West Virginia Sustainable Communities and the West Virginia Community Development Hub invite Hub communities in North Central West Virginia to attend a day of interactive sustainability awareness training at the Days Inn in Bridgeport, WV, on Friday April 16th.
West Virginia Sustainable Communities will provide the Riverside Sustainability Awareness Training to groups of five to eight community members from select Hub communities on how to explore the numerous opportunities for sustainability in their communities. The training will illustrate how communities can achieve prosperity that builds not only on their economic assets, but also on their environmental and social assets.
So why should community members invest their valuable time to attend this free one-day training? In the past, organizations have dedicated quality time to this training to achieve a long-lasting edge against their competitors. Agencies and civic organizations have integrated this training as part of their conferences to promote more efficient behaviors at home, at the office, and in the community.
According to Tomoko Tamagawa, program manager of West Virginia Sustainable Communities, “We believe this training will provide community members with valuable insights into increasing the long-term vitality and viability of their community. This training can positively impact the wallets of county and municipal governments, businesses, and individuals.”
Tamagawa has requested that community leadership teams in Hub communities help identify individuals who care about the long-term sustainability of their communities, are thirsty for new information, are willing to participate on a team of like-minded citizens, and can attend the awareness training. Delegates who attend the training will be challenged to become the core members of their community Sustainability Team, which will provide outreach and education about sustainability issues in the community, and develop a Sustainability Action Plan to implement sustainability practices.
“We’re recommending that communities reach outside the group of usual suspects,” said Kent Spellman, executive director of the West Virginia Community Development Hub. “Too often, those already volunteering are asked to join every initiative in town. This is an opportunity to cultivate new leadership in town, and to strengthen the social fabric through increased civic engagement.”
The training will inspire and empower participants to contribute to their own well-being, as well as to volunteer in the community on an issue that has become one of the nation’s top priorities. Even a small community has the potential to reap the benefits of sustainable initiatives, and this training provides a stage for community members to explore these opportunities in a fun and relaxed environment. The target audience includes citizens of any age, any occupation, and any civic affiliation. Communities are also encouraged to solicit participation from local high school or college students.
Dates and locations of future sustainability awareness trainings are posted on the Hub’s Website at www.wvhub.org and the West Virginia Sustainable Communities Website at www.wvhub.org/wvsc.
Riverside Sustainability Awareness Training is provided by trainers from Bridgemont Community and Technical College. For more information on the Riverside Sustainability Awareness Training, West Virginia Sustainable Communities and its affiliate programs, please contact Tomoko Tamagawa at t.tamagawa@wvhub.org or (304)566-7332.
The Hub focuses its work in the following West Virginia communities: Fairmont, Shinnston, and Salem in North Central West Virginia; Williamson and Mullens in the southern part of the state; and St. Albans, Huntington, and Ansted in central West Virginia.
The Hub also focuses its work in the following West Virginia counties: Doddridge, Ritchie, Pleasant, and Gilmer in North Central West Virginia; Wyoming, McDowell, and Monroe in the southern part of the state; and Roane, Lincoln, Clay, and Fayette in central West Virginia.
West Virginia Sustainable Communities is a West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection initiative administered by the West Virginia Community Development Hub with support from the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation.
