keeping the dream alive, rebecca edwards tsrc

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Dr Rebecca Edwards, Research Fellow, Third Sector Research Centre, University of Southampton (and Pokesdown resident)

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Page 1: Keeping the dream alive, Rebecca Edwards TSRC

Dr Rebecca Edwards,Research Fellow, Third Sector Research Centre, University of Southampton(and Pokesdown resident)

Page 2: Keeping the dream alive, Rebecca Edwards TSRC

Background in geography > social housing > public space

Led me to community based regeneration

Now exploring the role of third sector

Core theme of the action of local people and community based organisations

And now I’m local to the Bourne Spring Trust

Page 3: Keeping the dream alive, Rebecca Edwards TSRC

A bit about the Third Sector Research Centre (TSRC)

Some of the TSRC’s findings

Environment and the Third Sector◦ Mainstreaming the

environment◦ Innovating low carbon

practices A health warning

Page 4: Keeping the dream alive, Rebecca Edwards TSRC

What is the TSRC? Why was the TSRC set up? Could the money be better spent…? Some

ways in which the centre supports third sector organisations (we hope!)

Page 5: Keeping the dream alive, Rebecca Edwards TSRC

Huge range of topics…◦ Role of community based organisations in the ‘Big

Society’◦ How to demonstrate impact◦ Third sector dependency on public funding◦ Lots more… and we are interested to hear what we

should be researching

Page 6: Keeping the dream alive, Rebecca Edwards TSRC

Three year programme of work ◦ Mapping the

environmental third sector

◦ Mainstreaming the environment in the third sector

◦ Third sector promotion of low carbon lifestyles

Page 7: Keeping the dream alive, Rebecca Edwards TSRC

Government pushing for Third Sector to take a key role in tackling climate change

Stephen Hale suggests that:◦ ‘In the UK, the third sector holds the key to creating

a new politics of climate change. The environmental community has been the dominant actor within the sector to date. But this is not simply an environmental issue. We must now unleash the full power of the sector…. The continuing trend towards less interventionist government and transferring responsibilities to individuals and communities makes new approaches even more imperative. This trend is apparent across the political spectrum’ (Hale, 2009: 23)

Page 8: Keeping the dream alive, Rebecca Edwards TSRC

Alongside government,◦ Funders e.g. Baring Foundation

and City Bridge Trust◦ New Charity Commission advice◦ Umbrella organisations e.g. NCVO

and ACEVO◦ Major charities e.g. British Red

Cross, National Trust… Therefore, we have sought to

investigate impacts of this: phase 1 = interviews and documentary analysis

Page 9: Keeping the dream alive, Rebecca Edwards TSRC

Early results◦ Organisations are beginning to

incorporate the environment ◦ Difficult for third sector organisations

to meet the challenge◦ Lack of grassroots action◦ Unclear direction of government policy◦ Very likely that all sectors will have to

respond – third sector can set agenda◦ Baring Foundation advocating that

charities come together to tackle government policy. Is there scope to do that locally?

Page 10: Keeping the dream alive, Rebecca Edwards TSRC

About the research so far….◦ Exploring how TSOs are helping people live in a

more environmentally sustainable way◦ A first stage of 20-30 organisations interviewed◦ Will move to case study work with around 5

organisations using an ethnographic approach

Page 11: Keeping the dream alive, Rebecca Edwards TSRC

Some (very) early findings and thoughts…◦ Third sector organisations are innovating some

projects that might just help, or hold the key to moving to a low carbon society

◦ Tackle social structures, not just individual behaviour through community and societal level action

◦ Tensions about how/if these should be scale up◦ And not always valued…

Page 12: Keeping the dream alive, Rebecca Edwards TSRC

Huge immediate challenges for the third sector Longer term, one challenge for all organisations

will be how climate change impacts:◦ How organisations operate◦ The needs of beneficiaries◦ How TSOs advocate collectively

Third sector is likely to play a key part in how we tackle the most pressing environmental concerns

Page 13: Keeping the dream alive, Rebecca Edwards TSRC

Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have any queries… or if you are a member of an organisation that might like to take part in our research.

Becca:◦ [email protected]◦ 07779 791661

Really useful documents (contact me for links and more suggestions):

An Unexamined Truth, the Baring FoundationNCVO’s pages on climate change

There are many more! Please do get in touch