Greener and Cleaner and the University of Bath have teamed up with the Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformation (CAST)

We know what we do is important, but how do we know we’re making a difference?

Greener and Cleaner and the University of Bath have teamed up with the Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformation (CAST) receiving £5,000 in funding to complete research evaluating the impact of The Hub.

The CAST research intends to demonstrate the success of The Hub so far. The success of all of you who have been making changes inspired by the advice, examples and knowledge gained by interacting with Greener and Cleaner.

The research will:

Help us understand the outcomes of using The Hub

Why do people engage with Greener and Cleaner, how this leads to changes in behaviours or attitudes towards climate change.

Evaluate

What is working, evaluate what could be improved and what activities might be missing.

Provide opportunities for knowledge exchange

Highlighting the Greener and Cleaner model to other climate change organisations and charities, local authorities and others who want to effect climate change.

Support future funding applications

Providing empirical evidence on the societal and economic impacts of The Hub.

Raising money and making a blueprint too

The research is essential in demonstrating how much impact we’re making and knowing that we’re making a difference. Being able to report firm facts and figures helps us apply for more funding to keep The Hub open and services available to everyone – especially those who may not have used it before.

It will take us another step closer to providing a blueprint of a green community hub. The research will explore why people use The Hub as well a multitude of other factors such as:

• Which behaviours are most influenced by interacting with The Hub
• Which Hub activities are most effective in generating low carbon behaviours
• What motivates continued engagement with The Hub
• Measure perceptions of climate change and risk
• Support those excluded from climate action/discussion
• Support climate action in different social roles

How can you get involved?

Starting this month, you’ll be able to participate in the research project, just by attending one of our events, or popping into The Hub, and answering a few questions before the end of May. If you felt like answering similar questions a few months later that would also be very helpful.

Inside The Hub you’ll see our posters with a QR code – scan the code and complete the survey online. And while you are doing so, opt in for survey two, which will be emailed to you a few months later. The total time to complete both surveys is 20 minutes!

Don’t worry, you can ask one of our volunteers for help if you need it.

Why?

You’ll be shaping the future of Greener and Cleaner, helping us improve, and supporting our funding applications. You can even enter a prize draw to win one of three £150 vouchers for Ethical Superstore if you want to. (As a side note, Ethical Superstore donates up to 5% with Give As You Live, if you’re registered for Greener and Cleaner there too!).

One of the reasons Greener and Cleaner opened The Hub was to provide a blueprint for Hubs across the country. Doing this research helps us understand what we’re achieving and where improvements are needed.

Getting results

We need as many participants as possible, so we really do urge you to participate. Results will be anonymised but will give us a real grounding to demonstrate the success of The Hub.

We’ll be producing a CAST briefing paper, workshop, toolkit and webinar. As well as sharing the results with you, they will be shared with other policy makers, academics, climate changemakers, NGOs and more.

So help Greener and Cleaner slingshot into the future, by participating in our research with CAST!

To make your decision even easier, here’s a link to what’s coming up at The Hub: www.greenerandcleaner.co.uk/events
Join us, or pop into The Hub before the end of May to complete the first survey.