Connecting People and Green Spaces Strategy 2018-21
The community volunteering charity
Contents
Introduction.....................................................3 Who we are......................................................4 Why we are needed.......................................8 Our Strategic Goals for 2018-21................10 Goal 1: Inspire more people to make a difference..............................................................12 Goal 2: Secure more support for our work..........13 Goal 3: Use our resources to deliver the greatest impact..........................................................14
Working in partnership............................... 15 2
TCV Strategy 2018-21
Introduction From the Chair and Chief Executive The challenges facing communities in the UK today are significant and many: social, health and economic inequality, a lack of community cohesion in many areas and an increase in isolation and loneliness to name just a few. At the same time, funding for the care of green spaces – so essential to any healthy, happy community – continues to diminish. These are challenging, changing and uncertain times and there has never been more need for our work, which is refreshingly simple in its approach: we connect people and green spaces to deliver lasting outcomes for both. Like many civil society organisations, we have had to overcome huge challenges in recent years to continue our vital work. Having seen income levels decline for several consecutive years, we undertook a major restructure in 2015-16. This reduced our expenditure significantly while maintaining our important work on the ground. 2016-17 brought stability and, for the first time in several years, growth in our charitable income. Now we are going to build on that success by taking stock and refreshing our approach as we strive towards our vision 3
TCV Strategy 2018-21
of Healthier, Happier Communities for Everyone. “Refresh” is the key word here; you won’t see any radical departure from our current work in this strategy, because we believe that the outcomes our work delivers are the right ones. Instead, we will focus effort on three Strategic Goals, which will help us to deliver more of these outcomes for people and green spaces. Between 2018 – 2021 we will: • Inspire More People to Make a Difference • Secure More Support for Our Work • Use our Resources to Deliver the Greatest Impact This marks just the start of our work over the next three years. We will produce supplementary plans to help us implement our strategy, ensuring that we retain focus on our Strategic Goals while allowing us the flexibility we will need to adapt to changing circumstances in today’s uncertain world. The TCV Leadership Team and the Board of Trustees never fail to be impressed and inspired by the dedication of our team of staff and volunteers, over 200 of whom helped to create this strategy.
We are grateful too for the input of more than 30 organisations who took part and made it clear how highly they value our expertise in volunteering, green spaces and facilitating social action. Whether you are a current or potential volunteer, member of staff, funder or partner in our work, we hope that this strategy inspires you to join us as we work towards our vision of Healthier, Happier Communities for Everyone.
Prof Tony Crook, CBE FAcSS FRTPI Chair
Darren York Chief Executive
TCV Strategy 2018-21
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Who we are Our VISION:
Healthier, Happier Communities for Everyone.
We are TCV, the community volunteering charity
We do this by bringing people together to create, improve and care for green spaces. From local parks and community gardens to Local Nature Reserves and Sites of Special Scientific Interest; from school grounds and hospital grounds to waterways, wetlands and woodlands; we connect people to the green spaces that form a vital part of any healthy, happy community. Our team of dedicated, passionate staff and volunteers work with communities across England, Northern Ireland and Scotland and, through our Community Network, we support local community groups across the UK.
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TCV Strategy 2018-21
Our mission: To Connect People and Green Spaces to Deliver Lasting Outcomes for Both.
Who we are communities
Environment
Communities are stronger, working together to improve the places where people live and tackle the issues that matter to them.
Green spaces are created, protected and improved, for nature and for people.
We bring residents and other stakeholders together and provide them with the practical expertise, resources and training they need to engage in sustained social action that makes a positive difference.
We deliver practical volunteering programmes, providing people with the transport, tools, equipment and project leadership they need to play an active role in creating, protecting and improving green spaces.
We draw upon our expertise as a national organisation and take a local approach, working with people and communities to co-design solutions that meet local needs.
We work on a wide range of wildlife habitats including woodlands, hedgerows, grassland, waterways and wetlands.
Through the TCV Community Network we connect groups with each other and provide access to a package of support including a dedicated website, competitively-priced insurance, discounts on training and merchandise, funding information, access to grants and much more.
Learning & Skills People improve their confidence, skills and prospects, through learning inspired by the outdoors. We deliver a wide range of learning and skills through programmes of non-accredited and accredited training courses. These include practical skills training, project leadership, health and safety, volunteer recruitment and evaluation, community engagement, species ID and first aid. We train volunteers, community groups and other organisations. Through our Community Network we support community groups with access to free conservation miniguides and practical safety resources, along with discounted conservation handbooks and training. We run a range of programmes that offer people a chance to learn more about their natural environment and take part in scientific research and surveying.
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TCV Strategy 2018-21
We plant trees, from single specimens to new woodlands and hedgerows, providing homes for wildlife and improving climate and air quality. From boardwalks and dipping platforms to fences and footpaths, we provide access improvements and on-site interpretation that balances the needs of nature and people.
Health & Wellbeing People improve their physical and mental health and wellbeing, by being outdoors, active and connected with others. A wide range of TCV activities provide opportunities to improve physical and mental health and wellbeing through physical activity and social interaction. Through our Green Gym programme, we provide an alternative to traditional gym or fitness activities. Almost one third more calories can be burnt in some Green Gym sessions than in an average aerobics class. Green Gym consists of fun and free outdoor sessions that improve green spaces. The emphasis is very much on health and fitness, improving the physical and mental health and wellbeing of those involved.
TCV Strategy 2018-21
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TCV Strategy 2018-21
Who we are During 2016-17, TCV worked with 127,000 people 2,200 people with a disability 20,000 school children
Transforming
1,500
16% were from a BAME community
Delivering
29% of the community groups were in the top 20% most deprived UK areas
green spaces in UK communities
160,000 volunteer days
15,000 projects
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2,500 unemployed people
TCV Strategy 2018-21
11,000 registered volunteers committed their time on a regular basis 4,300 employees from partner organisations volunteered their time for our cause
Improving
30 ha
of woodland
2,500 m of waterways
20 km of paths Planting
300,000 trees
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Why we are needed The UK is among the most nature-depleted countries in the world, having lost significantly more over the long term than the global average. 1
Trees help to cool cities, alleviate flooding, remove pollution and, on average, can lock up 1/3 tonne of carbon per tree. 2 91% of the public in England believe that public parks and open spaces improve people’s quality of life. 3 The extent of people’s participation in their communities and the added control over their lives that this brings has the potential to contribute to their psychosocial wellbeing, and as a result, to other health outcomes.4
Over 9 million people in the UK report they are always or often lonely.5
Around 20 million adults in the UK are insufficiently active putting them at a significantly greater risk of heart and circulatory disease and premature death.6 People who volunteer have better mental and physical health than those who do not volunteer.7 1 State of Nature 2016, RSPB 2 Natural capital accounts for public green space in London – Greater London Authority, National Trust and Heritage Lottery Fund 3 Research summary – Helping community groups to improve public spaces, CABE Space 4 Fair Society, Healthy Lives, Marmott review, Feb 2010 5 The British Red Cross 6 Physical Inactivity Report 2017, The British Heart Foundation 7 Providing social support may be more beneficial than receiving it: Results from a prospective study of mortality. Brown, Neese, Vinokur and Smith, Psychological Science, 14 (4): 320-327
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TCV Strategy 2018-21
1.3 million children in the UK don’t visit the natural environment even once per year.8
Being unemployed increases the likelihood of poor health behaviours such as smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and lack of physical exercise. These increase the longer someone is unemployed.9
Volunteering can serve as a meaningful alternative to paid work [and] can counteract the negative psychological effects of social exclusion.10
COVID-19 and the wider governmental and societal response, have brought health inequalities into sharp focus.11
More than two-thirds of adults in the UK (69%) report feeling somewhat or very worried about the effect COVID-19 is having on their life.12 The number of Universal Credit claimants doubled during the COVID-19 crisis and youth unemployment in the UK could rise by 640,000 in 2020, taking the total above one million.13
8 Monitor of Engagement with the Natural Environment: a pilot to develop an indicator of visits to the natural environment by children - results from years 1&2 (March 2013 to February 2015). Hunt, A., Stewart, D., Burt, J. & Dillon, J., Natural England Commissioned Reports, number 208 9 Keeping us well: How non-health charities address the social determinants of health, NPC 10 Volunteering During Unemployment: Does it Lead to Paid Work? NCVO 11 Health Foundation, 2020 (Ref: Will COVID-19 be a watershed moment for health inequalities) 12 Emerging evidence on COVID-19’s impact on mental health and health inequalities, The Health Foundation 13 Resolution Foundation, 2020 (The Class of 2020)
Green Gym helped me to regain the confidence to return to employment and I now have a full-time job. Green Gym volunteer, Portslade Green Gym, East Sussex
“Since the Lockdown I have been following TCV on facebook. The range of ideas has been a lifesaver for me and my kids, keeping us creative and occupied in our garden. I had no idea the range of things TCV offered and I would like to volunteer with TCV to do more to improve green areas near me once lockdown is reduced.” Respondent, TCV lockdown questionnaire
Following his stroke, my husband refused to leave the house. He lost interest in spending time with the family and stopped all the activities he once loved. I persuaded him to come along to a Green Gym taster session and there was no looking back! He became alive again. He has been a regular volunteer at the Green Gym ever since.
“The support I have received from TCV has been very important to me during COVID-19. Thank you for the chilli, sunflower and tomato plants. I have watered them every evening. Thank you for phoning me up each week to ask how I am physically and mentally and talk about nature and wildlife. During self-isolation it has made a huge difference to have the regular contact with you.” TCV volunteer, Leeds
You are an astonishing organisation. Simply as a citizen, I want to thank TCV for how you have transformed the way in which I spend my urban life. Sir David Attenborough, Vice President of TCV, October 2016
TCV offered a variety of outdoor project work that enabled our young people to get off the ward and into the fresh air. One young man receiving treatment for cancer, who also had an autism spectrum disorder, joined in and continued to volunteer after his treatment finished.
Discovering nature and looking for the plants common to the UK and Richard Hitchins, Teenage Cancer Trust their homeland helped to relieve the stress and the pain. The importance of practising the language and It gave my daughter so much communicating with local people helped confidence being out messy them to feel resettled. They enjoy in nature rather than being gardening and were used to growing their nervous about it. own plants and are now planning to grow Father of an Under 5s Nature their dreams in Scotland. Tahrir, a Syrian translator and close friend of the ten families who took part in TCV’s Welcome through Wildlife programme
Explorer participant
Volunteer’s wife, South Eastern Green Gym, Northern Ireland TCV Strategy 2018-21
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Our Strategic Goals for 2018-21 Our Strategy is informed by the many helpful and insightful ideas we gathered from TCV volunteers, staff, funders, partners and supporters. These ideas were explored, prioritised and grouped into three Strategic Goals that will guide our work between 2018 – 2021 and help us to achieve all four of our outcomes. Over the following two pages, we look at each of these Strategic Goals, what we mean by them and why we have chosen them. Pages 12-14 then outline our initial action plans for each Strategic Goal.
INSPIRE MORE PEOPLE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE We will inspire more individuals and groups to make a difference through social action that improves green spaces, communities and lives.
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TCV Strategy 2018-21
Social action is a fundamental principle of our work – we bring people together to take part in activities that benefit the surrounding community. We want the TCV volunteer experience to be the best it can be so that we can continue to attract and retain dedicated volunteers by providing opportunities that meet their aspirations. We aim to support more community groups to self-organise, collaborate and deliver for people and green spaces. We want to use our expertise in green space volunteering to develop the next generation of volunteer leaders.
SECURE MORE SUPPORT FOR OUR WORK We will do more to shout about TCV’s great work and secure the support of more donors, funders, partners and volunteers.
USE OUR RESOURCES TO DELIVER THE GREATEST IMPACT We will improve our systems, develop our people and deliver the greatest impact we can using the resources we have.
We believe passionately in what we do and the positive impact it has on people and green spaces. We want to bring our vital work to the attention of new audiences. By securing more donations, grant and contract funding, pro bono support, volunteering support and in-kind donations, we will be able to achieve even more for people and green spaces. We know that we can achieve more by working in partnership with others than we can on our own.
We want to obtain a detailed understanding of the impact of our work and the difference it makes to people and green spaces. By better understanding what we are doing well and what we could be doing better, we will become more effective and our work will make an even greater impact. We want to use all our resources as effectively as possible and develop our most valuable resource, our staff, through collaboration, sharing of best practice, training and development.
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Goal 1: Inspire more people to make a difference ACTIONS:
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Make the TCV volunteer experience the best it can be.
Grow the TCV Community Network.
Develop more volunteer leaders.
We will seek the views of our volunteers, considering their different needs, to make the TCV volunteer experience the best it can be.
We will provide more opportunities for community groups to access support and resources and to connect, learn and grow together.
We will develop and train more volunteers to lead others in practical activities and make this expertise available to community groups and partners.
TCV Strategy 2018-21
Goal 2: Secure more support for our work ACTIONS: Capture and share our stories.
Refresh our resources.
Expand our external network.
We will bring our outcomes to life by capturing and sharing more great stories of the people and green spaces we work with.
We will refresh and renew the resources that our people need to promote our work effectively.
We will invest time to expand our external network, creating and developing partnerships that deliver more for people and green spaces.
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Goal 3: Use our resources to deliver the greatest impact ACTIONS: Connect our people and champion best practice. We will help our people to work more collaboratively, sharing more best practice and resources across TCV.
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TCV Strategy 2018-21
Evidence our impact.
Continuously improve our processes.
Develop and invest in our people.
We will improve our impact and outcome reporting by refreshing or replacing the systems we use and reassessing which data to collect and analyse.
We will strive for continuous improvement of our processes to create greater efficiency and get the most from our resources.
We will refresh our programme of learning and development and invest more in our greatest asset: our people.
Working in partnership We believe that we can achieve more by working in partnership with others than we can on our own. As a charity we rely on the support of organisations that share our determination to address the challenges facing people and green spaces today. We are proud to be supported by local and national government, lotteries, private organisations, charities, trusts and landowners – all of whom are committed to our vision of healthier, happier communities for everyone. You can find out more about those we work in partnership with at www.tcv.org.uk
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TCV Strategy 2018-21
TCV Strategy 2018-21
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TCV Sedum House, Mallard Way Doncaster DN4 8DB Telephone: 01302 388883 Email: information@tcv.org.uk www.tcv.org.uk The Conservation Volunteers @TCVtweets
Registered Charity in England (261009) and Scotland (SC 039302). Green GymTM is an internationally registered trade mark of TCV.
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Printed on FSC Mix2018-21 paper TCV Strategy