NZN logo

Supporting community action on climate change

With support from

NZN logo

Supporting community action on climate change

With support from

Net Zero Now is a free programme designed to give you the knowledge and confidence to support your community to accelerate the move to net zero emissions.

This is done through a small number of both virtual and in-person workshops bringing you together with other communities and individuals to support and learn from each other to deliver effective carbon reduction activities, events and communications. By the end of the programme you will leave with an action plan, ready to take the next steps to support your community’s net zero journey.

NZN online community resource hub:
access free online advice and support

A free resource answering your most frequently asked
questions on community climate action

Applications soon to close

Applications will be closing in a few days.

Q&A on 2023 Winter Programme

About Net Zero Now

Approximately 60% of the changes needed to reach net zero by 2050 will require changes to the way we live our lives. We’ll need to reduce energy use, make changes to the way we travel, what we eat, how much we buy and how we dispose of things. This means that, alongside calling for the UK Government to implement top-down policies to reduce the nation’s carbon footprint, in the coming months and years each individual and community will need to find positive ways to adapt, change and thrive as we move towards net zero emissions.

In 2021 Cambridge Carbon Footprint, with support from the South Cambridgeshire District Council Zero Carbon Communities fund, launched and ran Net Zero Now and in early 2022 Cambridge City Council supported our short series, Net Zero Skills. This led to the creation of the online Net Zero Now resource, a series of training videos, free for anyone to undertake in their own time at home. Alongside this, we are now offering the live course once again in 2023, with new content and new speakers.

This free training is designed to enable everyone, regardless of knowledge, skills or experience to participate. The courses are most relevant to those who haven’t run an environmental project in their community before, are interested in doing so but unsure where to start or those who have recently set up a group and would like some extra support. We will provide the tools to get started with community action on carbon reduction and bring together experienced local community leaders who can help you to get started with your initiative. This could be something as simple as setting up a new local clothes swap, or something as big as a community energy scheme.

Get in touch

Applications are now closed for our 2023 Net Zero Now programmes.

If you are interested in future programmes, contact us below and we will get in touch if we run the course again in the future.

FAQs

Who is the training programme for?

Net Zero Now is for residents of South Cambridgeshire who would like to learn more about how to bring climate action into their community. This could be through 

  • combining environmental action into your existing activities (e.g. within community or faith groups), 
  • supporting an existing environmental group or activity or 
  • setting up a new project (e.g. repair cafes or a community energy project). 

While the course is open to all residents in South Cambridgeshire, the course is mainly designed for:

  • leaders in the community (parish councillors, faith leaders, teachers etc.) interested in climate action,
  • interested residents who would like to be more active on the climate in their local area,
  • and representatives from newly formed local environmental groups that would like some guidance and support to improve the impact of their work.

There are only a limited number of places available on the course, so we will select applicants to reflect a broad spectrum of local parishes, individual backgrounds, organisation types, pre-existing knowledge and strengths.

As this programme is looking to bring together keen residents from various backgrounds, existing knowledge or experience is not as important as enthusiasm and motivation to take action in your local community.

What does the course involve?

Weekly sessions

The course consists of six sessions, four online on a Wednesday evening and two in person on a Saturday.

Example Course Outline (from Spring 2023)

Session 1. Climate Action: From past to present and bottom to top

Session 2. From Ideas to Impact: What’s right for you and your community?

Session 3. Community Engagement: Understanding and connecting with diverse audiences

Session 4. Influencing: Behaviour change, climate psychology and working with local government

Session 5. Getting Practical: Creating an action plan and finding support

Session 6. Onwards and Upwards: From small wins to big victories

Other activities

In addition to the online sessions, there will be a small amount of additional work to be undertaken outside of these sessions an opportunities throughout the course for 1-1 support.

What is required to participate?

While this course is suitable for applicants with a range of knowledge, experience and proposed actions, successful applicants will demonstrate an interest in supporting their community to take action on climate change. This may be through a number of factors, including demonstrating:

  • an interest in their local community. Either through previous experience of engagement with their community or through an interest in getting involved as a result of attending this course.
  • concern about climate change combined with an interest in developing and improving knowledge on this topic.
  • a motivation to take action on climate change. This can be from larger-scale ambitious actions (such as setting up a community energy project) down to smaller-scale actions (such as running a clothes swap with your local scout group)
  • a commitment to the course activities. Including both attending weekly sessions and the additional activities outlined above.

In order to take part in this course, applicants will need:

  • access to an internet connection strong enough to use the video conferencing service Zoom.
  • a basic knowledge of using Zoom. Please let us know if you would need training on this before taking part as we may be able to provide this.
Will you be running this course again?

We may be running this course again in the future. Please contact us through the 'Get in touch' contact form on this page if you would like us to email you if we are offering another programme in the future.

Applications close soon!

The 2023 Spring Course Outline (Winter Outline to be finalised)

Session 1. Climate Action: From past to present and bottom to top

Session 2. From Ideas to Impact: What’s right for you and your community

Session 3. Community Engagement: Understanding and connecting with diverse audiences

Session 4. Influencing: Behaviour change, climate psychology and working with local government

Session 5. Getting Practical: Creating an action plan and finding support

Session 6. Onwards and Upwards: From small wins to big victories

Featuring guest speakers from CamCycle, Natural England, Black Environment Network, Cambridge Climate Therapists, South Cambridgeshire District Council, Cambridgeshire Climate Emergency, Cambridgeshire County Council, Swaffham Prior Community Land Trust, Swavesey Sustainability Hub, Sustainable Oakington and Westwick, Haslingfield And Harlton Eco Group, and more…