As one of the top 100 best NGOs in the world, RARE addresses conservation issues by engaging local communities, governments, and other stakeholders in identifying solutions that benefit people and the environment. As a world leader in using social marketing for behaviour change, RARE commissioned a KENT MBA student to conduct a market viability study to understand the demand for a new 10-day ‘Campaign for Conservation’ workshop.
Through an investigative study involving input from protected area managers and park officials from around the world, the study validated the need for a social marketing training workshop aimed at park officials to enable them to better engage communities and reach out to people to create an enabling environment for conservation to take place.
The project was crowned a success when RARE announced that the KENT MBA project had contributed to the development of a new training programme – the ‘Campaigning for Conservation’ workshop – which was launched on 21st July 2013 in China in collaboration with the State Forestry Administration. The workshop aimed to provide participants with the appropriate tools and techniques to design and implement a mini campaign to increase local residents’ understanding and appreciation of wetlands and protected areas.
“This was a fantastic opportunity for Namita Shete, our Kent MBA student, to work with one of the top 100 best NGOs in the world looking at sustainable environmental issues. We are pleased that the results of her research have culminated in a new training programme launched in China. It is wonderful that the project has had a real opportunity to make a difference.”
Dr Pamela Yeow
Director of MBA – Kent Business School
Over the course of the ten-day workshop, twenty-four enthusiastic conservationists from Wetland parks across China were introduced to key social marketing principles, concept modelling, threat rating, as well as RARE’s theories of change. With this in mind, participants were able to better understand the threats facing their own parks and develop a suite of materials for their conservation campaigns – these included a poster, comic book, a puppet theatre, a popular song aimed at farmers and their families to better convey and communicate their conservation and sustainability message.
This successful collaboration between RARE and the Kent Business School has demonstrated how we develop talented, enthusiastic and highly skilled students who have the potential to make a real difference to tomorrow’s world. We enable companies and students to develop and grow together to rise to the challenges of our modern times.
If you feel inspired and wish to partner with some exceptional talent, we have an array of low cost short, medium and longer term student intervention opportunities.
For further information on how you and your organisation can partner with us, please contact us kbsbusiness@kent.ac.uk +44 (0) 1227 827192
Related story – MBA student works with award winning NGO on Campaigning for Conservation project