Creativity and Structure
A successful green living program (GLP) will provide the student employees with a delicate balance of structure and room for creativity. One of the program's main points is to have a consistent message being given at the same time to the entire residential population, with GLP reps coordinating the message and activity. However, as with any venture, too much structure can inhibit the true capacities of the employees. Finding ways to offer structure and the freedom to be creative is key to running a successful GLP. Here are a few suggestions:
- Let Reps Choose How They Approach Activities
- Incorporate Individual Projects into the GLP Schedule
- Recognize Student Motivations and Aptitudes
- Manage Information to Create Meaningful Experiences
Let Reps Choose How They Approach Activities
Consider offering choices in how the students can approach certain tasks you are asking them to do. For example, if the week’s campaign is heating efficiency, perhaps reps could table for three hours in the dining hall during mealtime with posters, or they could go door-to-door for three hours to show students how to use their radiators, or they could take the time to create and share a short video clip about heating tips that is specific to their residence.
It is important to give reps room to choose because they will have different personalities and ways that they prefer to approach their fellow peers. Rotating activities like postering, tabling and emailing through checklist periods also helps prevent reps from feeling they are always doing the same thing.
Individual Projects
While most of what reps will take on will be activities that everyone else is doing, consider giving them room to take on their own individual projects. They can choose a project of their own interest—something campus-wide or residence-specific—that will somehow benefit the GLP and other students. For example, they could create a model dorm room display for Earth Day; research water usage on campus and design a bathroom magnet reminding students to be efficient; arrange for a traveling eco-bus to come to campus to educate students about renewable energy. The possibilities are endless!
Individual projects give reps the room to pursue something they care deeply about while also learning what it takes to research, evaluate, create and follow through on a plan. Individual projects can also lead to full GLP projects if it is appropriate for the whole team to participate in a project one of the reps has created.
Recognize Student Motivations and Aptitudes
Consider letting students draw on their personal motivations, interests and aptitudes when carrying out GLP activities. They will be more focused, energized and committed if projects resonate with their interests and if the issue at hand is something they feel empowered to speak on. Figuring out what motivates reps (and students in general) will be a very effective way to design campaigns and checklists that speak to them.
Similarly, find out what skills reps have to offer. Some may have great design skills, others may know how to edit videos, others may like to sew, others may have a creative vision on how to combine athletics and environmental issues into an eco-athletics competition. Recognizing students' aptitudes and talents will allow you to design campaigns that will allow them to flourish and show their creative side. You can ask reps to check off their areas of expertise when they apply, or you can find out what their many talents are throughout the year.
Manage Information to Create Meaningful Experiences
Give enough background information to the reps to guide them—not so much it overwhelms them and causes them to avoid actually doing the activities and not so little they feel unprepared to speak about the issue at hand. Offering enough information to the reps and designing their tasks in a way that offers choice will allow them to insert their own creativity into the activities.
Make sure the reps know who to talk to, what questions to ask, and what issues are involved in the activities they are working on. You must figure out what kind of information they need to feel empowered, to be courageous campus educators, and to creatively present the GLP message. After all, it is the reps’ unique personalities and spirit that will ultimately shine through to capture the attention of their peers.