aBOUT sbcan

Welcome to the scottish borders climate action network (sbcan)

SBCAN supports community-led climate action across the Scottish Borders Region.

We are part of the national network of regional climate hubs, funded by the Scottish Government, which are dedicated to community-led climate action. You can find more information on the national project here.

Community led - climate action means tackling climate change through the work of local communities, groups, and organisations. These groups might offer energy advice, provide a community space for growing food, or enable active travel through bike hire. We help them in their work by offering funding opportunities; by sharing news and expertise; by raising awareness of the work of local groups in relation to the climate crisis; and by building a network to facilitate a joined up response to climate change.

In the Scottish Borders we feel that the topics of energy, food+farming, young people, active travel and health are areas of particular relevance to communities in our region and thus, these five themes form the focus of our work at present.

Read on to find out about our work in more detail:

What does the project do?

Build Awareness

  • We build awareness of the climate emergency and actions local groups and communities  can take to mitigate and adapt to climate change.

Support

  • We support groups to identify funding opportunities.

  • Signpost organisations & agencies who can offer support.

  • Community Climate Action through the offer of targeted funding.

  • Support communities to design and implement climate action projects.

Facilitate

  • We facilitate networking and capacity-building

  • Learning and development through provision of training and support materials

Inform

  • We inform by raising awareness of climate change and the actions communities can take to mitigate and adapt to climate change

Connect

  • We connect by ensuring a more joined-up approach to tackling climate change at a regional level.

  • Create opportunities for partnership working and collaboration

Meet The team

We are a small team all locally based in the Borders, we are being hosted by the Southern Uplands Partnership and our main office is in Lindean, Galashiels.

We are:

  • Isla Wightman - Project Co-ordinator (pictured left)

  • Ayliffe Rose - Community Development Lead (pictured middle)

  • Caitlin Hume - Community Development Lead (pictured right)