THE LITTLE GREEN GUIDE Helping you to tell the stories that inspire
“Groundwork brings about change from the ground up.� - Barack Obama, speaking ahead of the G8 Summit in Northern Ireland, June 2013
SOUND FAMILIAR? You’re at a community event and a member of the public asks if you work for the local authority...a family member asks why you volunteer with us to clean up a neglected piece of land...a friend asks how donating to Groundwork benefits people. You’ll often have the chance to talk about Groundwork and what we do for people who don’t know much or anything about us. But because our work is so diverse we know it’s sometimes difficult to explain what we do in a way that’s easy for people to understand. Groundwork has agreed that it needs to be more ‘public facing’ in order to help us meet the challenges of a changing funding landscape and to position our charity as a key player in the areas in which we work. The national Campaigns Team, a group of representatives from the Trusts and from Groundwork UK, is co-ordinating this drive to increase awareness and support, supported by the new websites and high-profile campaigns. But of course everyone at Groundwork has a role to play. This Little Green Guide to Groundwork will help you to feel more confident about explaining who we are, what we do and to talk inspirationally about what you do, in your own way. So, what do you do ?
WHAT INSPIRES YOU ABOUT GROUNDWORK? One of the best places to start when considering how you can inspire other people to support Groundwork is by reminding yourself of what inspires you about Groundwork and why you choose to work or volunteer with us.
Why do you work with or support Groundwork?
How did you first get involved?
What has impressed you most about Groundwork?
SO... TELL ME ABOUT GROUNDWORK.
Our work is diverse, which means that it is not always easy to explain what we do. Here are some key facts about Groundwork. You don’t have to remember them word-for-word, tell it your way. • We are a national charity that operates locally across the UK. • We grew from a radical experiment in Merseyside in 1982 to bring together communities, businesses and government in a joint effort to regenerate derelict land and improve the quality of life in places blighted by a lack of investment and unemployment. • Today, we have three key objectives; creating better places, improving people’s prospects and promoting greener living and working.
WE BELIEVE THAT... Communities should play a key role in changing the places they live for the better.
The best way to protect our precious green space is to help people become interested in their local open spaces, so they grow to value and enjoy spending time in them.
All young people deserve the best possible start in life and should be supported to reach their full potential. No one should have to struggle to heat their homes.
WHY GROUNDWORK? Because we get things done! Groundwork delivers thousands of projects each year on the ground in communities across the country - tackling climate change, helping people to keep their homes warm, bringing out the best in young people by helping them to improve their local area, building stronger communities by improving green space and helping people get back into work. When you put all this together, the difference we make is far greater than the sum of its parts. Our impact has been huge. In the last 10 years, between 2003-2013 we have; • Delivered 65,000 projects • Planted 1.4 million trees • Improved 164 million square metres of land • Maintained 363 million square metres of land • Organised 5.1 million days of community involvement by adults and young people - that’s approximately 14,000 years • Created more than 38,000 jobs But, we’re not stopping there. By 2015* we’ve pledged to: • Improve 1,000 open green spaces involving and benefiting 1 million people. • Help 100,000 households out of fuel poverty. • Support 10,000 people into education, training or work. *2013 - 2015
GETTING PEOPLE INVOLVED Talking about Groundwork and what we do is great, but we also need people to act as a result of what they see, hear or experience. When we have them on side, we need to let them know what they can do to support our work. There are lots of suggestions on how people can get involved at www.groundwork.org.uk/get-involved - but here are some of the most valuable ways people can take action to support our work. VOLUNTEER - make a real difference in their community, by volunteering time and skills on a local Groundwork project. FUNDRAISE - fundraise for Groundwork at school, at work, or take part in individual sponsored events. SHARE - support our national campaigns and engage with us on social media. LEAD - help transform their own neighbourhood by setting up a friends of group or holding a community event in an open space. DONATE - help us deliver projects that change lives by becoming a regular giver or donating to one of our project appeals.
DON’T BE SHY! Asking people to support our work can feel a bit strange if it’s not something you’re used to doing, but we have a compelling message that is just as relevant to business people as it is to friends and family. Here are a few tips. Leanne saved £50 on her energy bills
..& it’s a great way to meet your neighbours
Why not come with me on Friday & help out?
Use examples When talking about Groundwork, use real-life examples to back up what you say. Personal stories are so much more powerful and really bring our work to life.
Be relevant ... and positive Think about what might motivate them and suggest ways of supporting Groundwork that fit with the things they already enjoy doing, rather than making them feel bad about things they’re not doing.
...and practical Think about what are realistic suggestions. You could start by getting them involved in something you’re already doing. Could they volunteer at a community bulb planting event, for example?
WWW.GROUNDWORK.ORG.UK @GROUNDWORKUK