Exeter’s Net Zero Change Makers Programme has big ambitions. Delivered by Exeter City Futures, we are cultivating a vibrant community of net zero change makers across Exeter through:

  • Establishing a collaborative infrastructure for community and business change makers by building city partnerships
  • Enabling cross-city dialogue
  • Creating accessible networks
  • Developing ideas with and supporting net zero citizen-led projects and enterprises

Now two years into a three-year programme, the key focus is on improving collaboration between change makers – whether representing a community, business or local authority – wanting to positively impact Exeter’s ambition to be carbon neutral by 2030. 

We want to better enable localised, self-sufficient, citizen-led change projects and enterprises to improve the places and spaces that matter to them, and to address local challenges, particularly around climate change, rapidly and at the earliest possible stage.

We are doing this through:

Connect events

To help showcase local projects already delivering sustainable change in Exeter, later this year Exeter City Futures will run more of our popular Connect events. These are open events where residents, communities and organisations share their change making projects, form new partnerships to drive their projects forward, and build joint solutions. Last year, we ran Connect events on the themes of active travel, travel to school, greening the city and reducing and reusing waste. Continuing to champion a collaborative approach, more Connect events will be launched this Autumn.

Toolkit & Resources

An Innovation Toolkit and training package will be published to facilitate change makers’ understanding of city and local challenges, and to help them design solutions to identified challenges. Currently in development, the aim is that Exeter City Futures will share our Innovation Process, enabling citizens to define shared net zero challenges and initiate, plan and develop their own net zero projects.

Social enterprise and community development support

We are also mapping the support available for social enterprises and community organisations in the city, to understand what help is available and to draw together a programme that will support local change makers in building sustainable projects that align with Exeter’s 12 goals in the Net Zero Exeter 2030 Plan.

As the programme is funded by The National Lottery Communities Fund, in nurturing an increased openness to new ideas, change and innovation across the city, we want communities to more greatly influence city decision makers and to be recognised for the contribution they make to Exeter. 

Are you a Net Zero Change Maker?

We would love to hear from you!

  • If you are running a change making project that’s reducing carbon emissions and making a positive difference to the way your community lives and works in Exeter, please get in touch. You could feature your project in our next Connect event and find more people to help you achieve your goals. Email us: info@exetercityfutures.com
  • Join over 200 members in Exeter’s Net Zero Journey Slack – be part of the conversation, share your ideas and meet like-minded people. We’re currently asking our Slack members to let us know how we can make the platform work better for them, so please do also share your views.
  • If you are interested in making change to help Exeter achieve a Net Zero future and want to know more about what Exeter City Futures is up to and opportunities to get involved, sign up to our newsletter.

If, instead, you are an organisation that supports social enterprises in Exeter, don’t forget we are mapping Exeter’s community development and social enterprise support sector. Please email us to tell us more about the services and support you offer: info@exetercityfutures.com