Programme Representation System Training handbook

Welcome Rep! Hello! My name is Alice Swinscoe and I am the current VP Education here at Loughborough Students Union. One of the main areas of my job is to promote and coordinate all student representation; this includes giving training, briefing and helping programme reps. Representation is so important because it gives the student body a chance to say not only what’s bad about the student experience, but also the opportunity to be proactive, i.e. to say what’s good and works well, to promote new teaching and learning methods, and encourage better methods of support. The aim of this handbook is to help you through your time as a student rep by equipping you with information you need to be an effective rep. All that’s left for me to say is good luck with the year ahead! Best Wishes Alice Swinscoe Programme Representation Handbook

Facilitators of Change My Name: Programme Rep: Interesting Fact Why I became a Programme Rep? Perfect Night Out?

Your Role and Responsibilities WHAT IS A PROGRAMME REP ? Taking everything into consideration, it would seem that it’s the programme rep who is the front-line representative for the students on their courses. This puts you in a unique position of being able to influence your own learning and that of others in their peer group. This can be achieved through you as programme reps providing staff with information about how their course can be effectively improved. They can also support staff in their bid to introduce new teaching and learning projects. To put this into layman’s terms, you are there to make sure the course is GOOD! You will have specific responsibilities, and although these may vary between Departments, they should include the following: To liaise with the Students’ Union To attend training To identify yourself to your peers as their rep To gather student feedback To attend meetings with University staff To provide both positive and negative feedback To be accountable to those who elected you To campaign effectively on relevant issues To provide a link between staff and student

Facilitators of Change: The Role of a Programme Representative Programme reps are there to protect, defend and extend the rights of the students on their course! Active facilitators/organisers of change rather then passive observers: >> Programme reps are not an advice centre that solves everyone’s educational issues. Decisions are made before meetings not during them: >> There is a misconception that the only way to solve students problems is in the meetings. >> Put simply this just isn’t the case!! >> Programme reps should be active participants; both themselves and in organising other students to take action before meetings take place. >> Taking action before meetings involves... Lobbying, writing reports, generating student opinion, influencing student opinion, generating support and involving, the list endless!!!

Identifying Issue: The Apathy Staircase APATHY STAIRCASE Action Visioning Injustice Injection Experience APATHY STAIRCASE: E.G Library Rally Write to the VC 24 Hour Access That’s awful; we deserve better; at other uni’s it’s like Poor, low # Books, Rubbish Hours

Resource Sheet 2a: Identifying Issue: Widely, Deeply & Winnable Now its time to think about the learning experiences on your course, can you identify any issues that are Widely Felt, Deeply Felt and Winnable? Your Issue: WidelyDeeplyWinnable Your Issue: WidelyDeeplyWinnable Your Issue: WidelyDeeplyWinnable Your Issue: WidelyDeeplyWinnable

Structure of the Programme Rep system

Support from Loughborough SU The Student’s Union is here to support you in whatever way we can, so that you can represent your peers to the best of your ability. The Students’ Union has a dedicated VP Education who is here to deal with cases that can not be resolved through more informal processes. If you have an issue brought to your attention as a rep, you can always come to the Students’ Union for help and advice, as can all students. The Programme Rep Coordinator is in the Students Union - Alice Swinscoe, you can contact her via: Alice will be your core support Officer. We also have our VOICE unit to offer support you can them via

The Programme Rep SSLC Dept Chair Student Department Committee Other Programme Reps Lecturers VP Education (Alice Swinscoe) Students Head of Department Departmental Admin Staff

Structure of the Students’ Union

Developing Network & Communication COMMUNICATION ACTION NETWORK: What they are and why we should use them? Why use Communication Action Network? Communication Action Network (CANS) are used to get to a whole organisation >> Ensure that information is transient throughout SU populations >> Creates a culture where communication result in action >> Effective communication throughout your SU is key to the success of your campaigns CAN Area coordination CAN Coordination team

Developing Network & Communication COMMUNICATION ACTION NETWORK: programme Representation as Effective Communicators  Programme Reps as CARs: Your role is to communicate not delegate (Box 1), Each communication must end in am activity (Box 2) To ensure that a can isn’t just a top down structure (Box 3)  Box 1: Your role is to communicate not delegate Keep it simple -Communicate actions to and from a small number of students each (e.g. 5-7 each) Communicate one thing at one time –don’t overload Communication with the membership/students on a face-to-face and one-to-one basis  Box 2: Your role is to ensure that each communication ends action. Example: CAN actions may be >> Surveys>> Submitting papers/proposal to committee >> Petitions >> Logging on Committee Action Plans >> Budges/Stickers/Stalls>> Committee Representation >> Rallies >> Meeting Minutes Programme Rep Handbook

Developing Network & Communication COMMUNICATION ACTION NETWORK: Programme Reps as Effective Communicators  Box 3 A can must not be perceived as a ‘top down structure’ the information from students that flows towards the CAN coordination team is just as important as the information that flows out of it. Adopt a role in the CAN that the campaigning issues required-be flexible! Therefore it is essential that you facilitate the flow of information to and from the student membership –education activists E.g. Allowing time to brief the students membership on actions and return to be debriefed on those actions Programme Rep Handbook

Developing Network & Communication COMMUNICATION ACTION NETWORK: Programme Reps as Effective Communicators Box 3 Box 1 Programme Reps as CARs Box 2 Programme Rep Handbook

Example Flow!! Time to communicate to students and debrief them constantly updating them, ‘back and forth’ Communicate not delegate, The Library is changing its opening hours, not have a look on the website the news will be on there. Programme Reps as CARs Action Rallies, stickers badges

Developing Network & Communication COMMUNICATION ACTION NETWORK: Your Networks Think about your course in relation to your Students’ Union.... What would you communication action network look like? Students Programme Reps Departmental officer Lecturers Course Representation Handbook

Overcoming Apathy DEALING WITH CONFLICT Listen/Explore/Equalise & Empathise/Elevate What to doExamples (Listen) Encourage the other person to speak BE alert to what is said but not implied Yes? You don’t seem convinced that this is the best way to Is that right? What is it about this you don’t like? (Explore) Get to the root of the issue or problem ASK open questions – it may help the speaker come to a clear view Why do you think that? Why do you feel..... Can’t be done? (Equalise & Empathise) Acknowledge their view or feelings. Respect their views, empathise with them – by doing this you bring yourself to the same wavelength as them – even if you don’t agree with their views. Sometimes you can convert an objection into a question that can then be answered I can see why you feel like that I can understand where you are coming from Yes, change can be difficult (Elevate) their thinking, give then some hope and enthusiasm What do you think that you could do to stop your rights as a student being breached? How do you think that we could make the most of your experience and skills (e.g.) in stopping this course closure

SCENARIOS

University Structure  SSLC – The department meetings, held a minimum of 3 per year. Attended by students and academic staff. Chaired by the HoD or their nominee  Faculty Board – Look at all matters relating to the organisation of education, teaching and research within the faculty. Report to senate.  Senate – Oversee all academic work of university.

Summary >>Your Role and Responsibilities >>First meeting >>Course Representation forum >>Course Representation Steering group >> Raising issues >> Loughborough SU– Course Rep Guidelines/Policy >> ANY QUESTIONS ON THE SESSION >> ANY QUESTIONS ON THE Programme Rep Hand Book