Student Engagement

Students are at the core of a college or university’s work and mission. Though Green Impact Universities and Colleges has traditionally focused on changing and embedding behaviours within staff, the student body is becoming increasingly important to enabling that change to spread further and to become entrenched into the life blood of the institution. The Student’s Union is key in building this relationship.

So, here are some key pointers for engaging with Unions and students:

1. Remember that just by your very participation in GIUC, your Unions will gain a financial incentive to support GI and other sustainability initiatives. Use this opportunity to start conversations between your institutions and your Union to decide together the ways this could be spent to benefit you both.
2. Follow Anglia Ruskin’s lead and work with a particular department to engage students throughout the process through their academic work.
3. Look into further student development opportunities. Some institutions are looking into our Green Impact Student Support Officers concept: recruiting students at the start of the year to work alongside departments throughout the year, joining as team members and providing you with a valuable on-the-ground network of student volunteers. Contact your Green Impact Project Officer for more information.