You can contact local colleges and universities to find out about courses, especially about 'access' courses for those who have been out of education for some time. You can also contact the Industrial Society and New Ways to Work for information on mixing voluntary and paid work, part-time working, job sharing, etc. It can be difficult to persuade small businesses to change their practices - they rarely have time to look for alternatives to 'the way we've always done it', even if the new ways are cheaper and more environmentally beneficial. Getting just one or two businesses signed up, and using their experience to persuade others, is always a good tactic. The projects in this programme have found they can offer real advantages to business.
Companies can improve their image and 'green' profile.
Companies are also subject to a growing array of legal requirements covering how they deal with their waste, including under European directives. These directives set clear targets for waste collection and recycling, so companies will increasingly be looking for ways of reducing their waste and increasing recycling. Many environmental organisations now work closely with business to help them respond effectively to these regulatory changes, including WWF UK and Friends of the Earth . Support and funding New Deal. Funding is available to voluntary and community organisations for schemes which can provide training and work opportunities, especially for people who have been unemployed - such as the New Deal programme.