This submission covers a citizen-science based learning programme for corporate employees, where the learning takes place mostly outdoors in nature, and which is designed to support a larger water sustainability programme on the part of the corporate sponsor.
2. WaterWatch Learning
Programme
The WaterWatch Learning Programme is part of a multi-million dollar sustainability project by a large corporate
organisation. The project includes philanthrophic giving to large-scale conservation and livelihood projects, and
volunteering opportunities for employees. The Waterwatch part of the project focuses on sustainability learning and
an opportunity to participate in a global citizen science project with an NGO partner.
The main learning opportunity is a one-day face-to-face employee engagement programme, open to all of the
organisation’s c 230,000 employees globally, with an invitation to participate in the citizen project up until the end of
the project. The length of after-event involvement depends on when the participant attends their one-day event, but
could be up to four years for those joining at the beginning of the programme and a few months for those attending
the last of the sessions. Post event learning and engagement is via a programme community website.
For a smaller number of more senior employees there is an opportunity to attend a longer event (ranging from 4 days
to up to two weeks), with more in-depth learning, and a professional development aspect, but also carrying with it a
greater obligation to create an actionable sustainability project to take back into the business after the event. These
events also include an invitation to participate in the same long-term citizen science project.
3. WaterWatch Learning
Programme
The longer event also contains the opportunity for regional, or even global travel in order to attend an event. Because
there are many fewer of these events, they are concentrated in regional hubs where the partner NGO operates. So for
example, an employee in Australia may get the opportunity to travel to Hong Kong to attend, or one in Egypt to go to
Dubai. The accommodation and catering for these events is much more upscale than for the one-day event, which
does not usually include overnight accommodation, and for which people will usually be attending close to their usual
workplace.
Employees can, in theory, self-select and apply for either of these opportunities, but many will not receive manager
approval to attend. In reality, many are ‘sent along’ – although a place on the longer programme is often seen as a
reward. Many attend the shorter programmes as teams, and the day can be seen as a bit of team ‘jolly’ sometimes.
Attendees are trained in the citizen science protocols as part of the programme, and then given kits to take away with
them to continue testing their own chosen waterbody and uploading data for the project, via a phone app, or with a
more manual process via a web-based form. The project collects water quality data, and ideally the NGO partner
would like each participant to test quarterly for two years following their event. The kits contain enough material to
allow them to do this, and participants can also request additional refills until the end of the project.
4. Top 3 Business Metrics
There are two partners in this project, the corporate
organisation and the NGO partner. The business
metrics for each would differ slightly. These metrics
are the ones which will be tracked by the NGO.
1. # of robust data points collected
sufficient to publish research
2. %age of participants still collecting
data after six months
3. %age participants reporting behaviour
change related to water conservation
/ quality after six months
5. Player types diagram and description
There are two distinct Player Groups , differentiated by their seniority in the organisation, the length and depth
of programme offered to them, and the expectations of them following attendance. Although it should be
noted that senior employees can attend the shorter programme, junior employees may not attend the longer
ones. These Player Types below relate to the attendees on the one-day event.
Willows Oaks
Acorns Saplings
6. Willows Nominated by others to attend programme. Dark Green (existing commitment to environmental
sustainability action). Small in number as Dark Greens would likely self-select for this programme.
• Is concerned about the environment
• Wants to contribute to a solution
• Sees themselves as part of a larger system
• Behaves sustainably
• Wants to know how to help
• Wants to learn new skills
• Worries about impact on future generations
• Wants to prevent environmental damage
• Recognises business impact of e.g. climate change
• Enjoys using new skills to behave more sustainably
• Embraces innovation in sustainable tech/behaviour
• Takes pride in sustainable behaviour
• Owns sustainable tech / kit
• Actively seeks new knowledge
• Shares environmental awareness with others
• Wants to be seen as environmentally aware
• Frustrated by constraints on
sustainable action at work
7. Acorns Nominated by others to attend. Light Green (little or no interest in environmental sustainability, or
an interest, but no commitment to concrete action). The largest group.
• Wants to advance in career
• Values learning which is useful to
career
• Is competitive (as career bankers
this applies to the majority of
participants).
• Avoiding censure if they do not attend
• Does not want to miss out on what colleagues have experienced
• Does not wish to pass up opportunity to network with more senior colleagues
• Recognises networking opportunities of
programme
• Values opportunity to spend non-work time
with colleagues
• Wants to find out what other colleagues have
been talking about
• Values their position within the
organisation
• Identifies as capable and values own
ideas
• Will volunteer ideas
• Values invitations to contribute
• (Somewhat passive) concern about the environment
• Wants to contribute positively to the business
• Eager to take career development
opportunities
8. Saplings
Saplings – Self-selecting, but as also Light Green may have a variety of motives, which may be a wish
to find out more about sustainability or career concerns, but may also be social (they get to spend a
day outside in nature with colleagues), or simple curiosity about the programme that many others
have already attended. Second smallest group.
• (Somewhat passive) concern about the environment
• Wants to contribute positively to the business
• Wants to takes all opportunities for development
• Readily volunteers ideas
• May not find opportunity to attend
that works with work schedule
• ‘Right’ people may not be attending
the same event
• Recognises networking
opportunities of programme
• Values opportunity to spend non-
work time with colleagues
• Wants to be seen as an influencer
• Wants to advance in career
• Values learning which is useful to
career
• Is competitive (as career bankers
this applies to the majority of
participants).
• Curious about cit sci activity
• Wants to find out what others have
been talking about
• Values their position within the
organisation
• Identifies as capable and values own
ideas
• Does not want to miss out on what colleagues have experienced
• Does not wish to pass up opportunity to network with more
senior colleagues
9. Oaks
Oaks – Self-selecting with a strong commitment to environmental action. It is likely that these people already
have some connection with the sustainability strategy of the organisation, either because their role involves it,
or because they are wanting to move into that area. Either that or they are environmentally active in a
personal capacity. Second largest group but a lot smaller than the largest group
• Is concerned about the environment
• Wants to contribute to a solution
• Sees themselves as part of a larger system
• Enjoys using new skills to behave more sustainably
• Embraces innovation in sustainable tech/behaviour
• Actively creates solutions to sustainability challenges
• Seeks to take a sustainability post
within the organisation
• Frustrated by constraints on
sustainable action at work
• See opportunities to make useful career
connections in sustainability
• Wishes to mentor / be mentored in
sustainability role
• Actively seeks new knowledge
• Worries about impact on future generations
• Wants to prevent environmental damage
• Recognises business impact of e.g. climate change
• Behaves sustainably
• Wants to know how to help
• Wants to learn new skills
• Takes pride in sustainable behaviour
• Owns sustainable tech / kit
• Identifies as sustainability professional
10. Desired Actions – scaffolding phase
• Collect water quality data each quarter from same waterbody
• Perform data collection protocol correctly
• Upload data points using app or web form
• Continue to collect for at least six months
• Complete post- programme survey at six months
• Regularly access sustainability action tips on website
• Access (and complete) post-event learning modules via website
• Participants act on tips to improve personal sustainability behaviour
• Participants support each other in sustainability actions
11. Analysis of current experience
• Saving the planet
• Contributing to science
• Working outside in nature
• Comment/receive comments on blogs
• Being programme ambassador
• Data collection as social activity
• Attending event as a team
• Water testing results
• Discovering new knowledge
• Scientist feedback
• Preventing ecosystem damage
• Water saving actions
• Join programme early to
ensure one can participate
fully
• Sharing photos on website
• Writing blog posts
• Test chosen waterbody
• Protecting local environment
• Learning Cit. Sci. methods
• Passing learning modules
• Citizen Scientist status
• Behaviour change
12. Brainstorming
Name Description CDs
Seasoned Scientist Can learn additional citizen science techniques after
submitting two good datasets 1,2
Shutterbug Peer -assessed nature photography award with exhibition
at company's HQ 3,5
News from the
Waterfront
Project newsletter reports positive actions resulting from
findings from datasets in specific locations 2,8
Learning creation Curation and forum capability on website - for best practice
sharing and sustainbility learning -open to all 1,5
Regional Best Regional aggregated leaderboards for data collection,
ambassadorship and sustainability actions 4,8
Career Development Sustainability mentorship programme for top contributors 2,6
Water Fun Days Organised team testing outings in addition to testing own
chosen waterbody - family fun days 4,5
Recognising contribution Levelled awards, for display on profile, for different
journeys - cit sci participation, sustainability action
(personal or at work), ambassadorship 4,7
13. Brainstorming
Rising Stars
Professional development opportunities offered to
participants still active after nine months 1,2,8
Getting It Done
Sustainability project (in-work) bid process for funding -
open to all employees 3,7
Upgrade
Top contributors (of data and programme ambassadorship)
offered place on longer 'senior' programme 2,5
Popper's Pals
Scientific method training and 'design your own experiment'
framework - for adults and kids - feedback from project
scientists 1,3
Published author
Top data collectors get their names credited as co-authors
on scientific papers 2,4
SOS - Save our Streams
Adopt a local waterbody' scheme (with local conservancy
NGOs) for threatened wetlands and catchments 6,8
Express Science
Additional 'one-off' cit sci challenges published monthly on
website 7
Name Description CDs