In this post, Mary Woolley offers four useful tips and strategies on how to induct Programme Representatives into Schools, which are essential roles for supporting Student Voice. Mary is the Student Development Coordinator at the School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences (PPLS). This posts belongs to the Student Voice in Practice series.
I’m passionate about the Student Voice and believe in making meaningful change through proper student representation. Our Student Staff Liaison Committees (SSLC) and our Programme Representatives (Reps) are crucial for this. These meetings provide a platform for students to feed back on their experience, highlighting any successes and areas for improvement.
Previously Reps in PPLS felt unsure about their roles, so I implemented some changes over the 24-25 academic year to see if it made a difference. I’ve seen improvements and hope these changes have contributed a to a better experience for our Reps. Here are some strategies that might help you too!
1. Give Reps a clear, visible staff contact with the School
This year, I became the main contact for all Programme Reps within the School, overseeing their recruitment, training and offering support via email or in person. I also attended all SSLC meetings to be a supportive presence and to observe the Reps in action.
This has been a great addition to how we support Reps! I’ve had Reps seek support for issues – whilst it’s not ideal that we’ve had to address negative experiences, the Reps knew who to contact for support and guidance which is exactly what we wanted. Providing a main staff contact for the Reps strengthens their connection with the School, they feel supported and valued, which in turn leads to better feedback and a better experience for them.
2. Provide School based training for Reps
Schools run their SSLCs differently, and Reps may have differing roles, so University-wide training can’t cover everything. School based training can address this by tailoring the sessions to the School’s specific needs. The training also shows that we take their role seriously, and we want them to be fully informed before starting their roles.
This year we ran one training session per semester. The first session prepared Reps by covering:
- Role overview and responsibilities
- SSLC procedures in PPLS
- Desired feedback from Reps
- Feedback gathering techniques
- Scenarios
- Supporting students
- Goal setting
The scenario part of the session was well received by the Reps. I gave them issues which came up at SSLCs before, and they discussed what they would do. For example:
“I got a 35 on my assignment and that’s not fair. I worked hard and did better than that.”
“There are too many readings. They are pointless and they are a waste of my time.”
This helped Reps understand the feedback they might receive, determine if it should go to an SSLC meeting, and how to relay it constructively.
(All credit for the scenario activity goes to Student Adviser, Hayley Ross!)
The second session can be tailored to the needs of Reps and the School based on how their first semester went. This year we reflected on the first semester, planned for Semester 2, and some more goal setting.
After a year of these training sessions, I’m aware of what worked well and helped the Reps undertake their role effectively. I will be making adjustments based on student feedback and my own reflections, as there are always ways to improve!
3. Ensure Reps understand their role and responsibilities
In the initial training, it’s crucial to clearly outline the Programme Rep role and their responsibilities. They can’t do their job effectively if they don’t know what to do!
During the training, I outlined the School’s expectations for Reps, and had them discuss in groups what students, staff and they themselves expect from the role. For example, students might want their Reps to be approachable and open-minded, staff want them to be organised and communicate well, and the Reps might want to be responsible and a good team-player.
This ensures the Reps know exactly what their role is, what others are expecting from them and how they should conduct themselves to do well in this role.
4. Provide opportunities to set goals and reflect on their development
While the role benefits the School, it’s also an opportunity for students to develop key skills. During the first training, Reps set three goals for the year or semester, which we reviewed in the second session. This helps them focus on what they want from the role and they can then provide clear examples of teamwork, leadership, organisation etc. for job applications.
Finally…
This year I’ve felt that there has been a better relationship between the Reps and the School, the feedback that Reps are providing is well-thought out and constructive, and the Reps have been more engaged this year. I’ve also had a few Reps say that they’ve enjoyed the role this year, so that’s a win for me! There’s always room for improvement, but these initiatives have been a good starting point in helping our Programme Reps make the most out of their role.
Mary Woolley is the Student Development Coordinator at the School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences. Her role focuses on enhancing the student experience through skills development, peer support, student representation, career development and more.
