Action Briefing Dec 2004 - Jan 2005
	The Newsletter of Birmingham Friends of the Earth

"I never thought walking through the Bull Ring dressed as Santa would later land me a job!"

Birmingham Friends of the Earth is fortunate to have had so many able and dedicated volunteers throughout its history. But why work for no money? What's in it for you? Below, four Birmingham FoE campaigners reveal how saving the world on a shoestring can be wise career move.

Jenny Thatcher volunteered with Birmingham FoE before taking on the paid role of Campaigns and Project Support Worker in 2002. She now works as Local Activism Co-ordinator for Friends of the Earth in London.

“I started coming along to Birmingham FoE Monday night meetings and taking part in actions after I left university in 2001. I wanted a career doing something 'worthwhile', but I didn’t know what, and my BA in African Studies and Russian, though fascinating, hadn’t really provided me with the necessary qualifications! At the same time, I started volunteering with Groundwork Birmingham, working full-time as their Media and Communications Officer, and working as a mentor for the Red Cross on a refugee youth project. These roles gave me a really broad introduction to the environmental, community and regeneration sectors in Birmingham, but in hindsight I wouldn’t recommend taking on quite this much all in one go!

Almost a year later I was lucky enough to get the job of Campaigns and Project Support Worker with Birmingham FoE. I could now concentrate on my real passion: campaigning and supporting the group. I learned how to work with many different people, from novice volunteers to senior council officers, and I gained great experience in campaigning, media work, events, and office management, although my filing skills still need a little work!

My experience at Birmingham FoE, along with my other volunteering, enabled me to gain a place on an MSc course in Local Sustainable Development, which I took up last year. More recently, my experience helped me get a job at Friends of the Earth in London, where I work to ensure that local group and local campaigner interests and needs are reflected in all of FoE's work."

Karen Leach was Campaigns and Project Support Worker for Birmingham FoE 2000-2002. She has worked for Localise West Midlands since October 2002.

"I began volunteering part-time for Birmingham FoE in 1997. I was interested in transport, one of those basic issues that everyone understands. I soon became more aware that it was not just the transport of people that was having an environmental impact: vast quantities of goods are being transported from one end of the globe to the other because of some very stupid trade laws.

When the contract for my paid part-time job came to an end, I realised that my voluntary work was far more interesting than anything I might be paid to do, so I made Birmingham FoE an offer they could not refuse. They gladly accepted and for two years it was the best (and lowest paid) job I have ever had.

While at Birmingham FoE, I heard of some meetings that Regional Campaigns Co-ordinator Chris Crean was attending on localising the economy of the West Midlands, and insisted on gate-crashing. There I met Colin Hines, author of the humbly titled Localisation: a Global Manifesto. The meetings were extremely interesting, and a few months later I bumped into Colin in a pub where he asked me if I would start working for fledgling organisation Localise West Midlands (LWM).

I started at LWM with no contract, no management structure and no funding! Funding we now have at least, and progress is being made on the other elements. Meanwhile, the Birmingham FoE job has proved a good move for two more people, Jenny Thatcher and James Botham, and I am happy to think I started it."

Nicolas 'Saint Nic' Souroup was a daytime volunteer for Birmingham FoE from November 2003 to June 2004. He is now Sustainability Officer for the Northfield District.

"I have fond memories of Buy Nothing Day 2003, my first campaign with Birmingham FoE. I helped make banners and placards in the Warehouse, walked the streets of Birmingham dressed as Santa, and stopped at the Anchor Pub in Digbeth for probably my first real ale in Birmingham.

For a while I worked on the waste/recycling campaign, until Councillor Steve Bedser offered me the chance to conduct the Northfield Environmental Review. The aim of the Review was to determine the feasibility of environmental 'quick wins', like recycling, transport, and energy and water conservation in social housing. It was an opportunity to audit environmental practice as a whole in Northfield as the first step towards a sustainability strategy for the district. It was a challenging piece of work, but very interesting.

When I learned that the district was recruiting a sustainability officer I applied without hesitation, even though the job is a fixed term contract, and was successful. So now I'm professional tree-hugger in Northfield, though I never thought walking through the Bull Ring dressed as Santa would later land me a job!"

Kate Nancarrow was a daytime volunteer for Birmingham FoE from April 2004 before taking up her present position at the Environment Agency in September.

"I moved to Birmingham in April looking for a much-needed career change. After completing a biology degree in 1995 and having 'fallen' in and out of various media jobs in London, I realised that I wanted to go back to my roots in biology and conservation and use my skills to promote environmental change. I faced the classic career-change dilemma: not enough relevant work experience. To improve my employability I took an Open University qualification in environmental decision-making, and began volunteering for Birmingham FoE.

It was a good opportunity to gain experience by helping out in the office during the day. I assisted with various projects including producing a new display for the Reception area, updating the website, and co-ordinating the group’s response to the City Council’s Waste Strategy Review.

I found it a great way both to meet people in the environmental field and to learn about a wide range of regional issues in a pretty short space of time. This, together with my studies, helped enormously when I applied for a job at the Environment Agency. Happily enough, they took me on for an initial contract. I now have a foot in the door in the Agency which I hope will help to establish me in the Environmental field long-term."