‘Lighting a Spark’ webinars

The Social Enterprise Academy has been awarded a grant to deliver a community engagement programme in three pilot Regional Land Use Partnership (RLUP) areas. This programme aims to raise awareness, and support and strengthen community inclusion in land use decision making. Visit ➡  https://your.socialenterprise.academy/course/view.php?id=1207

‘Lighting a Spark’ webinars – sharing inspiring stories about land use across Scotland

The webinars are an opportunity for people living in rural areas across Scotland to come together and share inspiring stories about land use, land use change and delivering benefits to local people as well as national priorities.

No experience or prior knowledge of rural issues is necessary. We are also looking for the ‘less heard voices’ in the communities to come along and share their views.

The overall purpose of the programme is to support and strengthen community inclusion in decision making about how local land is used.

The programme will start with two ‘Lighting a Spark’ webinars held on 25 and 30 August. They are open to anyone living in the North-East Scotland, Loch Lomond & the Trossachs or South Scotland RLUP areas. Participants will emerge with fresh ideas and understanding of using land to address shared challenges such as tackling climate change, halting biodiversity loss and identifying sustainable land-based opportunities for local people.

Following the webinars, the RLUPs have identified four smaller rural communities to take part in a land use ‘Visioning’ programme. Participants will join collaborative sessions designed to provide a strong foundation for communities to shape positive futures for land use, recognising and enabling the role of local people in sustainable land practices.

Made possible thanks to funding from the Scottish Government through the Scottish Rural Network, this unique programme is delivered by the Social Enterprise Academy, which provides transformational learning and development programmes for people and organisations working for social change.

During the webinars, participants will…

  • Hear from inspirational land use speakers from across Scotland
  • Explore ways to help tackle climate change and encourage nature through land use change
  • Identify sustainable land-based opportunities for local people
  • Share your own experiences, thoughts and ideas