Environmental Facilitators' Programme
Many thanks to all staff who took part in the Sustainable Behaviour Survey in February 2012. Over 300 responses were received, equating to 17% of the staff body. The environment team is analysing the results which will be posted on this page when complete. Top level results highlighted overwhelming staff support for continued enviromental initatives, as well as revealing several areas where staff behaviour change can affect important improvements.
The Environmental Facilitators’ Role
Do you want to be an Environmental Facilitator?
Support for the Initiative
Questions
As one of the greenest Universities in Scotland, we take pride in our many national green accolades and continually strive to support enthusiasm for sustainability amongst the University community. By 2016 the University is aiming to be carbon neutral. The University’s commitment to environmental awareness and sustainable development includes supporting the use of renewable energy sources, energy efficiencies, attention to the environmental impact of its activities, and development of distinctive sustainable development programmes.
The behaviours of University staff are a fundamental catalyst for progressing environmental action at St Andrews. To support environmental interest and to help mainstream environmental awareness, the Estates Environment Team are shortly to recruit up to 80 ‘Environmental Facilitators’, approximately two from each School and Unit.
The Environmental Facilitators’ Role
The purpose of the Environmental Facilitators is to engage colleagues and to encourage environmental behaviours in each school/unit to reduce the University’s overall carbon footprint. Specific behaviours include:
- Reducing energy consumption through ‘smart’ workplace operations
- Reducing the amount of recyclables going to landfill
- Reducing the amount of overall waste by promoting reuse
- Reducing water wastage
- Promoting and advising on sustainable work travel options
- Encouraging sustainable purchasing
The role holders will be the key point of contact for the Estates Environment team for feedback on environmental issues and for disseminating campaign materials. They will also conduct green workplace assessments and walkabouts to assess areas of improvement. “Mainstreaming” environmental issues in this way gives the best chance of success of actual attitudinal and behavioural change amongst staff members.
Environmental Facilitators is a voluntary position; therefore time commitment and scope are adaptable. With such a wide range of environmental issues to be addressed, there is scope for concentrating on your particular area of interest.
Role Requirements
Any interested individual can become involved in the Staff Environmental Awareness Campaign and act as an Environmental Coordinator. The necessary role requirements are:
- A commitment to and enthusiasm for some, if not all, of the environmental behaviours outlined above
- An ability to allocate approximately 30 minutes per week to raising environmental awareness
- The authorisation of your Head of School/Unit
Role Benefits
- Become part of the Environmental Facilitators’ Network of likeminded colleagues
- Access to training to broaden understanding of environmental issues, environmental action within the University and hands on skills such as energy auditing and presentation techniques
- Compete with other Schools or Units for best energy credentials and accompanying University wide recognition for achieving high energy reduction rates in inter-school/ unit competitions
- Opportunity to play a key role in improving environmental practice at the University and have a tangible impact in your work environment.
- Be involved in a program that is different from your everyday work
This focused engagement with fellow colleagues also aims to foster pride of place and involvement within the University community through cultivating an institutional culture of sustainability.
Training and Support available
- CAPOD training programme, ‘Passport to Environmental Excellence’ , to achieve the certification of Environmental Facilitator (for more information, see below)
- Campaign materials (posters, stickers, leaflets, monthly newsletter, etc) and resources (myth busters, daily office tips, energy facts, etc)
- Regular comparative feedback on energy stats outlining progress
- New area on website (still in development) detailing the environmental and energy information for each building
- Guidance and support from the Estates Environment Team
- University Policy and Proccedures (Carbon Management Plan, Sustainable Development Policy, etc.)
Do you want to be an Environmental Facilitator?
- Discuss your likely application with your line manager first. They will need to support you taking part in the project.
- Let CAPOD know that you wish to volunteer. Email capod@st-andrews.ac.uk
- Begin to attend the Environmental Excellence workshops. You can book a place on a workshop via the online course booking system
Support for the Initiative
Strategic support for the Environmental Facilitator initiative is led at Principals’ Office level by the Master, Neville Richardson:
"I am delighted to see so much enthusiasm for sustainability initiatives from across the University, and I will support them in any way I can. We can be proud that St. Andrews is leading the way in this area and we are all committed to doing more in the future."
The Estates Environment Team will provide operational support in structuring the programme, recruiting the Facilitators, and overseeing the project. CAPOD will provide developmental support to the project in the form of a ‘Passport to Environmental Excellence.’
Managers’ support for the Initiative
For this project to succeed, we need the support of managers around the University too. We would ask that all managers support this project in five ways:
- By encouraging their team members to apply for the Environmental Facilitator roles.
- By supporting the new Environmental Facilitators and allowing them to spend up to 30 minutes per week working on progressing environmental issues.
- By allowing the Environment Facilitators to take part in the 'Passport to Environmental Excellence' development programme - a total of 15 training hours over an 18 month period.
- By role-modelling environmentally friendly behaviours
- By encouraging the Environmental Facilitators, and giving visibility to their work.
The Passport to Environmental Excellence
Staff members chosen to be Environmental Facilitators will be supported in their roles by the provision of a developmental programme called Passport to Environmental Excellence.
The Passport programme consists of a number of core and optional training events which fall into five categories: Environmental Awareness, Personal Development, Practical Skills, Understanding Behaviour and Community Investment.
To complete the passport there are 10 core events, totalling 15 hours, which you should complete within an 18-month period. Two of these are deemed ‘Flying Start’ modules – you must complete these first when you begin your Environmental Facilitator role.
The Passport to Environmental Excellence programme is below:
Courses in dark green are core; those in light green are optional.
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Environmental Awareness |
Personal Development |
Practical Skills |
Understanding Behaviour |
Community Investment |
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Sustainability briefing [2 hours] [Flying Start] |
Action Learning Sets and Facilitator networking [1 hour] |
Out and about with the grounds team [2 hours] |
Value shift and behavioural change [1 hour] |
Donate an hour in the University garden |
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Creating ‘smart’ workplaces [2 hours] [Flying Start] |
Effective communication skills [3 hours] |
Lean: the 8 wastes and how to reduce them [2 hours] |
The psychology of behaviour [1 hour] |
Take part in a tree planting |
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Recycling briefing [1 hour] |
Assertiveness [ 2 hours] |
How to conduct an energy audit [2 hours] |
Understanding motivation [3 hours] |
Volunteer for a beach clean |
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Travel and transport [2 hours] |
Presentation skills [1.5 days] |
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Dealing with difficult behaviour I [6 hours] |
An environmental volunteering activity |
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The University and food [1 hour] |
Coaching skills [2 hours] |
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About carbon conversations [2 hours] |
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Heating: explore the boiler room [1.5 hours] |
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Questions
Should you have any questions about the Environmental Facilitator Scheme, please contact David Stutchfield from the Environment Team on: environment@st-andrews.ac.uk
