NCRC launches free skills-boosting environmental programme for young residents.
Chester-based tenant empowerment charity, NCRC, has received a £50,000 grant from Centrica’s Energy for Tomorrow (EfT) Fund to run a series of programmes engaging young residents.
‘Shaping Sustainable Futures’ is a new programme developed to inspire young residents and form strong partnerships between them and their housing provider, with the aim of working together to tackle environmental actions in their communities. Those attending will also develop a range of skills, learn about opportunities in the sector, and make connections with potential employers.
The initiative follows a consultation between NCRC and number of leading housing associations, which reinforced the need for greater engagement with young residents across all aspects of their communities. This programme sets out to achieve this whilst supporting the sector’s move towards net zero.
Based at Trafford Hall in Chester, NCRC has been the at the heart of personal and professional growth in the housing sector for more than 25 years. As one of the original trailblazers of tenant engagement, the charity’s first focus was on empowering residents to play an active role in their communities, helping them use their voices and skills to create positive change.
Claire Robinson, charity co-ordinator at NCRC, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to receive such generous support from the Energy for Tomorrow team. From the outset, our aims seemed to align brilliantly. We hope this brand-new programme will lay sustainable foundations for helping many young people and their communities on their journey to net zero.”
Centrica’s EfT fund encourages the development of initiatives within local communities that deliver affordable, accessible, and sustainable energy solutions for everyone.
In addition to providing funding, Centrica colleagues will also give their time to support the programme, providing mentoring support to the young residents in the community as they implement their environmental action plans.
Sarah Wright, programme manager at Energy for Tomorrow, said: “Housing associations have clear net zero targets to meet, and collaborating with residents to help meet those goals is a critical part of the challenge. It’s great that the EfT fund is able, via the good work of the NCRC, to support associations in their efforts to be more sustainable.
“It’s more important than ever that we continue to support communities across the North West and the rest of the UK, at the same time as creating sustainable solutions that will help us achieve net zero.”
Dates of residentials will be announced shortly. To find out more about the programme and how to get your residents involved visit https://www.traffordhall.com/shaping-sustainable-futures-youth-programme/ or contact Kathryn Spenceley at hello@the-ncrc.co.uk.
