It has a skills focus but may be of use. Also I have a briefing that looks at education policies for the main parties as well as a couple of internal policy briefings that may be of use. My email contact is on the Skills - Third Sector website.
The sector needs to think about the skills in has and that it will need in order to ensure that all organisations are able to reduce their impact on the environment as well as take their place in the 'green economy'. Already there are many organisations within the sector who operate in a sustainable way as well as providing a useful service [www.shopatreboot.co.uk][1] is one of my local examples. At the same time many organisations in the sector are doing their bit to be more sustainable by developing recycling policies and encouraging cycle schemes etc.
The questions I have include
Do we have the skills to ensure that all organisations are able to assess their environmental impact and find ways of reducing it?
Do trustees know how to ensure that green issues are included in their strategic thinking?
How do we ensure that staff and volunteers have the knowledge to build green issues into projects to ensure a real difference?
Along with this we need to think about the skills needed to enable the sector to take its place in the low carbon industries that are being promoted by the government. We need to promote and develop the work of the sector in these areas and look at the specific skills that are needed and ensure that the sector has access to the learning it needs.
Can not help but think that there needs to be some recognition about communities of place and interest and how these are affected by some of the issues and how these are changing. I think how people identify with others and how these links are formed are key to understanding some of the issues around web2.0 the rise of single issues and how people will look to volunteer.
I guess that some thought on this may come out in any analysis of the drivers in the future.
Is this recession the same as others? An interesting piece from IES argues that things are different this time around especially where employment and skills are concerned.
The type of work that the average person does in the UK has changed, this has implications for the skills they have and the skills they need to move into new roles. More and more people need to develop skills like IT use, customer service or team working, there are less and less jobs that require unskilled workers and it is these changes that will make this recession different.
In looking at how you and your organisation are going to weather the recession it is essential that the skills that you have in your employees and volunteers are seen as key; you need to be asking yourself what skills are we under utilising, where are the gaps and what training should we be offering. You should not be thinking who we can make redundant in order to cut short term costs or by how much can I cut the training budget. For most organisations their workforce is their key resource and they need to be developed, supported and nurtured. Remember the costs of recruiting someone may outweigh the costs of training an existing member of staff and that most staff value training and are more likely to stay with an employer who offers them opportunities to learn.
Mark
Hi Gethyn
There is a policy briefing on the Skills - Third Sector website
[http://www.skills-thirdsector.org.uk/researchpolicy/thirdsectorpolicybriefing/]
It has a skills focus but may be of use. Also I have a briefing that looks at education policies for the main parties as well as a couple of internal policy briefings that may be of use. My email contact is on the Skills - Third Sector website.
Mark
Mark
The sector needs to think about the skills in has and that it will need in order to ensure that all organisations are able to reduce their impact on the environment as well as take their place in the 'green economy'. Already there are many organisations within the sector who operate in a sustainable way as well as providing a useful service [www.shopatreboot.co.uk][1] is one of my local examples. At the same time many organisations in the sector are doing their bit to be more sustainable by developing recycling policies and encouraging cycle schemes etc.
The questions I have include
Do we have the skills to ensure that all organisations are able to assess their environmental impact and find ways of reducing it?
Do trustees know how to ensure that green issues are included in their strategic thinking?
How do we ensure that staff and volunteers have the knowledge to build green issues into projects to ensure a real difference?
Along with this we need to think about the skills needed to enable the sector to take its place in the low carbon industries that are being promoted by the government. We need to promote and develop the work of the sector in these areas and look at the specific skills that are needed and ensure that the sector has access to the learning it needs.
Mark
Can not help but think that there needs to be some recognition about communities of place and interest and how these are affected by some of the issues and how these are changing. I think how people identify with others and how these links are formed are key to understanding some of the issues around web2.0 the rise of single issues and how people will look to volunteer.
I guess that some thought on this may come out in any analysis of the drivers in the future.
Mark
Is this recession the same as others? An interesting piece from IES argues that things are different this time around especially where employment and skills are concerned.
The type of work that the average person does in the UK has changed, this has implications for the skills they have and the skills they need to move into new roles. More and more people need to develop skills like IT use, customer service or team working, there are less and less jobs that require unskilled workers and it is these changes that will make this recession different.
In looking at how you and your organisation are going to weather the recession it is essential that the skills that you have in your employees and volunteers are seen as key; you need to be asking yourself what skills are we under utilising, where are the gaps and what training should we be offering. You should not be thinking who we can make redundant in order to cut short term costs or by how much can I cut the training budget. For most organisations their workforce is their key resource and they need to be developed, supported and nurtured. Remember the costs of recruiting someone may outweigh the costs of training an existing member of staff and that most staff value training and are more likely to stay with an employer who offers them opportunities to learn.