Hi there, odd question for you all. I am forming a new team which will be looking to delivery 'behaviour change' programmes across our department at the county council which will include waste management issues - recycling, waste reduction through to littering and fly tipping and also for sustainability and climate change..... As the manager of the team, I need to find a job title for myself that can also be reflected in the team name. Now you would think that this would be an easy job, however, I am concerned about using words such as 'behaviour', 'change' within the context of local government as although we understand the terms, the public may find them threatening, controlling and even insulting.....
Any ideas would be gratefully received!!
Melanie Price
behaviour change manager
Kent County Council
United Kingdom
Job Title / Team Title Ideas Please!
Sign in or Sign up to comment
Hi Melanie
Some State government departments in Victoria have moved from "behaviour change" to "community adaptation" - as you say, behaviour change can sound threatening, and a bit top-down, whereas community adaptation sounds more inclusive. Good luck with finding a new title!
Cheers
Damien Sweeney
National Centre for Sustainability, Swinburne University of Technology
Australia
hi Melanie
Sometimes an apparently unrelated term can find acceptance. What about 'Planet Support Unit'? It to me has a ring of hope to it, rather than some of the more potential negative connotations that you so rightly point out 'Behaviour Change' could elicit.
And congratulations on your council seeing the need for this unit.
Best wishes on your journey
Sue Bellinger
South Africa
One concept I try to get across as the Sustainable Development Coordinator [not a particularly interseting title]for a small urban municipality is that we have to stop thinking of garbage as "waste" to be eliminated, these things are *resources*. So, I call them that -- wasted resources. Now, if I understand correctly, your job is to get people to see them that way and 3R+C them. So, how about calling yourself the "Wasted Resource Coach" I think this will cause people to look twice at your business card, and ask you what this is all about.
Joshua Wolfe
Sustainable Development Coordintaor
City of Westmount
Canada
www.westmount.org/sustainable
Waste is a human concept.
Zed Langston
United States
Wow thank you all for your time taken to comment, you have provided me with some food for though and it's got my creative juices flowing!
Melanie Price
'Behaviour Change Manager'
Kent County Council
United Kingdom
Hi Melanie,
Intersting dilemna - I can relate to your perspective. Can I suggest some bleeding obvious options that we have used in my company, that you have probaly already consisered but anyway here goes... Chief Sustainability Officer, Sustainability Practitioner, Sustainability Program Manager, Sustainability Facilitator ... the Australian government has just created a whole lot of new positions for Climate Change Facilitators ... really, you could take any of the position desciptors and mix them up, I think word sustainability has a far clearler and cleaner message than 'behaviour change'or 'climate change ' .... and it matches the breadth of issues you seek to address....Good Luck!!
Caitlin Scott
Ms
SKM
Australia