UNIVERSITY TIP #1: Build Your Team
Parker Townley
November 20, 2014
Work Your Way Through Goal #1: Build Your Team
Goal #1 focuses on building a Fair trade Network on campus. To reach this goal you will need to:
- Create a team of at least 4 students and 1 non-student (faculty, staff, dining services) leaders on campus
The Obstacles
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The Solutions
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| Generating Interest |
- Find allies across campus: go to dinning services, the sustainability office, multicultural affairs, community service orgs, and campus ministry
- Recruit freshman: serve fair trade coffee at orientation and ask to have 5 minutes to explain your work. Table at activities fairs and present to freshman seminar classes.
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| Keep Focused and Energized |
- Share producer stories: head here and find a farmer that produces a product on your campus.
- Host social events: watch The Dark Side of Chocolate, sample Fair Trade products, or take a field trip to your local 10,000 Villages.
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| Advertising Group Activities |
- Create social media accounts: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages get your group in front of students, use this guide to get going.
- Post events in the school bulletin: Share your meetings and events through publications that list campus activities.
- Table: hand out free Fair Trade samples in high traffic area to increase awareness and recruit new members
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Guidelines to a successful first meeting:
- Logistics. Book a meeting space, come prepared with handouts on the basics of Fair Trade.
- Advertising. Post in the school bulletin, announce in classrooms, and ask friends to come.
- Food. Make the first meeting fun by sharing Fair Trade chocolate or coffee.
- Education. Talk about the principles of Fair Trade and how you plan to implement your efforts on campus.
- Contact. Get everyone’s email address and phone number to keep them updated on future events and meetings. Send a quick email thank you after the meeting to attendees.
Stay updated by heading to the forum for tips on each of the 5 Goals!
Check out our other resources:
Fair Trade Colleges & University Video: The Merits of Fair Trade
Fair Trade Films list
Fair Trade Template Presentation
Strategic Partnerships
How to: Form a Fair Trade Committee
Building On-Campus Coalitions
How to: Customize Your Campaign to Fit Your Campus
Parker Townley, National Organizer | Fair Trade Colleges & Universities
Parker Townley works for Fair Trade Colleges and Universities to help connect students and faculty with the resources they need to effectively campaign for Fair Trade on campus. In his free time Parker explores the Sierra Nevadas with his trusty backpack, roams the Bay Area in search of the perfect cup of coffee, and cultivates a small veggie garden.
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