Success at the Unboxed Awards 2008!

After an anxious wait, the good news is finally here ... we have yet again triumphed, another award, making this a record breaking (4th) FOURTH winning award in ONE MONTH! 

This exciting news was announced yesterday (25th November) at the Unboxed Conference 2008. Jane Riddiford, Executive Director and Mariam Turay, Generator (youth volunteer) were present to receive the award.

We received prize money of £2,000 which will be used towards our upcoming projects.

The award is designed to recognise Excellence in Positive Activities for Young People that Maximise Youth participation, Empowerment and Potential. See www.unboxed.info/awards2008.php for more info.  

3rd Award in a Month!

The Estate Gazette Green Awards 2008 has been added to our 'trophy room'! On the 17th November, we received confirmation that we won the category of "Public Sector Award for Encouraging Sustainable Development".

We are alongside other winners such as Drivers Jonas who won "Green Property Advisor of the Year" and Sainsbury's Distribution Depot, ProLogis Park Pineham, Northampton who won "Overall Green Development of the Year".

Click here to view all winners of the Estate Gazette Green Awards 2008.
 

We are Triodos Social Vision Finalist!

We entered one of our BGC photos showing two of our Generators (youth volunteers) workshopping, in the Triodos Social Vision photo competition and are now one of 12 finalists! The photo will be used in Triodos' 2009 calender. The overall winner of the competition will be announced on 3rd December 2008 with a prize of £1,500. Fingers crossed!!! 

We are Unboxed Finalist!

We have been announced as finalist for the Unboxed Awards 2008. The award is designed to recognise Excellence in Positive Activities for Young People that Maximise Youth participation, Empowerment and Potential.

We are one of three finalists and the winner will be announced at the Unboxed conference on 25th November. The finalists will receive a share of £4,000. 

Unboxed - www.unboxed.info - is a free access website that sets out guidance and approaches for working with young people to promote positive activity, produced by social researchers Lemos&Crane.

Best Environmental Project of the Year!

Friday 7th November 2008 has been another milestone achievement for GLOBAL GENERATION as our Living Buildings-Local Links project has been awarded the title of "Best Environmental Project 2008" by the Archant London Environmental Awards 2008.

Bill Donnelly, one of our Trustees and Mariam Turay, one of our Generators, were present at the Archant London Environmental Awards ceremony, held at the Radisson SAS Portman Hotel London. Schools, colleges, businesses and individuals were recognised for contributions of all shapes and sizes to environmental awareness and protection projects.

Our Living Buildings - Local Links Project empowers and involves young people from multiple London boroughs to contribute and make a positive difference to environmental issues on a local scale. These young people from various ethnicities and socio-economic backgrounds work as teams with commerical and communitiy organisations to improve the environmental sustainability of their buildings and surrounding grounds. This is done through the implementation of Green Roof Systems, Rooftop Vegetable Allotments, energy and carbon saving systems including Grey-to-Green Water Recycling, Rainwater Harvesting, Solar Panels and Wind Turbines.

For more information on the Archant London Environmental Awards 2008, please visit: http://www.london24.com/environmentalawards/winners.aspx

Generator Receives High Commendation

At the Archant London Environmental Awards 2008, Mariam Turay; one of our brilliant Generators (young volunteer), received a runner-up award for "Young Environmentalist of the Year - Highly Commended". 

Mariam started volunteering with GLOBAL GENERATION through the Generator Programme since early 2007 and has been involved in a wide selection of projects including the creation of our promotional video, hands on work in the building of the Green Roof at the Office Group, mentoring for younger participants in projects, hosting camps for primary school children, public presentations promoting the work of GLOBAL GENERATION amongst many other activities.

For more information on the Archant London Environmental Awards 2008, please visit: http://www.london24.com/environmentalawards/winners.aspx

October 2008

CAMDEN’S BIG GREEN PICTURE - Big Green Challenge Project Launch (Tuesday 28th October 2008)

The day started off with clear blue skies, a truly bright and sunny day. For GLOBAL GENERATiON, it ended with a successful night of networking, fundraising and fun with over 70 guests at The Hub in Kings Cross.

The Big Green Challenge is a yearlong competition run by the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA). GLOBAL GENERATION’s Living Buildings-Local Links programme was submitted to the competition in early 2008 along with over 350 UK organisations. Through a rigorous selection process, we were chosen as one of 10 finalists to implement our project which is all about engaging young people, local communities and London businesses in Climate Change.

The night officially kicked off with an inspiring opening speech from Sara Riley; Trustee and Chairperson of GLOBAL GENERATION. Sara expressed the underlying passions which led to the origin of our charity.

Jane Riddiford, the Executive Director of GLOBAL GENERATiON's speech focused on the various projects we implement highlighting that we are the "community in business". She also commended the young people partcipating in the projects for their enthusiasm and inputs in tackling the problem of climate change.

Ned Lewis, Executive Assistant of The Hub also gave a welcoming speech to our guests explaining the origin of this unique business venture and the plans for future developments. Ned graciously provided GLOBAL GENERATION the use of this spectacular venue for the night at no cost. The Hub is a social enterprise with the ambition to inspire and support imaginative and enterprising initiatives for a better world. It is a global community of people from every profession, background and culture working at 'new frontiers' to tackle the world's most pressing social, cultural and environmental challenges. For more information, visit: www.the-hub.net

Vicki Costello; Development Manager-Innovation Challenges; from NESTA presented a concise explanation of the aims and objectives of the Big Green Challenge competition.

Paul Aiken, one of GLOBAL GENERATION’s Trustees and organiser of the photography auction/exhibition raised the awareness of the importance of financial support to the continuation of our cause and enthusiastically encouraged the audience to participate wholeheartedly in the auction.

Two Generators Zak Nur and Ciara Monahan; gave motivating speeches sharing their experiences thus far and the impact working with GLOBAL GENERATION has had on their attitude and behaviour towards the environment as well as their day to day lives.

Sean Kennedy, our auctioneer from Speakers Bank led an incredible auction glazed with hilarious jokes and stories but fixed on ensuring the job - raising as much money as possible!

We extend a special thank you to:

- Café des Vins (St Pancras Station) who donated sparkling French wine for this event

- Ned Lewis who provided us with the venue to host this event at no charge

- Simon Calder (North East South West Ltd), Mike Goldwater, Tony Wheeler (Lonely Planet Publications), Wanderlust Publications' Paul Morrison (deceased) and Nadav Kander who all donated valuable pictures to our fundraising auction.

- Jennifer MacKay, Charlotte Hindle and Amy Bellew for helping to source photos for the auction.

- To all the guests who participated in the auction bids

- The winners of the auction who have all bided so generously namely: Barbara Terres, Julie Holness, Helena Anderson, Allan Morton from Herbert Smith and Rob Lamond.

- Sean Kennedy from Speakers Bank who led an exciting auction

- Cook & Buttle’s Ursula Westmacott for provisions made for the taste buds and stomach.

- To everyone who purchased our Christmas cards, branded t-shirts, organic New Zealand honey and photos taken by young people engaged in our projects (P.S. we still have many items unsold; please contact shanica@globalgeneration.org.uk to place an order)

- All the Generators and volunteers who helped make this a successful event

- To everyone who took the time to attend...we say a heartfelt thank you!

GLOBAL GENERATiON Cordially Invities You To Our Official Big Green Challenge Launch

We are a Big Green Challenge FINALIST!!!

Through the hard work of our trustees, staff, young people and volunteers together with the invaluable support of our business and community partners, we are finally one of the ten organisations (out of 360) selected as finalists for the Big Green Challenge Competition. Click here to see our Big Green Challenge Profile

We had entered our Living Buildings - Local Links programme in the competition in May 2008 and now have the opportunity to further develop and expand this project. The Big Green Challenge evaluation year begins in October 2008 and ends 12 months later. At the end of this year long evaluation, there is a £1,000,000 prize fund for the wining project.     

Good fundraising ideas and execution is a crucial activity for charitable organisations such as GLOBAL GENERATiON. As a result, we have included a fundraising workshop as part of the training programme for the new 2008 – 2009 Generators. 

The 1 day workshop was well received by these enthusiastic young people. The morning workshop was kick started with a session of Chi Kung (Qi Qong). Chi Kung is an exercise system from China that combines slow, gentle movement - or sometimes even stillness - with calm regular breathing. With daily practice, it is claimed that Chi Kung can strengthen the overall state of health and increase resistance to illness. One of the participants remarked “Chi Kung made me connect with my inner self”; another expressed his excitement of the new experience “I was able to have a taste of Chi Kung and how powerful it can be!!!”.

Following the presentations and discussions on the art of fundraising lead by the workshop leaders, the Generators were divided into two (2) teams. Each team had the task of developing and orally presenting a fundraising plan for a project or activity of their choice.

The end result exceeded all expectations; the projects/activities and plans presented by the teams were creative, unique and quite feasible. The passion and excitement they expressed when delivering their fundraising plans for each project was so inspiring that we have a renewed confidence that this group will be involved in and lead some amazing and insightful activities over the next 12 months! One of the participants said "The session was very different from ordinary sessions and involved all of us. It was fun and we experienced a good discussion and debate with ideas that were very different and creative".

Another said "I enjoyed the pitch this afternoon because I can finally talk and speak about something I can understand. I think my group worked really well together and we had a good time whilst making good ideas".

Another expressed that "It was amazing to think that our ideas were doable and not just random thoughts".

I think this year's Generator Programme has the potential and opportunity to achieve great things!

August 2008

Big Green Challenge Top 21 Challenger

We are proud to announce that we have being selected as one of the top 21 Big Green Challengers for the Big Green Challenge Competition.

The Big Green Challenge from NESTA is a £1 million prize fund designed to encourage and reward people working together. The aim is for competitors to develop and implement new approaches that will lead towards a 60% reduction of CO2 emissions in their communities.

Eight (8) young people from various London Boroughs have set out on a four (4) day long camp at our campsite on Pertwood Organic Farm in Wiltshire on Bank Holiday Monday (25th August 2008) to begin their training to become the new Generators (our Youth Ambassadors) for the next 12 months. More information coming soon 

GLOBAL GENERATiON is constantly developing and supporting new ways to engage and develop the skills of our youth volunteers better known as “Generators”.

On the 8th August 2008, they set off to Pertwood Organic Farm campsite in Warminster to host their first ever children’s camp.

The Generators, aged 17 – 20, participated in a number of preparation activities leading up to the camp. These activities included, raising most of the funding for the camp through a grant from Camden Youth Services, attending Child Protection Training and project planning meetings with the staff and trustees of GLOBAL GENERATiON.

On the three (3) day camp, the Generators were responsible for planning, managing and executing activities for 10 children aged 9 - 13. These activities included, vegetable planting and harvesting, arts, building, nature walks, preparing and eating healthy food and storytelling.

GLOBAL GENERATiON hosted its second single ethnic project through a partnership with the voluntary organisation 'Somali Families Meeting Point' which supports young Islamic girls. The project began back in February with 4 days of Cook & Eat exercises climaxing in August with a 3-day Camp and 4 days creating a vegetable and herb garden at their Rowley Way Estate location.

As many as 20 Islamic Somali girls, ranging from ages 8 – 21 years, participated in the Cook & Eat sessions and 12 in the Camp and Gardening.

The Cook & Eat sessions covered a wide range of meals including main courses, snacks, desserts, smoothies, juices and fruit ice cream. They also spent time looking at the nutritional value of the foods prepared as well as the use of more vegetables and fruit in their diet.

The camp had an amazing impact on the participants. Hiba Hadir, Founder of Somali Families Meeting Point and one of the adults present on the camp said on her return; “... the girls are already missing Pertwood Farm and last night they all told me that as soon as they entered London they all got a headache. The older girls told me the reason must be because they were in a quiet healthy place and having come back into London gave them a headache”.

Following their return from the camp they then spent 4 days on their Estate in a practical and theoretical gardening exercise. They looked at climate, soil, worms and mini beasts alongside preparing the beds and planting a wide range of herbs and winter vegetables.