DONATE
Menu Close

STEP  10 IMPORTANT EXTRA INFO

10.1 BUSINESS MODEL – a win win situation.

    • NB Business Rates policies can vary slightly across local authorities – General guide is – Not for profit Companies or Community Interest Companies ( some council may want to confirm a CIC is not for profit- check which legal entities they work with before setting one up)  – get an automatic 40% off the business rates. 
    • Charities get a mandatory 80%. Any not for profit company, charity or co-op can apply for discretionary 100% business rates from the local authority.
    • SELF FUNDING ECO COMMUNITY SPACES : The developer is invited to contribute a ‘community grant’ or donation to the CEC project seed fund.

    This can support the running, upkeep, utility payments, repairs / maintenance outgoings  and payment of staff / volunteer living expenses for the new project.

  • During the negotiation over the meanwhile lease for the property, ask for the developer to pay the utilities bill. Capped to a certain limit eg £400 / month and then work out a renewable energy plan to reduce energy consumption to more sustainable levels. ‘Power down’ for a sustainable future.Space Generators Consultants are available to help with advice on negotiations with developers and renewable energy plans.

 

  • OTHER INCOME STREAMS FOR THE PROJECT
  • Cafe food and drink
  • Space hire – eg hall or rooms, gallery space or hire of rooms on a weekly/ monthly basis
  • Event / workshop entry – £5- £10
  • Merchandise
  •  Memberships
  • Grants and funding /  Crowdfunding

 

  • 10.2 Working Groups (WGs) further info – each WG has a brief or area of responsibility, mandated to take on certain tasks/projects.
  • 10.3 OUTREACH – 50 GENERIC local Groups LIST – that can be contacted in any town / city -see Appendix I to help build each cities Climate Emergency Alliance
  • 10.4 Clearly signposted diagrams on decision making structure and how you can get involved should be displayed in the centre and online. For Example the main Coordinators meeting is on monday 7pm – to join as a coordinator requires being an assistant coordinator for a certain period eg 2 weeks/ month. Or the events, admin, garden  or repairs and maintenance working group meets on Weds 7pm or online. To join one of these working groups or circles please email…. Or ask these people at the centre for more info – contact details.
  • Glass Frog is a way to visualise working group circles https://www.glassfrog.com
  •   10.5    Eco Ethics – Eco  / Sustainability Policy – Ethical and sustainable policy of CEC – see Appendix A – Principles and values.
  • Agreements to work toward eco principles and reducing carbon footprint, ethical sourcing and human / animal / Earth Rights.
  • Sharing across the network a suggested  list of eco friendly suppliers, products  and services that are helping to build an ecological and sustainable future economy.
  • 10.5. CREATE Group involvement agreements – power sharing / mitigation for power / REVOLVING ROLES create a SPOKES COUNCIL  – https://seedsforchange.org.uk/spokescouncil
  • Put strategies in place to avoid any 1 group dominating or controlling the space. ( revolve roles ) ( share power and activities across a number of groups) This is about a circle of groups cooperating on URGENT ACTION ON THE CLIMATE AND ECOLOGICAL EMERGENCY.
  • https://www.seedsforchange.org.uk/effectivegroups#power
  • 10.6. Transparency – especially on finances – choose an ethical bank or building society eg Coop, Triodos or Nationwide. Publish accounts, define spending limits and decision process on funds.
  • 10.7. Conflict Resolution process – How to deal with conflict in groups – process clearly defined and displayed and link to a group of experienced mediators.

Revolving roles – mitigating for power – sharing power and training up replacements – skillsharing – building project resilience – need continuity of a certain length of time, but roles revolved every 6 months – 1 year

 

  • 10.9. Safer Spaces Policy (SSP)
  •  THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT it should be discussed designed and agreed by the group so that they have agency and ownership of it and will therefore ALL help to enforce it

SSP Basic Template :

    • No racist, sexist, homophobic behavoiur.
    • No violence or threats of violence. ANYONE BEING VIOLENT OR THREATENING VIOLENCE MUST BE TOLD TO LEAVE THE BUILDING IMMEDIATELY.
    • If you break safer spaces in minor or major way (which should be defined) you will be told to leave for a short or a  long period (eg 1 day / 1 week / 1 month)  ….Or permanently barred
    •  …..and / or the  Police called ( in cases of extreme threats or violence DO NOT be afraid to call the Police ). In cases of arguments or fights separate the parties asap ONLY if possible to do so safely and work on de-escalation and mediation ONLY if safe to do so.
    • or referred to conflict resolution or mediation group process – these need to be defined early, here are two useful guides.
    • https://cagoxfordshire.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/The-CAG-Project-Conflict-Resolution-Guide-Policy.pdf
    • early.https://www.seedsforchange.org.uk/conflictbooklet.pdf
    • Different people approaching the conflict situation, men or women, individuals or groups or people of diverse experience or backgrounds can sometimes help the situation. Most of all stay safe and deal with things as a group and community and call in help if you need Do not take unnecessary risks.
    • Make a collective commitment to hold people accountable for their behavior so that the organization can be a safe and nurturing place for all. Avoiding blaming and shaming does not mean letting unaccountable out of order behavior continue. Challenge and question the behavior.
    • Make sure the SSP is displayed in 4 prominent places – eg entrance, cafe, toilets, library  etc
    • 10.10 Reuse Reclaim – how to build the circular / sharing economy. Making it ‘the thing to do’, make it cool, this is the future sustainable norm. Set up a clear recycling / reuse  system asap at beginning with these easily downloadable and printable signs template …
    • Circular economy and the intelligent use of community infrastructure and resources https://www.zerowastescotland.org.uk/circular-economy/about
    • We at Space Generators and the Climate Emergency Alliance UK are looking for  a network of buildings and Infrastructure  in each city to support each other – eg 1) CEC eco community centre 2)  CEC High street shop for outreach – reuse resale,circular economy  items  3) a Circular economy warehouse, for eco innovation and solutions demonstrations / resource / reuse  storage. Think in networks and webs – build the ‘Mycelium’ of a sustainable future.
    • 10.11 Evaluating the Reach, Value, and Impact of Space Generators and CEC projects – Sheffield University, linked to UCL, King’s college and Brighton University – to provide a system for monitoring and evaluation at future SG and CEC projects eg footfall, demographics, jobs created, workshops / events provided, funds generated, resources shared / used , societal impacts etc. This data will help prove the case for more CECs
  • 10.12  Fire Marshal responsibilities 
  • Developing and updating a fire evacuation and emergency plan.
  • Ensuring that fire-fighting and safety equipment has been properly installed.
  • Ensuring that said equipment is always readily available and in good working order.
  • Carrying out fire risk assessments.
  • Carrying out fire drills and assessing results.
  • Taking swift, appropriate action in the event of a fire, i.e. evacuation and fighting fires.
  • Monitoring fire safety at all times.
  • Actively adopting good fire safety practices.
  • Checking all fire doors.

 

  • 10.13 . Useful websites

DISCLAIMER THIS HANDBOOK IS FOR ADVICE ONLY. USE YOUR COMMON SENSE AND ACT RESPONSIBLY, REASONABLY AND LEGALLY AT ALL TIMES – WORK IT OUT AS YOU GO ALONG. YOU ARE ABOUT TO BEGIN ONE OF THE GREATEST ADVENTURES OF YOUR LIFE …..  HAVE FUN, REMEMBER TO BREATHE, RELAX, TAKE BREAKS,WORK TOGETHER AS A TEAM AND ENJOY BUILDING COMMUNITY AND TAKING ACTION FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

                                                  Phoenix – Rainbow Warrior

 Keep organising, keep networking, be relentless, build a network of people, groups, spaces  contacts and resources. Never give up, keep learning and evolving, have fun. Towards a brighter, fairer and sustainable future for ALL  ………….

© Climate Emergency Centre

The establishment of vacant properties as inspirational community hubs for the benefit of people and planet.

 

Site by EDOT3