assisted resource for communites theplan

8/8/2019 Assisted Resource for Communites thePLAN

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/assisted-resource-for-communites-theplan 1/19

Assisted Resources for Communities: thePLAN

Written and Presented by Adam S. Margetts Esq.

http://thearcproject.co.cc/theplan

[email protected]


mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]




This page is intentionally left blank

Confidentiality Agreement

The undersigned reader acknowledges that the information provided by

theARCproject in this business plan is confidential; therefore, reader agrees not

to disclose it without the express written permission of theARCproject.

It is acknowledged by reader that information to be furnished in this business

plan is in all respects confidential in nature, other than information which is in

the public domain through other means and that any disclosure or use of same

by reader, may cause serious harm or damage to theARCproject.

Upon request, this document is to be immediately returned to theARCproject.

___________________

Signature

___________________

Name (typed or printed)

___________________

Date

This is a business plan. It does not imply an offering of securities.



This page is intentionally left blank

Table of Contents

• Executive Summary

o Aims

o Objectives

o Mission

o Keys to Success

• Organisational Summary

o Legal Entity

o Personnel

• Start Up Summary

o Locations and Facilities

• Products and Services

o Technologies

o

Future Products and Services

• Market Analysis Summary

o Market Needs

o Market Trends

o Alternative Providers

• Web Plan Summary

o Website Marketing Strategy

o Printed Collatorals

• Development Requirements

• Financial Strategy



Executive Summary

theARCproject is a not-for-profit community resource company that serves

various geographical areas throughout South Wales. theARCproject goal is to

help reduce the quantity of waste produced in Wales by:

ü soliciting, collecting and restoring materials for redistribution

through a network of local community agencies and micro economic

initiatives;

ü services to include computer and electrical goods restoration, bicycle

repair and maintenance schemes;

ü community recycling centres and other energy descent projects that

provide opportunities for self-sufficiency activities for all individuals,

families, community groups and local businesses

theARCproject is seeking support from unitary authorities, local government,

charitable organisations and commercial sponsorship as well as individual

investment.

Our client base is wide and includes;

• those on low-incomes ;

• working families;

• small businesses;

• voluntary organisations; and

• any and all those who need support and assistance from

relevant third-sector agencies, irrespective of age, gender, race or

class.

Aims

theARCproject seeks to establish a sustainable model for micro-enterprise

growth within communities across South Wales.



theARCproject actively solicits unwanted, surplus and redundant goods from

local households, neighbourhoods, businesses and public services. In addition,

theARCproject seeks to collect and maintain material collection facilities across

the South Wales area.

theARCproject aims to provide opportunities for;

Ø environmental improvement through recycling;

Ø social cohesion from training and re-skilling; and

Ø new economic development from community enterprise and

local employment.

Our services will improve the ability of individuals, communities and

businesses to provide for and achieve goals of self-sufficiency and sustainabledevelopment. theARCproject goods and services are a small investment in

comparison to the cost of ignoring the problems of peak oil, climate change ,

environmental pollution and the influence these issues will have on a One

Planet, Wales.

Objectives

The primary and future objective for theARCproject CIC, is to:

"To meet the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of futuregenerations to meet their own needs."

Adapted from the Rio De Janeiro 'UN Earth Summit', 1992

As a third-sector waste minimisation organisation, we seek to challenge the

'business-as-usual' approach to the current social, economic and environmental

development that has become increasingly prevalent in our continually

advancing 21st Century society.

We continue to throw away so much Stuff! but we continue to make even moreStuff!

Everyday we waste what others are more than willing and less than able to

reuse, repair and restore. We believe this simplistic approach to waste and

recycling is best applied at a local level.



Mission

theARCproject works closely with a growing network of businesses,

organisations and local authorities that wish to enable the better re-allocation

of local resources. In our opinion this goal is best achieved at a

community/grassroots level.

“Climate change is the greatest humanitarian challenge facing mankind today

and it is a challenge that has a grave injustice at its heart. It is the major

developed economies of the world which contribute the overwhelming majority of

global greenhouse emissions but it is the poorer and least developed nations that

are hit hardest by its impact”

Kofi Anan (2009)

A change in both perception and understanding is therefore required:

theARCproject is one small way forward for direct action in Wales.

The uncomplicated fact is that our natural reserves are depleting; to such an

extent that our inherent ability to provide for our increasing demands are

already exhausted.

Keys to Success

theARCproject is a Community Interest Company. (CIC)

Simply put, all work undertaken on behalf of theARCproject is for community

benefit and is administered by the community on behalf of the community. All

goods and services remain in the ownership of and deeded within the

community - held in trust as Valuable Resource Bonds (VRB). These bonds can

be exchanged for donation, purchase, and/or support and will receive suitable

redemption as deemed so by the shareholders.

An availability to work directly with all sectors of the community, places

theARCproject in a primary position for practical action not re-action.

We can offer desirable products that meet an increasing ethical and

environmental demand, while reducing the quantities of waste produced.

A vital key to the success of micro-enterprise is "not to put all your eggs in one

basket", each new product released will aim to establish as an independent



trading arm of theARCproject, operating as as a stand-alone, self-sufficient

social enterprise.

Organisational Summary

theARCproject is a new startup, not-for-profit, social enterprise, operating as a

Community Interest Company (CIC) within the local waste management and

environment sectors.

theARCproject CIC has its registered office at: Excal House, Capel Hendre

Industrial Estate, Ammanford, Carmarthenshire SA18 3PL and a base of

operations at a co-operative premises: Unit 7e, Tafarnaubach Industrial Estate,

Tredgar, Blaenau Gwent. NP22 3AA.

The reasons for this are that it:

• Allows for a wider distribution of community resources;

• Allows access across several unitary authority areas, as opposed

to just one;

• Develops stronger community links by having a direct physical

presence in the locale; and that it

• Enables greater cross boundary partnerships, building more

viable community networks.

The Assisted Resources for Communities (ARC) Project seeks to support the

sustainable development goals of Wales; its people; and place.

To this end, theARCproject established itself as a community interest company,

designed to enable shared economic development, social progress and

environmental support towards energy descent. We work directly with

communities and neighbourhoods to better identify local issues and to offer

practical assistance for the problems highlighted with sustainable, workable

solutions.

theARCproject currently operates across many of the diverse cities, towns,

villages and hamlets that make up our One Planet Wales and will continue to

do so in the future.

Legal Entity



theARCproject Community Interest Company (CIC) is formed as a limited

company with special additional features, created for the use of people who

want to conduct a business or other activity for community benefit and not

purely for private advantage.

This is achieved by meeting a "community interest test" and an "asset lock",which ensures that the CIC is established for Community purposes; the assets

and profits are dedicated to these purposes. A CIC is a type of company that

uses its assets for the public benefit and not-for-private profit. The CIC is

therefore deemed as a suitable business structure for this new start-up social

firm.

Personnel

An initial Directorship of three (3) has been established with Companies House

and the CIC Regulator:

• Adam S. Margetts Esq. - Role: Co-ordinator

Adam has been fundamental in developing this concept of local sustainable

development for over 15 years - through his continued and ongoing work with

Community groups and voluntary organisations; private business and his

extensive dealings with local authorities across the United Kingdom. In 1994 Adam was involved in the establishment of one of the first Local Agenda 21

Forums in the UK, discussing issues of social, economic and environmental

change. He currently leads the Habitable working group for Transition Town

Llandeilo which focusses on issues relating to water, waste and resources for

the Carmarthenshire area.

• Ms. Elizabeth Maliphant BA (Hons.) - Role: Administrator

Elizabeth brings both structure and organisation to the company, having

previously held positions within several Local Authorities, the Cheshire

Constabulary and Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the Special Investigations

Bureau of the Royal Military Police. Elizabeth is a time-served para-legal

secretary and an Academic. Currently studying for a Post Graduate Certificate

of Education, she conducts lectures and seminars at The University of Wales,

Abertawe in Medieval European History and Middle English and has recently

been asked to submit a paper at the Medieval Historians Symposium at



Gregynog, Newtown, Powys, in February 2010. Elizabeth currently works for

the Countryside Council for Wales.

• Sundance Renewables (Workers Co-Operative) Ltd. - Role: Mentor

A wholly-owned Community Company, Sundance Renewables have, since their

inception in 2003, been market leaders and an exemplar of community biodiesel

production in Wales. The resilience of this social enterprise has been adopted

as a Best Practise Model for Sustainable Development and received many

accreditations and accolades. They were recently invited to present at a series

of seminars at The Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC which were well

received by all attendees.

Capital Investments, Revenues and Expenditures totalling in excess of

£5000.00 have been provided by the Members and Directors of theARCproject

CIC and Valuable Resource Bonds (VRB) have been issued. theARCproject is

privileged to be working with such learned, talented and skilled individuals.

Start-up Summary

It is believed that with the current accrued assets already received,

theARCproject will be able to keep further start-up cost requirements to a

minimum.

The ongoing administrative costs will be reduced by the continued use of ICT,as the ability to independently file-share and transfer data updates via a

mixture of wireless broadband networks and virtual servers, offers a more low-

impact solution to cross community working.

Storage facilities are shared on a co-operative system, whereby the associated

costs of rental and utilities may be mitigated by work undertaken by members

of theARCproject, for and on behalf of other co-operative members.

All transportation utilised by theARCproject will aim, where possible to be

powered by renewable technologies. All directors vehicles run 100% biodiesel

and have exceedingly low carbon emmisions.

Start-up Requirements: Expenses Start-up Requirements: Expenses



Legal (Registration & Licenses) £350.00

Stationery, Advertising etc. £500.00

Insurances £200.00

Rent £2,000.00

Other £500.00

Total Start-up Expenses £3,550.00

Start-up Requirements: Assets

Cash Required £500.00

Start-up Inventory £500.00

Other Current Assets £3,500.00

Long-term Assets £2,000.00

Total Fixed Assets £6,500.00

Total Requirements £10,050.00

Locations and Facilities

The main Site Office is located in Blaenau Gwent, allowing for wide coverage of

the South Wales trunk road and rail infrastructure.

We aim to develop satellite offices in key strategic regions across Wales

particularly the counties of South Wales, theARCproject also has access tovarious 'ARCdesks' in many community locations and is actively seeking to

develop more.

The continued developments in Information Communication Technologies allow

for the mobilisation of service provision across all areas of business, enterprise

and community. All our staff and volunteers are actively encouraged to

participate in Digital Inclusion (i.e. to be included in the wider global society)

as a way to promote, raise awareness and encourage learning of ‘how’ to live in

a post consumer age!

Products and Services

theARCproject seeks to reclaim, restore and reuse many of the products and

goods which would otherwise inevitably become designated as waste.



It is envisaged that individual micro-enterprise initiatives will be established to

manage specific sectors - related to materials and services provided -the initial

project being:

theARCproject: sustainIT - this will establish a community-led process of

repairing and reusing surplus, outdated and redundant ICT equipment. Ineffect and very simply, a computer reclamation scheme - ICT recycling at

source.

An ever increasing number of usable computers and peripherals are being

disposed of daily. With continued advancements in information,

communications and technology, surplus and outdated machinery - need to be

re-formatted and reused.

• Computers - old base units, laptops and pda units.

• Printers - dot-matrix, inkjets, laser copiers and toner machines.

• Monitors - Cathode Ray Tube, Liquid Crystal Displays, Projectors

and Whiteboards

Through the reclamation and repair of existing equipment, sustainIT will help

to reduce the quantities of ICT waste produced in Wales.

Technical support is also available for in-house and external service users.

sustainIT aims to:

• Reclaim and reuse ICT equipment within local communities

across South Wales.

• Provide low-cost, affordable and open access to computers.

• Improve social interaction and knowledge transfer through Digital

Inclusion across South Wales.

sustainIT objectives are to:

• Reduce the disposal of fit-for-purpose computers, printers,

monitors and other related technologies throughout South Wales.

• Provide open access to education, training and skill sharing that

is both gratis and libre for all.

• Reuse outdated and surplus technologies in ways that better serve

the wider community interest.



sustainIT seeks to better utilise knowledge transfer and skill sharing within

communities across South Wales and towards this end we are working to

establish Community Access Points which will provide free access to ICT

equipment and related services.

Once established successfully theARCproject will launch similar resourcefocussed initiatives relevant and related to community need.

TheARCproject: reCyCle - a micro-enterprise initiative in bicycle maintenance

and repair. This is being developed in conjunction with similar projects

operating in the Swansea and Neath Port Talbot areas.

Currently, this is being achieved through the collection of waste bicycles from

civic amenity sites and from bicycles donated by the public for recycling and re-use. Training for members and volunteers will be provided in Bicycle Repair

and Maintenance, with possible accreditation and certification for all users.

Bicycles will be checked and graded on collection as unfit and non-roadworthy

vehicles will be stripped for component parts. Fit for purpose machines will be

either repaired and resold or re-used for further education and training needs

within the local area such as school bicycle repair workshops and to promote

the health benefits of cycling within the community.

reCyCle aims:

• To reclaim, restore and reuse waste bicycles, locally.

• To provide low cost affordable personal transport, as

an integrated alternative to the motor vehicle.

• To improve local quality of life indicators for Health,

Well-Being and Air Quality.

reCyCle objectives are:

• To reduce the quantity of bicycles thrown away

within South Wales.

• To provide knowledge, training and skills support for

all volunteers, members and users.

• To build innovative solutions to local transportation



and haulage and movement of goods and people across

South Wales.

Technologies

Developments in digital technologies over the last decade have generated a

period of extraordinary social and cultural change. Digital technologies impact

on almost every aspect of modern society, creating huge social benefits.

They can improve how we work, how we communicate with each other and how

information and knowledge can be brought together and used for our benefit.

We now take for granted the technologies that give us these new opportunities.

Our lives have been transformed by technology but these benefits are notenjoyed by all.

While the majority of people in the UK are active participants in the digital

revolution, these benefits are not distributed equally to all groups and

communities. Inequality in the use and application of digital technologies is a

new driver of social exclusion in the 21st century, which risks accelerating

existing social divides and creating new ones. Digital exclusion is a symptom of

wider exclusion but is also a cause of this inequality.

theARCproject seeks to establish a micro-enterprise initiative in the

restoration, rebuilding and reprogramming of ICT equipment.

Future Products and Services

theARCproject is a Microsoft Authorised Refurbisher (Community MAR) for

Windows 2000, Windows XP and Office 2003.

theARCproject is also developing open-source technologies across Mac, PC and

Linux.

Currently, most available machines can be retro-fitted with alternative

operating systems - enabling outdated ICT equipment to be restored and

reused, not recycled as end-of-life waste.



Market Analysis Summary

Acting as a waste remediation service, theARCproject seeks to removepotential, unwanted wastes from entering the waste system entirely.

By simply repairing, restoring and reselling equipment, goods and services -

theARCproject aims to provide new opportunities for re-skilling, re-training and

re-empowering local communities.

Since the industrialisation of the 19th and 20th Centuries, our worldwide use

of resources has continued to increase exponentially. No longer restricted to

‘developed' first world countries, globalisation and mass market consumerismhas encroached into every aspect of our daily lives; from the food we buy to the

products we covet, our existence is fuelled by the overwhelming need and desire

to ‘improve' our quality of life.

Market Needs

For the purposes of this document, The Market has been divided into two

sections:

1. Users - also known as buyers. 2. Providers - also referred to as suppliers

It is envisaged that there will be much overlap with and interdependence

between the two markets. Working as a community resource company,

theARCproject aims to collaboratively identify individual and group needs

based on social, economic and environmental assessments.

That is to say, a 'one size fits all' approach is not applied to this business

model. Users can be Providers and vice-versa.

Market Trends

The world has changed and continues to evolve at an astounding rate, with it

our demand for material goods and resource use increase exponentially. This is

indefensible. The uncomplicated fact is that our natural reserves are depleting,

to such an extent that our ability to endlessly provide is exhausted.



Restoring our Social Capital to an extent where training and enterprise are

cohesive in nature with education and skills, will create a catalyst for change

within the local economy and enable greater community trading and commerce

to emerge.

Our reliance on oil is terrifying. During the petrol strikes in 2000, it becameapparent that many areas of the UK only had sufficient food stocks for up to

three (3) days. As the vast majority of our general consumables are no longer

produced locally, the potential damage sudden energy depletion could cause is

equally terrifying.

We are all very aware of our impact on the environment and as such are not

wanting to waste energy saving the planet. We realise we can't. As a CIC we

can only assist in achieving forms of Sustainable Development at a local level.

Therefore, Our Responsibility is simple: "Think Global, Act Local."

Alternative Providers

As the majority of the products are redundant when received by theARCproject

- these would normally be disposed of via the following routes:

• Civic Amenity Recycling Centres,

• Charity Shops, or by

• Independent sale or transfer.

New equipment is often manufactured for the consumer with an end-of-life in

mind. This is then marketed to the customer as being either a 'planned' or

'perceived' obsolescence - in the case of ICT - a new circuit-board or processor

chip will be needed to run newer software or operating systems in the future.

Thus, consumers are actively encouraged to update equipment on a regular

basis - this is both expensive and wasteful.

Civic Amenity Sites and similar Recycling Centres are still regarded by many

members of the general public as 'the tip' or 'the dump' - these sites are

operated or regulated by a Waste Management Authority, which is usually a

wholly-owned subsidiary of the Local or Unitary Authority. These sites provide

a location for the disposal of recyclates by designation and segregation - this

facility is paid for by the taxpayer often via council taxes.



The problem with this system is simply that once an item enters the site, it

becomes a waste product. The material must then only be handled by licensed

agencies – making it difficult to reclaim, restore or reuse these items unless

contracted by the waste management authority to recycle the material on their

behalf. Tendering for waste management contracts is often difficult and

involves bidding against large multi-national companies, who trade incommodities and recyclates, not community resources.

Charity shops are starting to better access this market sector, with a local

branch of British Red Cross establishing an Electrical Store in Swansea. It is

true however that many smaller charity shops are either too constrained by

volunteer time or available space, to further expand this vital market sector.

There is also an increasing legislative requirement which most not-for-profit

organisations are unwilling or unable to manage effectively.

As theARCproject works within a growing network of environmental-based

organisations it is therefore able to better utilise these existing licensing and

regulatory agreements to provide a more sustainable waste management

solution.

Web Plan Summary

Information Communication Technology (ICT) is developing at an astonishing

rate. theARCproject has identified the need to evolve with this advancement.

With many businesses having operated within the standardised Microsoft

framework for many years - ongoing developments with open-source

applications and systems offer great potential for further integration and

implementation across wider technologies.

Initially, theARCproject operates two website domains:

http://www.thearcproject.co.uk - a Microsoft Small Business Office Live account.

This service provides organisational email for all members, allowing forcollaborative working via shared documents, images and data. Blog and RSS

Feeds are also available for wider dissemination of information.

http://thearcproject.co.cc - an open-source portal allowing for the development

and advancement of social and environmental principles in ICT. Currently

being used as an online repository for thePLAN Files can be quickly uploaded

http://www.thearcproject.co.uk/

http://thearcproject.co.cc/

http://www.thearcproject.co.uk/

http://thearcproject.co.cc/



via FTP. Content Management Systems, Wordpress and Wiki scripts are also

located here. More work is still needed on this website.

Maintaining a wide online presence is considered essential for the ongoing

work of theARCproject and many months have already been utilised to

extending branding and identity recognition.

Online office suites are employed across theARCproject network and accounts

are maintained over several server including, http://www.google.com/apps/ and

http://www.zoho.com/ . Web-based social networking and Voice Over Internet

Protocals (VOIP) have already been established and Cloud Computing

operations are currently being developed.

google ~ skype ~ twitter: thearcproject

theARCproject is also operating via several online stores, having a presenceacross http://www.ebay.co.uk/ , http://uk.ebid.net/ and http://www.cqout.com/ .

Website Marketing Strategy

A simple search in Google will highlight theARCproject within the first page of

search results. By further utilising open-source applications (apps) such as -

https://www.google.com/adsenseallow for greater verification and recognition.

Simply put, the more web-pages, links, emails, pictures and documents are

published and tagged - the more they will show up in Search Results.

Although many commercial and expensive packages exist, allowing such

advertising within an organisation of this type is not deemed practicable.

theARCproject has therefore chosen a Creative Commons approach to online

marketing.

Creative Commons has been described as being at the forefront of the

copyleft movement, which seeks to support the building of a richer public

domain by providing an alternative to the automatic "all rights reserved"

copyright, dubbed "some rights reserved". Modern culture is dominated by

traditional content distributers in order to maintain and strengthen their

monopolies on cultural products such as popular music and popular cinema.

http://www.google.com/apps/

http://www.zoho.com/

http://www.ebay.co.uk/

http://uk.ebid.net/

http://www.cqout.com/

https://www.google.com/adsense

http://www.google.com/apps/

http://www.zoho.com/

http://www.ebay.co.uk/

http://uk.ebid.net/

http://www.cqout.com/

https://www.google.com/adsense



As is the case with most open-source programming it is mostly voluntary and

therefore time requirements are premium. Also a Collaborative Communities

approach enables the sharing of best-practise techniques and enables a greater

knowledge transfer to be created. It is hoped that a formal position of Cloud

Developer will become possible within the first year of operation. This role will

include deployment of new technologies through existing facilities.

Financial Strategy

When outlining the financial plan, several important principles must first be

revisited. The overarching social principles and economic values imposed on

our 21st century system are of an 18th century making. The Wealth of Nations

was penned in 1772 by Adam Smith, at the birth of the Industrial Revolution

and is still considered by many to be the 'magnum opus' of economic thinking.

The reality is that the world is changing. The countdown has started. The

global structures of our modern world are crumbling, unable to keep up with

the growing demands of the consumer society it created.

Our natural resources are nearing depletion and what remains is the waste we

leave behind. Current infrastrucutre is unable to cope and is often stretched to

capacity. Service provision is increasingly expensive and the waste miles

associated with most recyclates are wholly unsustainable.

A New Social Enterprise must share a New Economic Principle. Showing theworld, this is NOT 'Business as Usual'

theARCproject has used many of the models and values laid out by a wide range

of organisations, democratic advisory panels and non-governmental agencies,

including;

http://www.neweconomics.org/publications/a-guide-to-social-return-on-

investment

http://www.european-microfinance.org/europe-microfinance_en.php

http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/resources/GoodPractice/

Page 20

http://www.neweconomics.org/publications/a-guide-to-social-return-on-investment








assisted resource for communites theplan

Documents