Transition UWS: Environmental Intern (x3)

IMPORTANT:  This Advertiser has requested that applicants MUST be National Residents / Valid Work Permit-holders.  Other applicants need not apply.

 

With almost 20,000 students and just under 2,000 staff, The University of the West of Scotland is unique in its geographical coverage across the West of Scotland. Transition UWS will focus on working within three of its four campuses: Ayr, Hamilton and Paisley. There is a post available at each of these campuses.

Transition UWS (University of the West of Scotland) will engage students and staff to reduce their own and the local community’s CO₂ emissions by 916 tons. The project will deliver substantial savings through energy saving at home and work, car sharing, waste reduction and procurement, as well delivering an outreach scheme to Reid Kerr College.

We are looking for three enthusiastic candidates with a desire to encourage pro-environmental behavioural change amongst university students to join our team in order to assist across a range of projects on either the Ayr, Hamilton or Paisley  campus:

• Car share scheme where students and staff can find people to share their journeys with via a website. This project will be conducted in partnership with the UWS environment team. SAUWS will run a student and staff face-to-face engagement campaign in order to increase the uptake of the university administered website.
• End of year halls reuse scheme, where any unwanted but reusable items are collected and either reused by students in the following academic year or donated to charity shops. A large amount of reusable waste is dumped by students at the end of the year, particularly by international students who have no way of transporting it on the plane. This scheme will collect and separate reusable items left behind before storing over the summer break to be reused by students.
• Energy saving competition in halls of residences in partnership with Student Switch Off (http://bit.ly/86yuSP). This will integrate student champions, social marketing through Facebook and incentives. Halls of residence are already separately metered and the activity will start at the beginning of the new academic year: generating month by month baseline data, holding monthly competitions over three campuses to encourage students to reduce their energy usage, with great prizes like ice cream.
• Home energy saving advice through drop-in clinics and home audits. This project will use student volunteers, resources developed by Transition Edinburgh University (TEU) (http://bit.ly/hZi13q) and work in partnership with the Energy Saving Scotland advice centre. Weekly drop-in seasons will be held on three campuses where students and staff can receive home energy advice. Home audits, conducted over three visits, will tackle behaviour and structural related emission, by engaging occupants as well as landlords. Audits will also be linked into an energy monitor loan scheme.
• Green Impact Awards targets workplace emissions relating to energy, transport, procurement and waste. Participating departments complete a workbook of specific criteria (see example workbook for Green Impact Student Unions - http://bit.ly/hG4e7u) in order to receive bronze, silver or gold awards. There is a large focus of supporting people through change, spreading good practice across the institution and celebrating the efforts of those participating.

Objective

Assisting with an end of year halls reuse scheme, the UWS car share scheme, home energy saving advice, energy saving competition in halls and the Green Impact Awards.

Benefits of the Project Work to the Graduate

This role will offer the post-holder a greater understanding of environmental and sustainability issues and an opportunity to devise and follow through their solutions within a busy university.

The successful graduate will have opportunities to learn about being a team player, developing communication skills in different mediums and will gain project management skills including  budgeting, planning, implementing and evaluating.

The post holder will be in regular contact with staff at all levels across the University and the Students’ Union as well as with students and external organisations, gaining experience in supporting and managing internal and external projects within the university.

Outputs

To work with other Transition UWS project coordinators to assist with Green Impact UWS, an end of year halls reuse scheme, the UWS car share scheme, home energy saving advise and energy saving competition in halls

To recruit and manage a range of student volunteers.

To meet and liaise regularly with staff and students to ensure the successful delivery of the campaign.

 

Essential Selection Criteria:

Candidates must be a recent graduate (within the past three years) or if graduating more than three years ago if you are changing career and this experience is vital to achieve this.

Pro-active, confident and enthusiastic in engaging with others, specifically students

Interest in environmental issues, specifically climate change

Ability to work in a professional manner with external partners.

Excellent inter-personal and organisational skills

Imaginative and creative  approach

Ability to work alone and as part of a team

Proficient with use of e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint

Good level of English and Maths

Desirable Selection Criteria

Design skills

Experience of training volunteers

 

Salary (per annum pro rata):  £12,678 pa/pro rata

Interview Date:  03/05/2011

Closing Date:  17/04/2011

Start Date:  16/05/2011

Length of Project Work: 10.5 months

Hours/Week:  full time 35 hour/week

Work outside normal hours: Some flexibility may be required

 

For more information or to apply with a current CV please go to : 

www.studentforce.org.uk/Graduates/GradVacDetails.asp?ProjNo=1971