The Educational Use of Aggregate Sites Produced by the National Stone Centre Porter Lane, Middleton by Wirksworth, Derbyshire, Derbyshire DE4 4LS

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LOGISTICS

Developing Company/Site Educational Strategies

Whether at company or unit level, wherever possible within an overriding health and safety context, build upon strengths -

- Local contacts
- Subject/topic relationships
- Proximity
- Basic messages eg safety, science, environmental care, decision making, technology

Adopt a structured approach:

Work from the 'known', or the straightforward to the more difficult.
Don't bite off too much at first - build on experience gained.

A typical educational plan might include:

a) carry out an educational audit (of company/site) eg based on the framework contained elsewhere in this document, or working with a specialist (eg contact National Stone Centre or Trade Federation; see also lists of organisations in this report e.g. at end of sections 2, 3 or in Appendix 19.

b) Examine good practice elsewhere and consider how this might be applied to your situation (e.g. in other parts of the aggregates, other extractive industries, or other industrial sectors - n.b. some of which have much larger budgets!).

c) Conduct a health and safety audit, revisit and amend (a) and (b) in light of this

d) Plan an Education programme/strategy based on above

e) Build up outline budget based on above

f) Initiate links/dialogue with local school(s), usually beginning at primary level

Preparation of the educational audit, safety audit and the educational programme/strategy are inextricably linked. It is an iterative process in which ideas are checked regularly against the feasibility of implementation, working with educational specialists or local school/college contacts.

Company policies vary considerably regarding the level at which decision making and authority rests. Remember that great ideas (e.g. for an event) backed by enthusiasm are unlikely to progress effectively unless there is policy and financial support at the appropriate level within the company.

An early internal planning meeting and later, a first meeting with a partner school(s), should consider aspects such as:

- Purpose of educational links
- Opportunities and benefits to both parties
- A programme of activities
- Health and safety aspects
- Finance and other types of support
- Establishing a feedback process for reviewing activities (including measurement of visitor perceptions before and afterwards)
- Maintaining and development of contacts

Ensure all relevant staff are aware of and authority is given to what is being planned (on site and appropriate offsite colleagues) eg for safety, insurance, legal, financial and PR reasons.

Produce an action check list:

• clear areas

• sign areas

• additional safety measures

• instruct/train where required (including back up staff)

• produce/obtain support materials*

• e.g. safety items, including personal protection equipment in appropriate sizes and in date

• including paperwork, rock samples -raw/finished products (very important for schools - see Appendix 11), goody bags

* Produce a simplified version of the quarry and plant layout, geology, markets, history, environmental measures for use in display panels, rock/product kits, handouts and briefing guides/stewards/marshalls (contact trade associations, National Stone Centre or organisations listed in Appendix 19).

See also: Developing Company/Site Educational Strategies: Educational Audits