Thirteen passionate undergraduate students from six different faculties will team-up with the Sustainability Student Advisor to deliver innovative and engaging sustainability programming to UBC students, starting September, 2012.
The Sustainability Ambassadors Peer Program is a new leadership initiative of the UBC Sustainability Initiative (USI) Teaching & Learning Office. Ambassadors will also get a chance to network with other peer groups to develop and deliver events that promote sustainability education.
Program goals range from raising awareness of sustainability and sustainability education among the student population to finding and encouraging connections between various sustainability groups on campus and organizing and promoting sustainability-related events.
“The idea of Students Helping Students is really proven. We’re collaborating with other UBC Peer Programs to provide leadership training and opportunities and to promote sustainability education” says Kshamta Hunter, Sustainability Student Advisor in the USI’s Teaching and Learning Office. “Sustainability Ambassadors (SA) will act as change agents both encouraging their peers and promoting sustainability education on-campus.”
Some of SA responsibilities include promoting and enhancing Sustainability Education within their own faculty and department and the wider campus, disseminating educational information, brainstorming, planning, organizing and promoting sustainability education event on campus, and encouraging connections between various sustainability groups on campus. The Ambassadors are expected to contribute 5-6 hours per week from September 2012-April 2013.
Students will learn key leadership skills through the UBC Peer Program and will receive further training and workshops from the UBC Sustainability Initiative, Teaching and Learning Office. “We want to make sure everyone has baseline knowledge about the different USI units and Teaching and Learning resources” says Kshamta Hunter. “Besides gaining really valuable leadership and event planning skills, students will also get to collaborate and network with faculty members and other students who are passionate about sustainability.”
For more information about the program contact Kshamta Hunter or visit UBC Peer Programs.