ET scheme

News

06 May 1989

A national survey undertaken for the Countryside Commission(*) shows that far fewer environmental organisations are involved in ET than was the case with the Community Programme, and of those that are involved almost all expected to be undertaking less environmental work. The survey also shows that the transition from the Community Programme to ET has resulted in a 57% drop in allocated environmental placements. Added to this there has been only a small take-up of those placements. Many environmental organisations do not think that ET is economically viable for them and they cannot, in many cases, meet the scheme’s conditions of eligibility and rules. They are also concerned about the poor placement record so far of those organisations with confirmed ET programmes.

The Government’s Training Agency, which runs ET, is setting up a working party to help organisations make better use of the new scheme in the countryside. Meanwhile, the Countryside Commission is encouraging farmers and landowners to develop conservation and access projects on their land and to promote opportunities for training in countryside skills. The commission is also urging the Government to divert more funds to help farmers help themselves to care for the countryside and to provide for public access to it. The possibility of an independent national countryside “task force” is also being considered to help meet the need for an effective labour force.

Even if the best possible use is made of ET, the Countryside Commission says that there is still a huge task to be carried out in the countryside. The commission believes that a radical approach, independent of ET, is essential, in order to meet the need in the foreseeable future. A Countryside Task Force could well be part of the solution.

(*) Report of survey obtainable from the Countryside Commission, John Dower House, Crescent Place, Cheltenham, Glos, GL50 3RA.

There has been a drastic drop in environmental work undertaken in the countryside since the Community Programme, much used by voluntary bodies and local authorities, was replaced last year by the training-orientated Employment Training Scheme. A national survey undertaken for the Countryside Commission(*) shows that far fewer environmental organisations are involved in ET than was the case with the Community Programme, and of those that are involved almost all expected to be undertaking less environmental work. The survey also shows that the transition from the Community Programme to ET has resulted in a 57% drop in allocated environmental placements. Added to this there has been only a small take-up of those placements. Many environmental organisations do not think that ET is economically viable for them and they cannot, in many cases, meet the scheme’s conditions of eligibility and rules. They are also concerned about the poor placement record so far of those organisations with confirmed ET programmes. The Government’s Training Agency, which runs ET, is setting up a working party to help organisations make better use of the new scheme in the countryside. Meanwhile, the Countryside Commission is encouraging farmers and landowners to develop conservation and access projects on their land and to promote opportunities for training in countryside skills. The commission is also urging the Government to divert more funds to help farmers help themselves to care for the countryside and to provide for public access to it. The possibility of an independent national countryside “task force” is also being considered to help meet the need for an effective labour force. Even if the best possible use is made of ET, the Countryside Commission says that there is still a huge task to be carried out in the countryside. The commission believes that a radical approach, independent of ET, is essential, in order to meet the need in the foreseeable future. A Countryside Task Force could well be part of the solution. (*) Report of survey obtainable from the Countryside Commission, John Dower House, Crescent Place, Cheltenham, Glos, GL50 3RA.