Community Assemblies

A Community Assembly is when a group of people come together to learn more about certain topics/ issues, discuss and then decide what action should or shouldn't be taken. Community Assemblies are a means of having your say about issues you care about.

It is often said that climate change is the biggest threat humanity has ever faced! The IPCC project states that we have until 2028 to significantly decrease our GHG emissions before the global ‘carbon budget’ is used up and we reach the projected tipping point of 1.5 o C (IPCC, 2022). It is crucial that we all act now to reduce our carbon emissions and live sustainably. National governments and business are key players in enforcing or instigating the societal changes needed to set us on the right path. That is the role of those in power.

Unfortunately, the decisive changes needed are not being implemented and global GHG emissions continue to rise. Communities and individuals need to deliver informed responses to those in power, requesting or demanding these changes to be made, alongside taking action themselves and showing through doing. Assemblies create practical solutions and action plans for communities to follow as well as requests for those in power to make the necessary changes.

The North East Scotland Climate Action Network ( NESCAN ) Hub team is running the assembly. NESCAN Hub was developed out of local community volunteer organisations and is funded by the Scottish Government to support communities and community groups as part of Scotland’s response to climate change. NESCAN’s aims are:
1. to support & develop community led climate action throughout Aberdeen City & Aberdeenshire
2. To be the voice of community climate action & link into policy decision making at a regional & national level.

NESCAN Hub helps community groups to develop projects that address climate change and biodiversity loss. It runs Climate Week North East & is involved in running the Just Transition Fund Participatory Budgeting Process in Aberdeen City & Shire.

Here in the North East of Scotland, we are facing big changes in our local economy and how we live, due to climate change. We want to make sure that communities have a say in what those changes are and ensure that the opportunities for creating the community we want to live in are fully realised.

Community assemblies help us plan for the challenges ahead and ensure that communities themselves create the plan for how they are going to develop and what their priorities are.

We want to help communities to access money from the Just Transition Fund, where £500M has been committed to the North-East of Scotland over the next 10 years, and use their voice to show where and how some of it could be spent.

The workshops will start with a hot meal and an opportunity to chat to each other, before you will hear from people who know about the topic we will be discussing that week. One speaker will set the scene generally for that topic before other speakers, who are undertaking projects within that topic, provide inspiration on possible projects or actions that could go into our community action plan.

After you have gained that knowledge and exchange of ideas you will get the opportunity to discuss in a small group what your vision for the future of your community is on that topic and how that vision can be realised, setting out practical steps and thinking about who would need to be involved to make it a reality.

All these ideas will be noted down and the small group discussion conclusion will be brought together with the wider group further refining the ideas and actions to come up with a draft action plan on that topic. After all the topics have been covered, there will be a further session to create a draft community action plan and mandate.

The workshops offer the chance for everyone to learn about the changes the North East is facing, including how climate change is going to affect us in Aberdeen and the wider world. Those with knowledge and experience will be brought in to talk on themes such as: how we can create better housing, use less energy, create our own energy, how do we get about, local food supply chains and growing, how we use our land and how we can reduce waste and do more sharing, lending and mending and making. We will learn about possible positive solutions to the issues, enabling in depth thought and discussion to create a community action plan and manifesto.

Every Wednesday evening between the 11th of January 2023 and the 22nd of February

January 11th, 18th, 25th
February 1st, 8th, 22nd

A summary workshop will then be held in March as a celebration event as part of Climate Week North East.The workshops will start at 6:30pm, with a hot meal, and end at 9pm.

Location: St Machar’s Academy.

Not at all. No previous knowledge is required to take part in the assembly.

Get in touch with the NESCAN Hub team here, or contact Chris Bodington, our Community Development Officer.

christine@nescan.org
Tel: 01224081328

Register your interest via this form and we'll be in touch!

In the first community assemblies, residents of Tillydrone, Seaton, Linksfield and Woodside can take part.