We are already witnessing impacts from climate change in the UK. Some of the changes to the climate system that Shetland might face include: coastal flooding from storms and sea level rise, more storms, surface/flash flooding from extreme rainfall and ocean acidification as the ocean absorbs carbon dioxide and becomes more acidic.[i]
Climate change can make us feel helpless but if you are member of a community/third sector organisation who is concerned about the impact of climate change on you and your community we can share an amazing opportunity with you!
VOLUNTARY ACTION SHETLAND IS DELIGHTED TO OFFER A FULLY FUNDED OPPORTUNITY FOR MEMBERS OF COMMUNITY/THIRD SECTOR ORGANISATIONS TO COMPLETE THE ROYAL SCOTTISH GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY (RSGS) CLIMATE SOLUTIONS PROFESSIONAL COURSE.
[This training opportunity is made possible by a grant from the Shetland Local Action Group (Shetland Community Local Led Development Fund) and Scottish Government.]
The RSGS Climate Solutions course offers a straightforward way to gain significant understanding of climate change and its relevance to home, work and community life. It will explain a range of solutions, and the associated opportunities and challenges, so that participants can consider how to respond appropriately.
The course consists of:
- Four online modules
- Two online workshops (three hours each)
You will be given access to the online modules for three months and you can complete each module at your own pace during that time (previous Shetland learners took between four to six hours to complete each module).
At the workshops you’ll meet other learners from Shetland and start to build valuable links and contacts to help address climate change locally. In the final workshop, you will start to develop a Climate Action Plan for you or your organisation. There will also be the opportunity to discuss any sector-specific issues or delve deeper into some of the topics.
After the course we hope you will join the Shetland Community Climate Action Network. The Network is a great place to share learning and best practice, and to work collaboratively on addressing climate change in Shetland.
QUOTES FROM PREVIOUS PARTICIPANTS IN SHETLAND
“The biggies for us were meeting like-minded people and making important, useful contacts and gaining confidence in our own knowledge & abilities and the validation that we are doing the right thing”
“The group meet ups have been a brilliant part of the course, and I feel I've made some really useful connections across Shetland, and that we can keep sharing information and experiences into the future.”
“We’ve developed an action plan which is larger than just for the organisation and is for an entire island. Much of the immediate actions from the action plan are closely linked to other community aspirations, for instance the promotion of fixed links as an alternative to ferries.”
TO APPLY FOR A PLACE ON THE COURSE:
Spaces are limited, so if you are interested in taking part in the course please email ayesha.huda@shetland.org as soon as possible and confirm:
- Which voluntary/community organisation(s) you belong to and why you would like to attend the course.
NOTES:
This is the second year of funding from the Shetland Community Led Local Development Fund.
In the first year (2022/23) participants represented a wide variety of organisations across the length and breadth of Shetland, including: development companies, community halls, tourism related organisations, community councils, agricultural organisations.
The aim of the training is to stimulate community led climate action in Shetland by giving participants the confidence to discuss climate change issues with members of their communities and to learn how to reduce carbon emissions locally. We hope to establish a network of informed and active Shetland Community Climate Champions which will feed into a broader Community Climate Action Network for Shetland.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ayesha Huda
Development Officer
Market House
14 Market Street
Lerwick
Shetland
ZE1 0JP
Email: Ayesha.huda@shetland.org
[i] Shetland Islands Council – How might climate change affect Shetland
