AASHE 2013 Adapting Eco-Rep Training Jessica Bilecki Education & Outreach Coordinator Margaret Bounds Coordinator of Environmental Sustainability

Talk Amongst Yourselves  How is your Eco-Rep program structured? In Res Life Student Group In Office of Sustainability Paid Unpaid For credit

Take Aways  Elements to include in Eco-Rep manuals/handbooks  Become familiar with a variety of ER training structures and techniques  1 or 2 concrete ideas and implementation strategies for strengthening your Eco-Rep training Eco-Reps Training

Elon Eco-Reps  Created 2008 with Res Life Run out of OoS  8 students Paid $9.00/hr 4 hrs/week  1 student Eco-Rep Coordinator Stipend $1,500/sem  3 Major responsibilities

Elon Eco-Rep Revamp  Gather info & ID areas for improvement  Review materials Previous Elon ER manual and Mission statement Handbooks from Elon organizations ER Manuals from other institutions  Erickson, Christina Student Sustainability Educators: A Guide to Creating and Maintaining an Eco-Rep Program on Your Campus.  University of South Carolina ER Manual  Duke  Tufts  Carnegie Mellon  Drew University  Many originally adapted from UVM, Tufts and Bard

Accountability  Compensation  Task Sheets  Evaluations

Manual  Mission  10 p vs. 16p  New Content Being an Office Employee Implementation Appendices  Web  Workplace  Self

Training Eco-Reps Training  Friday 3:00 – 6:00 + Dinner  Saturday 9:00 – 5:00 + Lunch  Sunday

Bi-Weekly Meetings  1 hr  ER buddy*  Student Coordinator creates agenda & facilitates  Typical Agenda Fun Training* Feedback/check-in Rockin’ Reminders Planning for future activities/events

EcoReps at UofSC: Structure  Run out of Housing Dept.  Totally revamped in 2011  Graduate Assistant  22 students  Student Leadership Team EcoExec RHA Liaison Media Manager Outreach Manager Conference Liaison  Paid a stipend $100 Fall Semester $150 Spring Semester

Our Manual

Training  Day-long retreat with Residence Hall Association  Topics: Team building Overview of EcoRep roles True Colors personality test Setting mutual expectations

Weekly Meetings  First 7 meetings focused on environmental topics Consumption Waste and Recycling Food Issues Transportation Energy Conservation Water Conservation Environmental Justice  Typical meeting agenda: 1. Team Builder 2. Updates and announcements 3. Discussion of topic OR work on campus campaigns 4. Final thoughts 5. Assignment for next week

Putting it all together - Manuals  7-15 pages  Content highly variable Eco-Rep Roles & Responsibilities Employee/ Professionalism Info. Sustainability information based on topic  General  Specific to the institution Implementation Strategies & Resources Theory  behavior change  peer education

Key Elements of Engagement  Team Building  Meaningful meetings  Feedback  And taking action on the feedback  Mutual expectations  Purpose

Questions? Jessica Bilecki Margaret Bounds