Environmental Association of Universities and Colleges Working with

Environmental Association of Universities and Colleges Working with staff and students

Overview ¨ Quick survey of current practice ¨ Much good practice in sector ¨ Critical Success factor – why ¨ How? ¨ Who? ¨ Workshop

Working with staff and students ¨ Why – Can’t do it by yourself; get to parts other… – Need to communicate – Improved environmental sustainability needs systemic change – Change attitudes, knowledge get greater understanding and buy-in ; behavioural chnage – Staff and students have differing perspectives, cunning plans

Staff ¨ Representatives – committees ¨ Supporters ¨ Auditors (Environmental Management Systems) ¨ Curriculum and assignments/projects /dissertation/research ¨ Modelling good practice ¨ Spies ¨ Naggers ¨ (Eco/EMS) –Champions ¨ Part of the bigger environment team

Staff ¨ All the staff are important, whatever their role in organisation ¨ Demographics: 25 – 60 (average 50? ). Some of us have been there for some time ¨ Middle- aged middle class, females more interested? ¨ Volunteers ¨ Champions? ¨ All affect facilities usage

How to get to staff ¨ Through senior/middle management and/or bottom- up ¨ Committees ¨ Networks (formal/informal) ¨ Forums eg Swansea University has good Staff /Student Forum (Sustainability Forum) ¨ Email eg SMU 100 day campaign (but can get email fatigue) ¨ Staff training, induction etc (SDO) ¨ Specific events and competitions eg SMU’s environment champions in environment week fairtrade /fortnight

How to get to staff ¨ Staff newsletters, notice boards (EPCs/ DECs) ¨ Specific publications eg environmental newsletters, handbooks eg Green Guides ¨ Press releases; SMU good at this ¨ Web ¨ Intranet ¨ Blackboard ¨ Facebook/ You Tube etc

Press releases

What do we want from staff? ¨ Commitment ¨ Behaviour change eg demand Fairtrade coffee, salary sacrifice ¨ Good – not bad example ¨ Good ideas, constructive criticism ¨ Green curriculum both inside courses and across entire organisation ¨ Cunning plans

Students ¨ Demographics varies with college/uni ¨ FT/PT ¨ Younger; different perspective ¨ The customer? – lots of significance to senior management ¨ Turnover; 25% upwards per year ¨ More demand for sustainability now ¨ They’re there for different reasons than staff; mostly to get qualification ¨ May not deliver

Students How to get to them ¨ See above under staff ¨ Freshers, student induction, modules ¨ Electronic means eg U tube, Facebook, Blackboard ¨ Student Union – Councils, Environment and Ethics rep. ¨ Student Groups; People and Planet, other groups eg international groups ¨ Plus their tutors/lecturers eg Glyndwr student project ¨ Student services, international officers.

What can you offer students? ¨ Ways to be more sustainable ¨ Ways of getting assignments done ¨ Meaningful projects/ placement /dissertations, eg Hatfield Uni student projects ¨ Fun ¨ Feeling useful ¨ Better CV; employability skills

What is a champion? ¨ Literally champions to others ¨ Knowledge and expertise ¨ Rewards ¨ Recognition of being an exemplar How get a champion? ¨ Nomination by manager or self or peers ¨ Improve – training, information ¨ Put in job description (But HERA!)

Electronic communications ¨ South West Wales Higher Education Partnership sustainability Project: Green Guides in pdf format

Interactive & Online Quizes

The here, the now and the future? ¨ Facebook Groups & Invitations ¨ RSS feeds ¨ Blackboard Community System ¨ Direct mobile marketing – Bluetooth hotspots

Workshop ¨ Divide into groups ¨ Appoint reporter ¨ On Charts, list: – Ways of working with staff and students with positive and negative features ¨ Report at 10 to 12

Contacts ¨ elizabeth. may@smu. ac. uk 01792 481143 ¨ Anna. rawlings@smu. ac. uk