Scheme to train 60 media champions who can help change the terms of the debate.
A new project to support 180 charities working with underrepresented groups to have their say on green policy has been announced.
NPC, a think tank and consultancy for the social sector, have unveiled funding from The National Lottery Community Fund for a project to amplify the voices of people and communities most impacted by climate change.
These voices are often the least heard from in national and local debates on our environment, and this new work aims to change that.
The project will support 180 smaller charities to represent their communities and influence policy. These charities work with Disabled people, people on low incomes, and people from ethnic minority communities in England and Scotland.
The group will also train 60 Champions from underrepresented groups to effectively advocate for change in the media.
New research will be published on the impacts of climate change, nature loss, and government environmental policies on women and girls, and the LGBTQ+ community.
The new work builds on NPC’s Everyone’s Environment programme on the social impacts of climate change and nature loss. It will apply the national Everyone’s Environment model to work with local charities.
NPC’s head of policy and external affairs, Leah Davis, said: “Environmental change hits some of the most disadvantaged people the hardest, and we simply don’t hear enough from these people and communities. This work aims to change that.
“Empowering diverse voices in policy and the media can transform the conversation. And working directly with local charities means communities get the support they need to respond to the consequences of environmental change.
“We’re proud to be delivering this work in partnership with so many great charities and are grateful to National Lottery players for making this initiative possible.”
The project will be delivered through an exciting new partnership between NPC, the Race Equality Foundation, Disability Rights UK, Turn2us, Media Trust, and Hope for the Future.
Thanks to National Lottery players,
Diverse Voices has received £1,493,760.62 over three years from The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest community funder in the UK.
This comes from the Climate Action Fund, a £100million commitment over 10 years from The National Lottery Community Fund to support communities across the UK to take action on climate change and involve more people in climate action.
Disability Rights UK CEO Kamran Mallick said: “We know through our policy work that Disabled people will be amongst the hardest hit by a changing climate and that is why this partnership with NPC is so important to highlight the issue.
“There are more than one billion disabled people in the world. However, we currently have no input into policy, discussions and environmental solutions, meaning that laws, policies, and programmes don’t consider the needs of disabled people or the impact of proposed change.
“We need to be recognised and involved as the facts are that disabled people are twice as likely as any other group to die in disasters. We know that environmental pollution is creating childhood disability, impairing children's health, and reducing their life chances, and we know that higher temperatures are more likely to affect people with disabilities or pre-existing conditions that limit the body’s ability to stay cool.
“By working with NPC, we are confident we will begin to see an end to “eco-ableism” and begin to educate the wider world on the need for co-operation.”
