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Did you know that twice as many men volunteer in the environmental sector as women? Read on for more facts like this one.
OVERVIEW
In the voluntary and community sector, 196 organisations are involved in environmental and sustainable development. Total income for 2003/04 is estimated to be £13.88 million.
The environmental sector has significant organisational ties with UK wide and international charities. Approximately one in six organisations are part of a UK wide or international charity, whereas this figure for the voluntary and community sector as a whole is one in eight.
Approximately 704 paid employees work in the environmental sector, with a further 6,285 volunteers directly involved on a formal basis (management committees etc).
ROLE
The environmental sub sector is diverse and includes (1) many small, unfunded, community based campaigns eg those that focus on specific issues such as toxic waste dumps and road building and, (2) large, national and international organisations eg Conservation Volunteers or Friends of the Earth. The huge divergence and variation in the environmental movement means that there are big differences of opinion between and even within these organisations.
FUNDING
Government is the single largest funder of organisations in the environmental sector, with just over three quarters of government funding being given as grants and donations. Government spent £8.60 million on the activities of the environmental sector in 2003/04.
Central government departments spent £1.86 million (21.6% of all government funding) in the same year. Statutory agencies and non departmental public bodies spent £3.82 million (44.4%) on the activities of organisations in this sector while district councils contributed a further £1.09 million (12.6%). Earned income (ie income derived through the sale of goods and services) generated by the environmental sector represents just over one fifth of all government expenditure.
Earned income is the equivalent of 90p in every £1 donated by the public. This is unsurprising as a large number of environmental organisations are membership driven and this type of income is particularly important to their sustainability.
A quarter of all organisations which receive funding from either government or the general public are dependent on 75% or more of their income from these sources.
PEOPLE
The environmental sector employs 704 paid individuals.
Unlike the rest the voluntary and community sector there is almost parity between the genders in the environmental sector. There are slightly more males than females working in full time posts in the sector (51.5% compared to 48.5%).
One in every five employees (20.4%) in the environmental sector are part time which is lower than the sector as a whole where part time employees make up 36% of the workforce.
There are 6,285 volunteers involved in the environmental sector.
Twice as many men volunteer in the environmental sector as women. Overall, when compared to other sub sectors of comparable size, the environmental sector draws on the good will of a significant number of volunteers.
ORDER
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COMMENTS
Please give your opinion on this research by using the Have your Say box at the end of this article, or contact:
Gordon McCullough 
028 9087 7777
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