Project Assistants: Team briefing
This document outlines the role of project assistants
and how teams can work with them to maximum
mutual benefit.
1. What are Green Impact Project Assistants?
Green Impact Project Assistants are students who have volunteered to work with a staff team and
support them to implement the actions of the online toolkit to help maintain or improve their Green
Impact accreditation. Students are from all disciplines and have had to go through an application
and training process. By taking part in the scheme students will develop their knowledge of
sustainability in a work-based environment, but also improve vital transferrable skills. The students
this year have got involved because they want to:

Have work-based opportunities to put their theoretical knowledge of sustainability into
practice
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Hone their professional skills

Learn how to be more sustainable in their own lives

Make a difference and be involved in positive change

Increase their understanding of sustainability in large organisations and in offices

Work with lots of different types of people

Have some fun!
Of course, they also provide extra capacity and creative input to a Green impact team. We
particularly chose students who were passionate, creative, committed and good communicators so
we hope their role will be useful to you, your team, and the changes you make through Green
Impact. However, they are learning so we also need you to provide support and feedback to your
project assistant to help them in their role.
Benefits for your team




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Increased capacity to complete the online toolkit and its actions
Greater staff-student collaboration
Gain a new perspective on actions and ways of engaging your team
Reinvigorate your staff green group through new team member
Knowledge and assistance on communications
Timeline
November Students attend introductory training session to
prepare for the role and meet other project assistants.
December Project assistants allocated to a Green Impact team
and arrange first meeting with staff team.
December - March Project assistants and team maintain regular
contact working together to progress through the workbook.
Project assistants continue to get support from their peers and
NUS.
June Team and project assistant attend awards ceremony to
receive recognition for their efforts.
On average, project assistants have been asked to devote one hour a week to the programme over
the placement period, but this includes training and support events so they may put slightly less
than this directly into your team.
As one of the first steps, you should discuss with your project assistant when best suits them to
support you, whether this will be face-to-face, remote, or a mix of both, and how you will keep upto-date on a regular basis.
Roles of the project assistant within your team
The specific role of the project assistant within your team can be very flexible to suit the knowledge
and skills of your team and the student, as well as the student’s preferences. However to help plan
initial tasks here are some potential areas your assistant could help with:
Tick where relevant
Conduct baseline sustainability survey of your workspace
Updating/creating communications such as posters/
instructions/briefings
Keeping the online toolkit up-to-date as you go along
Identifying and implementing achievable bonus actions to improve your
performance
Conduct online research on issues/initiatives that arise from team
meetings
Liaising with Estates/Environment team to resolve workbook queries.
Other...