Introducing the Marketplace just for Educators
Reuse4education.com is a unique online marketplace platform for educators to swap, buy and sell, donate or borrow equipment and resources Sites like eBay, Gumtree and Facebook Marketplace have become valuable resources for anyone looking to sell, find or swap goods – however nurseries, schools, colleges and universities have a niche need for equipment and as budgets are squeezed they’re often trawling these sites to no avail. In comes Reuse4education, a new online portal dedicated solely to education providers looking to swap, sell, donate, buy or even borrow unwanted resources. Reuse4education.com is built on one man’s dream to build an international educational community designed to provide schools, colleges and universities with access to an incredible variety of resources, equipment and opportunities. That man is Mark Abrahams, the founder and CEO of Recycle Your Cycle – a revolutionary programme launched in 2016 in partnership with HM Prison Service, which sees over 300 biles and more than 100 vacuums being refurbished by UK inmates every month. Budgets for all public sector services are always tight and it’s no different for the education sector, this free and easy to use online service allows education institutions to buy, sell, swap and loan equipment, everything from textbooks to test-tubes and PE equipment to printers. With 80 universities, colleges and schools already signed up, it couldn’t be easier to use either, registration is straight forward, once logged on, users simply search for equipment they need or list items they no longer need and want to donate or sell. As well as the website, Reuse4education also provides a weekly email with a list of resources that are on offer. Discussing how and why Reuse4education has come about, Mark stated: “Through Recycle Your Cycle I have seen the benefits of upcycling and reusing unwanted materials and I was adamant that there was an opportunity to implement these principles in other sectors. There are increased pressures on the education sector with squeezed budgets and limited resources so I felt Reuse4education could be a starting point to change this. So often colleges and universities refurbish their equipment and there’s no reason why schools couldn’t put it to good use. Furthermore, in many cases, equipment is only needed in the short-term for a certain project, if it could be borrowed rather than bought this would be invaluable. My only goal with Reuse4education is to strengthen the education community in the UK and hopefully down the line, around the world”. Whilst researching the concept, Reuse4education spoke with a number of teachers to understand their concerns and specific needs, one teacher commented: “As a science teacher in an 11-16 secondary school, I often find myself wanting pieces of equipment for lessons that wouldn’t justify the cost of only being used once a year. I love the idea of sharing such equipment between schools and allowing the students to access even better resources for their learning”! Discussing the existing buy and sell sites, a second teacher added: “Amazon and eBay are great but searching for text books and resources is hard work, so reuse4education is just fantastic and really, really needed. We have items at school which I know would be of use to someone else when we finish doing certain courses, so it is great to know we can now put them on this site and pass them on”. Reuse4education is accessible on a local, regional, national and hopefully soon an international scale. The dream is that not only will it provide valuable resources but also reduce waste, maximise recycling and build a stronger community amongst the UK’s educators. Find out more about the marketplace here
reuse4education – like eBay, but better
With another term underway, schools, colleges and universities will have the opportunity to make their budgets go a little bit further thanks to the launch of reuse4education. At a time when funds are constantly being stretched, this free, easy to use online platform allows educational institutions to buy, sell, swap and loan anything from photocopiers and PE equipment, to musical instruments and books, and reuse4education is the only site that is exclusively for education institutions. Accessible on a local, regional, national and international scale, it is hoped that reuse4education will not only help fill resource voids, reduce waste and maximise recycling, but also build a sense of community between users. The service has been created by Mark Abrahams, the CEO of Recycle Your Cycle, an innovative programme run in partnership with HM Prison Service that sees over 300 bikes and more than 100 vacuums being refurbished by UK offenders every month. Mark says, “While buying, selling and recycling furniture, books and clothes on a personal level is common place, this isn’t generally the norm in educational settings, but with this site, it could be. Whether you need a new set of French textbooks or stacks of old classroom chairs are taking up valuable space in your school hall, you can add them to reuse4education, the only site of its kind for the education sector, and we are confident that a solution will be found. He adds, “We believe that by re-using, recycling, upcycling, and sharing equipment, not only will students be educated within budget, but a new community will be created and connections will be made. We know there is a need in the UK for this service, but we also hope reuse4education will help those studying in developing countries where resources are scarce but the passion for learning is alive and kicking. One teacher, says, “As a science teacher in an 11-16 secondary school, I often find myself wanting pieces of equipment for lessons that wouldn’t justify the cost of only being used once a year. I love the idea of sharing such equipment between schools and allowing the students to access even better resources for their learning!” Another teacher comments, “Amazon and eBay are great but searching for text books and resources is hard work, so reuse4education is just fantastic and really, really needed. We have items at school which I know would be of use to someone else when we finish doing certain courses, so it is great to know we can now put them on this site and pass them on.” Users simply sign up and list the equipment they need, as well as the things they no longer require and want to donate to someone else. As well as items being listed on the website, an email is sent out to members once a week as a reminder that a wealth of resources are there for the taking. For more details go to reuse4education