Planning your project - selling the idea
A community composting groups activities can be pretty diverse. As a group you may well have a whole range of aspirations and fears. Although initially you will not want to take on too much, it is good to imagine where the project could be in a few years time. It may well transpire that you just want to be, and remain, a small composting group run by volunteers. Or you may well have members of the group who would like to take things further. It is important to allow all potential ideas to be considered. A good approach is to have a 'brainstorming' session. At this all ideas are considered, however farfetched and impractical they seem - no holds barred at this stage. Think of what the compost is going to be used for. Who is going to do the work - is there any 'free' labour available. Are there existing local organisations that you could work with? These could include people with learning difficulties, mental health projects, young offenders, long term unemployed and so on. You may well want to do some research at this stage, your community composting co-ordinator is there either to help directly or to suggest other experts to assist you.
All your group's ideas need to be recorded and then sifted through and prioritised. You don't want to be overwhelmed by the possibilities, it's important to work within the capabilities, and the time constraints of the group. Create a time scale - start small within the capacity of the group - but start a dynamic rolling programme that you keep revisiting. Put the bigger developmental ideas further along the time scale and focus on the immediate job in hand.
Group dynamics
Devon’s Local Agenda 21 working group on democracy and consultation has come up with a useful leaflet - which includes information like:
‘When your group gets together, take some time to allow everybody to speak. It can be useful to go around the group first to introduce themselves and how they are feeling. Everybody should be able to see each other, circular seating is the ideal.’
It's extremely important to take everybody's ideas on board and not dismiss anyone out of hand. When everyone's ideas have been listened to - then comes the task of prioritising and seeing who will do what, when. If only one person wants to do a particular task, then they either do it alone, or it gets dropped or shelved for the time being.
Funding
You will undoubtedly want to apply for funding, before you start, put yourself in he funders shoes. Why would anyone want to give you money? Do you have a well organised group and well thought out proposal? Will the project eventually be self sustaining? Who will benefit from it’s existence? You need to be able to get down your proposal in a simple form - no more than a side of A4.
You can get more help on this try your local CSV office, your local council, the DCCN co-ordinator or look up www.funderfinder.org.uk
From this site you can get free funding and budgeting information and software.
Checklist
Site -suitability - risk assessment - legality etc. Remember the situation on this is changing - at the time of writing we still do not know exactly how it will change - but whatever the situation the risk assessment (see opposite) will be site specific
Labour force - own group - social services etc
Administration of group
constitution - secretary, chair, treasure
Insurance
Visit(s) to other project site(s)
Funding
Budget. E.G. Tools, equipment, - rotary sieve, machinery, materials for site construction, - timber, wire, nails etc. plant hire, consultation costs, planning costs, publicity materials, art work & design costs, printing, initial labour costs, insurance costs, office equipment/materials, signs, first aid kit, vehicle, hiring of meeting space, - and don’t forget to factor in a percentage for admin costs etc.
Further Help
Why not join the National Organisation (CCN) at the earliest possible opportunity? Latest funding opportunities are updated monthly as part of the service along with a Quarterly bulletin and much much more! See resources at the back of this document for contact details
