The Sustainability Challenge is part of the University of Manchester’s Ethical Grand Challenges Programme. The programme aims to develop socially responsible graduates by providing opportunities for all undergraduate students to engage with ethical issues relating to sustainability, social justice and workplace ethics during their three year undergraduate degree.

As part of the 2016 Manchester Welcome all first year undergraduate students, 8,000 in total, will take part in the Sustainability Challenge. The challenge will see students working in cross-disciplinary groups to plan a new campus for the fictitious ‘University of Millchester’. Last year’s students particularly enjoyed the opportunity to work with students from different schools and disciplines and to develop their team working skills.

With so many students involved a large number of staff are required to help the challenge run smoothly. A wide range of PSS and academic staff have already signed up but we still need more staff to volunteer, especially as facilitators.

If you’d like to find out more about what it’s like to be a facilitator as part of the Sustainability Challenge watch our short films from last year’s facilitators.

You don’t need any expertise relating to sustainability to volunteer! To be a facilitator you just need to be confident in working with groups of students. The content of the challenge includes films, twitter feeds and a countdown clock, all of which are streamed via the web to ensure everything happens at the same time. The facilitator role is to encourage, guide and support three to four groups of students as they work through the challenge.

To find out more please visit the SDCE website where you can:

1. Hear last year’s facilitators talk about their experiences as a facilitator.
2. Register as a volunteer and sign-up for training.

If you have questions for the organisers, please contact Sian Yeowell or Colette Cooke in the Student Development & Community Engagement Division.