Innovation and initiatives for new educator members
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 125 No 8, 6 November 2020, page no. 21
2020 has been an exciting year of innovation in the new educator (NE) space within the QTU.
The 2020 initiatives for our Gen Z and new educator members have always ensured that the preferences of this young cohort are front-and-centre. We know that our younger teachers have a clear preference for how they interact with online media, and value a sense of community and professional recognition.
All resources for this group are consistently branded with a fresh visual aesthetic and there is a shift in language and tone. The NE newsletter Flare has been reinvented as the NE Connect, which now aligns to the preferences of our younger cohort by including information in bite-size chunks with a “click and find out” mentality. We have continued the “connect” theme with the new Journal column, Connect with us – new educators. Finally, in appealing to a desire for work-life balance, we have produced a series of NE Workload Updates, which provide a NE focus to the QTU’s workload reduction campaign.
We have also been working hard in terms of ensuring our members receive the recognition they deserve. At the QTU Reps Conferences in Brisbane and Townsville, Union Reps were gifted a limited-edition QTU insulated “keep” mug, and we have personally greeted new educators with welcome cards, along with a QTU lanyard and whistle.
In engaging our NEs during recruitment campaigns, we explored new ways of working and connecting with members. TUH were on board and provided “thanks a latte” coffee van visits and vouchers from their wellbeing partners. Throughout each campaign, a wide range of multi-modal resources was developed to encourage engagement. A number of schools also invited us present the NE-specific “So you’re new to teaching in Queensland state schools” working conditions session.
In working to establish the QTU as the go-to provider of community and belonging for teachers, we have been exploring a range of new events that have been hosted online as well as at individual schools and throughout regions.