What Works: a staff perspective Transforming staff roles and careers through involvement in student engagement initiatives Nick Morton Nicki Schiessel Harvey Wil Vincent

Once upon a time we had an idea … Or rather we had many ideas – and lots of energy. We wanted to improve student experience in Built Environment Along came What Works – we joined in

Nick – Head of School of Built Environment Nicki – Programme Lead (plus other PLs) Wil and others – second & third year students Or rather we had many ideas – and lots of energy. We wanted to improve student experience in Built Environment Along came What Works – we joined in

Welcome Week SSAs Transition Personal tutors Curriculum design Level Up mentors Lots of different projects – in Built Environment and in Media. Jamie Morris (later session) was early Level up and SSA

It all worked so well that … Nick got a promotion! Meet the new Associate Dean for Student Experience

Nick has power, institutional influence, motivation – and money! EG – BCC for the three PPPs this year. We are proud they are putting money into our students work . HS2 link Wilmott dixon in new campus. Also Conservatoire

Nicki has grand plans to expand Built Environment’s welcome activities to the Faculty and beyond… EG – BCC for the three PPPs this year. We are proud they are putting money into our students work . HS2 link Wilmott dixon in new campus. Also Conservatoire

Wil knows everyone and has a knack for getting students involved in adventures …

This process was happening in a few departments – Key staff moving into positions of influence and changing the way the university works

Nick – Associate Dean Student Experience Nicki – Academic Lead Personal & Professional Development. Built Envt Admissions Tutor Wil – Leading SSA team and roll-out of Level Up initiatives across BCU Our work in What Works led to new roles and new career focus Moving into positions of influence. Without that clear leadership and influence, this might not have happened

Luke – What Works Lead >>Head of CELT Jamie – Media student mentor, first SSA >> now leading student engagement projects in CELT Kerry – From launch of Level UP >> Influencing NTU instead And this happened across BCU

Without these key influencers (thank you Nick, Luke and What Works funders!) lots of beautiful ideas grow in individual petri dishes, but wither and die with staff changes.

By being in positions of influence, we’ve had a chance to infect the rest of BCU with new ways of operating and institutionalize things (ref our later talk on unintended consequences of this)

So the staff development has had influence on student engagement, etc BUT for the focus of this presentation …

What Works Worked for us too – our lives and careers are different for it.

And we and the next generation have lots more ideas – we are just getting going …!