The Beo
outreach aims to raise awareness of environmental issues with those who participate,
but to use these insights to look at their local area in new ways, to plan
and implement change.
Using a flexible,
workshop approach, the outreach programme empowers groups to implement positive
and practical projects that they have initiated.
Beo workshops are a tool for:
- raising awareness of the positive solutions available to us
all to resolve environmental challenges
- raising awareness of environmental issues and principles -
interconnectedness, resource use, ecology, human issues, sustainable development,
water and waste issues, climate change
- showing that human emotions as well as physical actions have
an impact on the environment
- showing that co-operation, communication and equality are
essential for the solving of environmental challenges
This process encourages co-operation, strengthen community and group interactions
and provide skills and confidence to the participants.
The long-term objective of the Beo outreach programme is for groups
to develop, have ownership and control over local projects whilst having the
back-up supplied by LWCT as and when requested. The Beo outreach
programme can be carried out in any community or region, although funding
is required for most projects.
The Living Water Charitable Trust continues
to develop its outreach workshops to accommodate community organisations,
schools and youth groups.
The most recent outreach project is Awareness to Action , which will
involve Edinburgh University Settlement's Second Chance to Learn as
partners. This innovative project will share the educational and environmental
skills of the two organisations and use Beo to promote environmental
awareness and action, and raise educational standards, in Edinburgh's deprived
peripheral schemes.
Beo workshops have been successfully run in many places, including:
- Arts is
Magic (Glasgow)
- CSV Environment,
Ecotopia (Bathgate)
- Perth Youth
Agenda 21 day
- Primary
and Secondary Schools throughout Scotland and the UK
- Scottish
REEF events
- The Royal
Commonwealth Society
- The Royal
Botanic Gardens (Edinburgh)
- Schools
participating in the Edinburgh Festival of the Environment
Besides these workshops, LWCT hopes to raise funds for longer-term
outreach programme to be run throughout the south of Scotland. LWCT
looks to actively support organisations, however small, in sourcing funds
to pay for workshops and the local projects that happen as a result.
Outreach Developer Mat Clements facilitating a school
workshop
Each Beo workshop changes according to the nature of the organisation
we are working with, and the participants in the workshop itself. Workshops
can run for less than one hour to a whole day to a whole weekend. Groups or
various sizes can be accommodated - from half a dozen to over 30 participants.
Every workshop happens for different reasons, ranging from environmental education
to staff training and development or community participation.
Beo workshops can be designed to suit whatever group or event
you are co-ordinating. Please
contact us if you are interested in hosting a Beo workshop
in your organisation or if you can pledge support for the outreach programme.
Click here
for information on how to make a donation to
Living Water Charitable Trust