School Rep Training Welcome to the session – help yourself to tea and coffee and make sure you sit with a Rep from another School!

Brief intro to the session Why the role exists and why you matter Qualities: picturing the ideal School Rep Qualities: how to develop through your SU Being an activist: key concepts in campaigning and representation LUNCH!

Communicating with the students you represent The Representation Cycle Support from the SU in ‘closing the loop’ The way forward: taking ideas on and up Meetings: tactics and the art of diplomacy The benefits of being a School Rep Debrief / any questions?

Objectives for the session To identify skills and qualities needed of a Rep and ways of developing them To gain familiarity with core concepts in student activism To explore means of feeding ideas up, feeding ideas in and feeding ideas back To locate the role of the Rep in effecting positive change on behalf of students

School Reps: why the role exists – and why you matter The role exists because: -The Students’ Union is determined to hold the University to account on its commitment to improve the quality of the student experience and teaching and learning – for all students -School Learning and Teaching and Student Affairs Committees need student input on School-level provision of resources for taught and research students and the student experience as a holistic whole -The University’s numerous Enhancement Groups and Consultative Forums need student input on key decisions to give them credibility and legitimacy -Best practice in Quality Assurance in universities requires that student representation is at the heart of a university’s strategy – and paid School Reps is regarded as best practice amongst Students’ Unions nationally -With well-trained, motivated and committed student representatives in place at all levels in the University, the Students’ Union is able to achieve a much greater overall impact and stay aware of the core issues affecting students

School Reps: why the role exists – and why you matter You matter because: -Only current students can truly speak on behalf of, assist in fostering and understand the dynamics of the student community -Only current students can truly hold the University to account on its commitments in the Northumbria Student Learning Values and improve the student experience -Only trained, motivated and committed representatives can truly offer the necessary skills to represent students effectively -Only through having the recognition that comes from being an official School Rep can there truly be an identifiable advocate for the needs of students in your School What other motivations did you have for becoming a School Rep?

Picturing the ideal School Rep What qualities would the ideal School Rep have? Draw him/her on flipchart paper, emphasising the parts of his/her anatomy that relate to the necessary skills

Gaining those qualities Student Activities Centre -Skills Programme – Communication, Negotiation, Time & Stress Management, Presentation, Meetings… Course Rep Conference -Wide range of sessions dedicated to skills and Union/University knowledge base Advanced training - Let us know your needs and we’ll devise the training!

Being an activist and involving students Current Experience i.e. ‘My student experience…’ e.g. Halls accommodation is £100 per week… Problems or difficulties i.e. ‘Could be better…’ e.g. This leaves little money for food, clothes, transport… Injustice injection i.e. ‘Should be better…’ e.g. Similar Uni’s to ours charge £85 per week! … Action required i.e. ‘What can I do about it?’ e.g. Sign petition; come to meeting; etc… Source: National Union of Students – Campaigning Training

How does this relate to your role as a School Rep? As a School Rep, you are a facilitator for student activism However, first and foremost, you are a representative of your fellow students Therefore, if things ‘could be better’ and you feel they ‘should be better’, the ‘action required’ of you is to represent your peers effectively in meetings Remember the Northumbria Student Learning Values gives you a standard that the University must work towards – helping you to identify what ‘could’ and ‘should be better’

Getting known, gathering ideas and feeding up the chain To be effective as a Rep, you need to be well- known in your School community and gather ideas How will you: -Get known amongst your peers and Course Reps? -Gather feedback from your peers as a group? -Gather feedback anonymously? -Help foster a strong and confident community of Reps in your School? Hint: what resources are available to you – electronic or otherwise?

The Representation Cycle Gathering viewpoints Forming arguments Feeding in Feeding back Gathering viewpoints… Why is it important to follow all four stages before starting again? What lessons can be learnt from Northumbria’s performance in the National Student Survey?

Taking ideas up and identifying the way forward Consider the case studies on the sheets - how would you take things forward? Remember to complete the Representation Cycle: Gather viewpoints Form ideas Feed in Feed back

Meetings: the art of diplomacy Consider the situation on the sheets – now imagine that you’re the delegate to the meeting described on the slip of paper. How would you behave at the meeting? Now work out why it went wrong!

The benefits of being a School Rep Learning and Teaching Awards - Take advantage of your extensive experience -Chance of a £1000 cash prize! School Rep of the Year -Category in the Students’ Union Awards Northumbria Plus+ -The perfect boost to your CV -Logbooks to be issued shortly…

This is your Union! We’re here to support you in your role -School Rep Forums in 2007: Dates in your School Rep Handbooks -One-to-one supervision from the Representation and Democracy Co-ordinator at a time to suit you: If you haven’t booked them yet, get on with it! -Vice President Education and Welfare on hand to support and represent you at the highest levels

The debrief on being a School Rep Those objectives again - To identify skills and qualities needed of a Rep and ways of developing them -To gain familiarity with core concepts in student activism -To explore means of feeding ideas up, feeding ideas in and feeding ideas back -To locate the role of the Rep in effecting positive change on behalf of students Do you feel these objectives have been met?

Thanks for coming!