off opportunity for Transition to receive tailored training from an organisation that has an outstanding twenty year record of building resilience in low income communities.
This two day workshop at the National Communities Resource Centre in Chester is for people involved in Transition who want to strengthen their work with low income communities. It will include sessions on: Understanding resource problems in low income communities; enterprising case studies presented by the people doing them; exercising Transition talents - practical, outdoors session to reflect on Transition strengths for working in low income communities; supported action planning process to take ideas home. The workshop is being facilitated by Anne Power, Chair of the National Communities Resource Centre and is a one-off opportunity for Transition to receive tailored training from an organisation that has an outstanding twenty year record of building resilience in low income communities.
Transition Network Conference: Diversity Highlights
The recent annual Transition Network conference held in Liverpool gave us all much to think about, explore and expand on in relation to diversity. Here's a snapshot of some of the workshops, discussions and people that really stood out.
The recent annual Transition Network conference held in Liverpool gave us all much to think about, explore and expand on in relation to diversity. Here's a snapshot of some of the workshops, discussions and people that really stood out.
Report back from Quaker and Transition Event
What do Quakers and Transition have in common? On Friday 24th to 26th of June, around forty Quakers met at Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre to find out. We had a lively time looking at the links and potential synergies between Quakers and the Transition movement. Overall there was a sense of urgency, an abundance of interests, initiatives and enthusiasms, and a call to get more people involved in Transition.
What do Quakers and Transition have in common? On Friday 24th to 26th of June, around forty Quakers met at Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre to find out. We had a lively time looking at the links and potential synergies between Quakers and the Transition movement. Overall there was a sense of urgency, an abundance of interests, initiatives and enthusiasms, and a call to get more people involved in Transition.
Call for Stories for Diversity and Social Justice Recourse
The Transition Network is currently putting together a resource on diversity and social justice and we want to include your stories of projects from Transition and beyond. Whether it be a story about a food growing project on a housing estate or a project that alleviates fuel poverty in a local community, please send your stories to catrinapickering@transitionnetwork.org.
The Transition Network is currently putting together a resource on diversity and social justice and we want to include your stories of projects from Transition and beyond. Whether it be a story about a food growing project on a housing estate or a project that alleviates fuel poverty in a local community, please send your stories to catrinapickering@transitionnetwork.org.
Transition Pittsburgh: Witney Avenue Urban Farm
In a boarded up street of Wilkinsburg (United States), Chris Condello, a local resident and Transition Pittsburg member is clearing the front yards, establishing gardens and involving the local children in the process. Litter has been reduced to almost nothing and the children who used to chase people from their homes are now getting involved, learning new skills and contributing to the growing sense of pride and belonging in the street.
In a boarded up street of Wilkinsburg (United States), Chris Condello, a local resident and Transition Pittsburg member is clearing the front yards, establishing gardens and involving the local children in the process. Litter has been reduced to almost nothing and the children who used to chase people from their homes are now getting involved, learning new skills and contributing to the growing sense of pride and belonging in the street.
Putting Social Justice at the core of Transition Stratford
How do we ensure that our work in Transition meets the needs of the most vulnerable in our local community and builds solidarity with communities overseas? How important is social justice in the Transition movement and what might a strong social justice approach look like? Transition Stratford upon Avon might have some interesting answers.
How do we ensure that our work in Transition meets the needs of the most vulnerable in our local community and builds solidarity with communities overseas? How important is social justice in the Transition movement and what might a strong social justice approach look like? Transition Stratford upon Avon might have some interesting answers.
NEWS, EVENTS AND RESOURCES FROM ELSEWHERE
Islington Fairness Commission: Closing the rich-poor gap
Why focus on inequality at a time when public services are crumbling? Islington’s council has an answer: The problems that public services address — from crime to mental health — all get worse as the gap between rich and poor widens. The newly elected members of Islington Borough Council last July created what they called a “Fairness Commission” and asked this new panel to help “make Islington a fairer place to live and work.” Their new report, Closing the Gap, includes an impressive set of recommendations from improving environments and growing food on housing estates to paying at least the London Living Wage to all staff employed in the area.
Why focus on inequality at a time when public services are crumbling? Islington’s council has an answer: The problems that public services address — from crime to mental health — all get worse as the gap between rich and poor widens. The newly elected members of Islington Borough Council last July created what they called a “Fairness Commission” and asked this new panel to help “make Islington a fairer place to live and work.” Their new report, Closing the Gap, includes an impressive set of recommendations from improving environments and growing food on housing estates to paying at least the London Living Wage to all staff employed in the area.
Escalating fuel costs pushes thousands more UK households into fuel poverty
Nine million customers will see their gas bills rise by an average of 18 per cent next month, after British Gas announced massive increases in its energy prices. Some customers face a 24 per cent rise in their gas costs, depending on where they live and how they are charged. The increases will almost certainly push many thousands more UK households into fuel poverty where they will be spending 10% or more of their household income on electricity and heating.
National Energy Action news report
The Independent news report
Channel 4 news report
Nine million customers will see their gas bills rise by an average of 18 per cent next month, after British Gas announced massive increases in its energy prices. Some customers face a 24 per cent rise in their gas costs, depending on where they live and how they are charged. The increases will almost certainly push many thousands more UK households into fuel poverty where they will be spending 10% or more of their household income on electricity and heating.
National Energy Action news report
The Independent news report
Channel 4 news report
A Little Patch of Ground: Growing Food and Performance in East London and Dartington
A Little Patch of Ground is a rural/urban food growing and performance project run by Encounters Arts taking place in Dartington, Devon and East London.
Each week, beginning in May, 25 local people from the South Devon area meet at Dartington and 25 local people from the East of London meet at Toynbee Studios. The project involves an intergenerational group meeting in each area to create a permaculture inspired vegetable garden, eat together, explore thoughts on food, climate change, sustainability and interdependence, and use creative methods to share stories about our relationship with the natural world. The project will culminate in the creation of a multi-media performance in the autumn which will take place in each location as well as touring within the local area.
Read a summary of the project on the Transition Network website.
Read the “Little Patch of Ground” blog.
A Little Patch of Ground is a rural/urban food growing and performance project run by Encounters Arts taking place in Dartington, Devon and East London.
Each week, beginning in May, 25 local people from the South Devon area meet at Dartington and 25 local people from the East of London meet at Toynbee Studios. The project involves an intergenerational group meeting in each area to create a permaculture inspired vegetable garden, eat together, explore thoughts on food, climate change, sustainability and interdependence, and use creative methods to share stories about our relationship with the natural world. The project will culminate in the creation of a multi-media performance in the autumn which will take place in each location as well as touring within the local area.
Read a summary of the project on the Transition Network website.
Read the “Little Patch of Ground” blog.
Over to you...
If you’ve got news items, events or something you’re proud of that you’d like to include in the next Diversity Newsletter edition, please let us know: catrinapickering@transitionnetwork.org.
If you’ve got news items, events or something you’re proud of that you’d like to include in the next Diversity Newsletter edition, please let us know: catrinapickering@transitionnetwork.org.
