Get the word out!

How do we ensure everyone is involved? We need to communicate with all sections of the school and work out who is responsible for communicating with each area.

Governors – The head/bursar/committee chair should present to the governors on how the school is following the Using Less Stuff programme. There is an example presentation available to download for this purpose.

Staff – use the opportunity of an inset day, ensure that the heads of each department are responsible for communication with their staff. There is a template available to record what each department has committed to carryout to Use Less Stuff.
Pupils – the topic will need to be introduced to the whole school, this is often best done via an assembly. Competitions can be set up with prizes for the best performing class / year / house. A trophy and / or reward is always good for creating results. There is also a template certificate available to be downloaded and presented to those individuals who have stood out from the crowd.
Support Staff – are often the final line of defence and communication with them is essential. The cleaning / maintenance staff can record how often lights were left on and windows were left open. They can check that plug sockets that are meant to be switched off have been. In our shop you will find tabs that can be applied to plugs to inform everyone what is meant to happen with each socket. The kitchen staff are obviously vital in the reduction of food waste.
Parents – inform the parents that the school is going to be launching a programme called Using Less Stuff and include all the reasons why. They need to be reassured that this does not mean a reduction in heating and comfort or that their children will be hungry! It is a reduction in waste and a better use of the resources of the school. They can be informed of the educational benefits and may even find a positive result in their homes! There is a template communication for parents available to download.

Committee Members– Your committee representatives must be in constant communications with everyone. Aim to establish a free-flowing stream of ideas, all the way from the bottom to the top. The committee is there simply to channel this proactive work and adds a creative flow of ideas into the right areas and ensures the potential for cost/ consumption reduction is noticeable. The chair of the committee has a responsibility to ask demanding questions, which are essential in launching the project and maintaining it progression. They should continually check that the projects chosen are needed and are cost effective. They should also continue to question methodology and reasoning behind each of the projects.

Tips

>There is a huge array of apps and software that can help you communicate, think about your audience and how best to communicate with them all.  For example the IT savvy part of your school could utilise social media apps, set up WhatsApp group and make a member of the committee responsible for putting out updates.  There are lots of free apps which will allow quick and easy communications like Viber, Snapchat, Facebook messaging, Telegram.  The less IT savvy members of your team may prefer a monthly/termly newsletter or regular verbal updates in assembly.  Remember not to over commit yourselves or the ULS Team with communication, it needs to be manageable and not take away from the overall message of using less.

You might also want to consider communicating with your wider community through the use of Facebook groups, Instagram, Pinterest.  Sharing your results may help raise awareness of the school but it could also motivate others into Using Less too!