LAWR

January 2015 Local Authority Waste & Recycling 23 ZERO WASTE SCOTLAND confident resources workforce crews or call centre staff, have an appreciation of the bigger picture, argues Fiona Craig. improve their recycling rates. Here, Craig explains how it works. ination is introduced, specifically looking at how staff can deal with contamination issues. • Session four considers the role of positive communications in increasing and maintaining recy- cling rates. Methods and materi- als used to communicate with the public are discussed, and a scenario-based approach is used to help identify a good service approach to responding to queries from the public. • Session five addresses areas of potential conflict between staff and the public, why they arise and escalate and how they can be avoided. The advantages to staff of managing and avoiding conflict is discussed and the support which can be provided to them through compliance to organisational policies and practices. • An additional session in food waste collection systems is also available. This course forms part of a wider suite programme which aims to arm the sector with the right tools to suc- ceed. We've provided support to 12 managers in the public, private and third sectors to help them become CIWM Waste Smart trainers, cascad- ing learning across their organisation or others across the sector. We've sup- ported the design and development of the new HNC in Sustainable Resource Management at Fife College, the first of its kind in Scotland. Our new Good Practice Forum for Industry Qualifications has been set up to enable those within local author- ities, who have a responsibility for workforce development, to share good practice and build capacity in deliver- ing a range of qualifications for staff. Tying all of these initiatives togeth- er is the Scottish Waste Industry Training, Competency, Health and Safety (SWITCH) Forum, which aims to provide leadership and encourage collaborative working to raise stand- ards in the sector. Fiona Craig is resource management training advisor at Zero Waste Scotland. Zero Waste Scotland's communications training course is open to local authorities who are looking to increase their recycling rates through changes to their waste or recycling services. Polmadie Recycling Centre in Glasgow is pictured above. " (Householders) get their answer immediately from the 'man on the street' - they don't have to call for something. "

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