Robertson Trust Summer Internship Scheme

CRNS were delighted to host another intern this year as part of the Robertson Trust 2021 Summer Internship Scheme. The scheme was established in 2014 to support 3rd year Robertson Scholars to enhance their C.V and gain valuable experience in the workplace before entering their final year of university.

We were joined this year by Jed, a University of Stirling student going into his fourth year of his Management degree. Jed was interested in learning about the impact tool and lending libraries have on Scotland’s circular economy and believes ‘tool libraries benefit communities and the environment in a large way which deserves to be shown off’.

Findings and Insights

During his time with us Jed found a thriving network of tool libraries across Scotland who share the common goal of supporting and enabling local community members to save money on expensive items whilst championing reuse.

He also found socially aware and engaged organisations who want to facilitate skills development across communities, many focusing on tackling socio-economic boundaries and supporting groups who may have traditionally been restricted from developing proficiencies in certain areas. For example, Edinburgh Tool Library offering a Women’s Wood Shop specifically for women and non-binary makers.

Tool libraries across Scotland help facilitate a culture of reuse, and Jed uncovered this important aspect of their identities, the results of which can be seen in communities with higher levels of reuse, repair and recycling across demographics. These community organisations also help tackle loneliness and isolation, a prevalent issue in our society, particularly throughout the pandemic.

Jed says…

‘It has been a great 8 weeks to work with CRNS and Sharing Libraries across Scotland to bring together a report that investigates and shows off their impact on local communities, the environment and the circular economy of Scotland. I have had an amazing experience working with the great team at CRNS, as well as seeing all the hard work that goes into Sharing Libraries. They have such a positive impact on communities and the environment, contributing towards Scotland becoming a zero-waste nation.

It was a pleasure to chat to and meet Sharing Library founders, members and volunteers over the course of my internship and I appreciate them for giving me their valuable time to research them.

I would like to thank all Sharing Libraries, the CRNS team and The Robertson Trust for making my internship such a positive experience.’

Find Out More

If you would like to read Jed’s report, email matt@crns.org.uk to find out more.