Good Practice Guide

The below are tips drawn from regional and national contacts with regards to enhancing the sustainability of STEM outreach activities:

Support members of staff willing to undertake outreach through allowing them time to prepare and deliver their outreach work effectively
Provide any communication skills development or other training staff will need in order to achieve this
Coordinate with other STEM initiatives and HEIs to get effective coverage, identify gaps in provision and get help with the targeting of activities
Promote the relevance, opportunities and usefulness of STEM subjects to society – for example, through university open days
When offering activities to students, for example within a HEI, consider whether you might be able to offer an activity for parents. This may be a presentation on STEM, its role within society or career opportunities
Ensure that materials provided to schools are easily replaceable once used up
Always welcome proactive school teachers who are interested in advising on development of curriculum or outreach events
Keep an eye-out on outreach grants from various funding agencies to enhance the sustainability of outreach activities
Provide schools / teachers with a list of possible sources of funding they can approach to fund their own activities
Once materials and resources have been developed they are very easy to use by a number of people. Trained postgraduates can often be used to deliver these events to free up staff time
Develop positive relationships with the STEM consultant(s) in your local authority