Paddy Leonard, 28 Jan
ChangeX has launched the Accenture Sustainable Community Challenge,
supported by Accenture and is encouraging local community groups,
organisations and individuals to get involved.
The initiative, designed to enable community groups to kickstart
sustainability projects in their own locality, is now open for
applications.
Successful applicants will receive the resources, seed funding and
support needed to start a project in their local community, empowering
them to build thriving and sustainable communities.
Groups can choose from a portfolio of proven ideas that have already
had a positive impact in other communities in Ireland and around the
world.
Ideas include Community Fridge, which supports the sharing of surplus
food and the reduction of food waste, and Open Orchard, which connects
communities through the planting of fruit trees in public places.
This is the second Accenture Sustainable Community Challenge launched
by ChangeX in Ireland.
It builds on the success of the 2021 Challenge, which supported 22
local groups to start environmental sustainability projects,
benefitting over 2,200 people in communities across Ireland.
Sustainable Skerries Community Group received funding in 2021 to start
an Open Orchard project in North County Dublin.
“Over 50 people, adults and children, took part and planted 20 trees in
our first Open Orchard, right in the middle of Skerries,” said Sabine
McKenna, Chair of Sustainable Skerries.
“The day – and the wider project – was very much about community
building, working on the planting together and then sharing some tea
and cakes and chatting.”
Deirdre Murphy, Corporate Sustainability Lead at Accenture in
Ireland added: “All of us are more aware than ever before of the
responsibility we have to take action to address the climate and
biodiversity crises.
"At Accenture, we’re working to embed sustainability into everything we
do, and with everyone we work with, including in our communities and
when crowdsourcing innovations that will help drive sustainable impact
globally.
"Communities truly hold the power to be catalysts for real change, and
we’re excited to be able to play a small part in empowering community
action in Ireland through our partnership with ChangeX.”
Groups, individuals, and organisations who are passionate about
building a thriving community are encouraged to apply to roll out one
of the six initiatives for their community at www.changex.org.
Seed funding will be allocated to qualifying applicants on a
first-come, first-served basis.
To date, more than 20,000 community projects have started through the
ChangeX platform, with local groups across Ireland, Europe, the United
States and Latin America accessing the ideas, support and funding
needed to have a measurable impact in their local area.
Check out this link for more information.