Building A Team

We got the prosecco out this week to celebrate and to bond with others who have come into our Planet and People world recently. It’s a really exciting shift for us - to go from our bubble of two, to opening up to new skills, ideas and potentials.

We braved the wind and the wet to meet in person this week (zoom is so second-best) and move forward in our conversations about the ‘hows’ and the ‘whys’ of working with Planet and People. Jess and I have built what-we-have-so-far over the course of two years. Anyone who has ever ‘started a thing’ will know that you have certain skills and experience to bring, but the areas where you lack, you just have to muddle through, however painful it is! It’s great to have people join us who can take Planet and People on, using their unique talents and experiences. Our instagram page for a start is a new thing of beauty!

We are still a very young organisation and so we have the chance to build something fresh and new. We are keen to avoid frustrations that we have experienced in our past workplaces - hierarchical systems that block action, processes that take ages to get anything done, not feeling like you’re being stretched or progressing in your potential.

Along with the prosecco, we covered a huge runner of paper with our OFFERINGS - the particular skills and experiences that we feel we can use and bring to the table, and the OUTCOMES we want from working with Planet and People.

Offerings:

• Experience in supporting people with mental health struggles

• Education, public speaking and communication

• Ecology, conservation and proven experience in sustainable practises

• Positive energy - the ability to boost confidence, bring people along and engage young people through enthusiasm and fun

• Empathy - the ability to be sensitive and emotionally intelligent when working with others

• Event management skills

• Ideas - creative, for better processes and systems, projects

• Challenger - not afraid to ask hard questions

• Facilitator - getting things done

• Curiosity and the desire to learn and grow

• Energy and determination (bloodymindedness!)

Outcomes:

• The chance to feel like we are DOING something in the light of the climate and nature crisis - “meaningful contribution to solving wicked problems”

• CV boost

• Working in a positive team approaching tough content in a positive and empowering way

• Chance to boost confidence and support young people

• Develop public speaking skills

• Safe space to try new things

• Build portfolio of experience

• Face to face work

Apart from all the brilliant potential in these lists, it was really great to bond and connect, understand a bit more about what drives us and why we want to give our precious time and energy to empowering the next generation to create a better future for planet and people!

Anyone and everyone who has supported us so far - we can’t thank you enough. We appreciate you and acknowledge that we don’t do this alone!

Planet & People is a Community Interest Company that aims to empower the next generation to create a better future for planet and people. We run fully funded workshops in schools in Devon - get in touch with us if you need support with environmental education at your school.

“The future of humankind, and indeed all life on earth, depends on us”

David Attenborough