The RTPI Corporate Strategy programme BALANCE: Build A Legacy And New Community Equality is an education project that seeks to ‘target intelligently schools of greatest educational need and diversity, including areas of socio-economic deprivation in areas of high planning demand, and attract talented young people who can then serve their communities from a position of strength, signposting accessible routes’. We are seeking to equip Member volunteers (‘Ambassadors’) with helpful, accessible materials to facilitate engagement with schools and, crucially, reach young people from groups underrepresented in the profession.
What is an RTPI Ambassador?
Ambassadors are RTPI members who help to raise awareness of town planning, and champion what a great career it is.
They are volunteers who might:
- help promote the profession at university careers fairs or school assemblies.
- help write a case study which is turned into a lesson plan or skills workshop.
- help broker a work experience 'insight day' for a student or class at your place of work.
You could be an Ambassador
Stepping up to 'give back' to the profession could be a fantastic way to practise your communication skills, and a fun way to make links to community engagement and public consultations you've undertaking in your workplace. If that is the case, and it meets your personal development plan objectives, it could also be counted as CPD.
Could you volunteer to bring planning into the classroom?
If you are an RTPI member and would like to represent the profession, are willing to adapt and relate planning to interesting and everyday issues, and are confident to talk engagingly about your job to young people then you may find being an RTPI Ambassador rewarding.
Existing or new Ambassador?
If you are undertaking engagement activities in schools to promote planning as a career, we ask you register the event or report on the outcome via this online form. Please also view our advice and policies prior to the event as part of the expectations of the Code of Professional Conduct.
If you have any questions about RTPI Ambassadors please contact us at: [email protected]