Application by Karen J Davies

Name: Karen Davies

Title: Local Agenda 21 Co-ordinator

Employer Address:

Stafford Borough Council,
Civic Centre,
Riverside,
Stafford,
Staffordshire,
ST16 3A

What I'd like to do, when and where:

Background

I have provided a mini autobiography by mistake! It explains why I'm doing what I'm doing and why I am applying to 'Global to Local' to support my visit to Ecuador.

In case it's a bit too long though, I've put it in an appendix! (please see Appendix One).

My aim is to visit Ecuador for three weeks to achieve the following:

·      Make contact with local sustainable development/environmental NGO's

·      Visit accredited co-operatives and community based organisations, growing produce for export then sale through accredited fairtrade organisations

·      Find out about the impact of the Agenda 21 Treaty and how far Local Agenda 21 has progressed within Ecuador

·      Collect information specifically to provide a Southern American perspective on issues that are of high profile in Stafford Borough, as shown below

·        Establish links with Ecuador as a 'twin' and maintain positive ongoing communication

·        Produce a website linking Ecuador and Stafford Borough, incorporating general information (geographical, cultural, political) and especially information regarding sustainability

·        Identify a primary school in Ecuador and encourage a link with a Stafford Borough Primary School, through the Stafford Borough Eco-Schools Network

·        Carry this out between 22^nd July and 12^th August 2002, based in Quito and visiting the Central Sierra, the Northern Lowlands, Guayaquil, the Oriente and The Galapagos 

How it will improve my performance as a co-ordinator and what Skills, Knowledge and Personal Experience will I acquire:

• Extend knowledge and understanding of sustainability issues in a southern American country, which has greatly contrasting characteristics to Stafford and the UK
• Enable me to better balance issues and priorities, according to the different social and economic circumstances and needs of communities beyond the 'affluent west'
• Provide me with primary material for use in my LA 21 role eg raising awareness of economic inequalities and development issues, promotion of fairtrade, biodiversity and why it is fundamental, work in schools
• Force me to make time to refer back to and update research work I carried out in Durban and Kwa-Zulu Natal on Local Agenda 21, in 1998, and to incorporate this on Stafford Borough's LA 21 website too!
• Personal gains will be made through experiencing and learning about a wide range of 'unknowns': learning about a new culture; making new friends: learning about little known ecosystems; unusual flora and fauna; different political and economic systems; contrasting priorities; day to day life

How the £500 will be allocated:

The money will help to fund travel and accommodation to different regions within the Country, to cover the cost of vaccinations and prophylactics (costing £100), to establish internet links and a website as outlined above, to produce materials for use by the 'Stafford Area Action for Fairtrade' Group which aims to promote fairtrade throughout the Borough ie poster set/acetates/slides, to cover the costs of photography, fund presentations and talks following the research/visit, altogether costing approximately £500.  

Details of extra resources and money needed and assurance that these are available:

Other resources needed include: flight costs of £700 (paid by myself), living and day to day spending costs of £400 (paid by myself), other general costs such as first aid kit, travel items (approximately £100, paid by myself).    

Declaration from my employer agreeing to the activity being undertaken:

I am pleased to agree to Karen's proposals. I am confident that her visit and the experiences she has will be valuable, both for her personally and for Local Agenda 21 here in Stafford Borough. She is certain to bring back lots of useful stories, materials and images that she will use to good effect through her energetic methods!

I am pleased to recommend her to you for this Award. 

Mr R Ball

Head of Environmenatl and Health Services, Stafford Borough Council, 01785 619358, rball@staffordbc.gov.uk

Appendix One

Background

Since an early age have had an active interest in the local and global environment. I used to raise money at school for the International Fund for Animal Welfare, especially to support seal and whale conservation. I joined Shrewsbury Friends of the Earth and became Joint Co-ordinator for the local branch by the time I was 17, promoting recycling, the protection of SSSI's, issues around DDT and the loss of Tropical Rainforests. I joined in local activities run by BTCV and the Shropshire Wildlife Trust and helped organise promotional and publicity events. This all seems like ages ago! The next logical step was to take a relevant course after 'A' levels, and though few had heard of Environmental Science in those days, I headed to Bradford University to begin a degree course. Whilst I have many 'student tales to tell', this is not the place! I graduated with a 2:1, took a PGCE in Rural and Environmental Science, lectured for a year at Stafford College and then joined VSO recruits in Zimbabwe for two and a half years, to teach Geography, English Language and Literature in English. 'Animal Farm', 'Lord of the Flies' and 'Silas Marner' taught in the Lowveld was challenging! What a fabulous learning experience. Since then I have returned to the UK, maintaining strong links with friends and colleagues in Southern Africa. Ongoing links have involved the collection of ophthalmic equipment from UK opticians for the Sakubva Eye Unit near Mutare, Zimbabwe; carrying out a study of 'neighbour relations and community conservation' for the Natal Parks Board, South Africa and working with women from the Thandanani Handicraft Project, Royal Natal National Park, South Africa. I have worked as the Joint Head of Environmental Science and Geography at Cricklade College, Andover for seven years, meanwhile undertaking an MA in Environment and Development at SOAS, London University and gaining a Distinction. This inspired me to leap (from the frying pan.....?!) into Local Authority and Local Agenda 21! A year finding my feet in North Wiltshire provided the foundations for me to apply for and be appointed as a fully fledged Co-ordinator, at Stafford Borough Council.  I have been here three years now and there has been, I think I am fair to say, significant progress (some literature to support this comment is in the post but please also visit www.staffordbc.gov.uk/la21). The recent Audit of our Local Agenda 21 Strategy implies areas of strength and weakness. Regarding 'A Global Perspective' our focus has been on 'Twinning' and promotion of Fairtrade. We also plan to do further work on Climate Change issues, Timber Purchasing, Ethical Investment issues and Tree Planting, as well as developing a measure of our 'Ecological Footprint'.

To bring global issues closer to home we wish to make direct links with communities in other countries, through Agenda 21. Currently we have a French Student working with us for three months, exploring, comparing and contrasting sustainability issues in Belfort, France and Stafford, with the objective of developing web links. Through my work in Ecuador I intend to do the same.    

Karen Davies

July 4^th 2002