Online 2018/19 training

Course Rep Training 2017/18

The Students’ Union • We are a charity with one mission – to make students’ lives better.

• We run the elections for Student Council and the Exec Officers who then lead us, as well as running campaigns and the Bright Ideas platform.

• We also have over 75 societies, from climbing to Harry Potter, for you to get involved in.

• We run volunteering, including at events such as Leeds International Film Festival, and can also help you set up your own project.

• We also have an advice service, which you’ll hear more about later.

What do I need to attend?

School Forums • School Forums are the main way you will feedback what’s happening with your university experience to the Students’ Union.

• Your School Rep will lead the meeting and they will last around 90 minutes – these meetings are not really formal, there’s no need to be nervous.

• There will be FREE FOOD AND DRINKS. • You will be emailed the dates so keep an eye out!

School Forums • The following areas are what you can give feedback (positive AND negative!) on in School Forums: • • • • •

Your course The library and AV loans system IT at the university The Students’ Union Anything in between – if you have a problem or some feedback about something that isn’t covered here, a School Forum is still the place to say it!

When do School Forums take place?

• School Forums take place three times a year, between the following dates: • 19-28 November 2018 • 4-12 February 2019 • 1-11 April 2019 • You should see your Forum in your timetables, but you can also find when they are on the SU website, and the SU will email you a week beforehand.

School Reps • This years’ cohort of School Reps are: • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Art, Architecture & Design – Ciara Bartlett Built Environment & Engineering – Chris Dixon Cultural Studies & Humanities – Richard Barton Clinical & Applied Sciences – Felicity Hellard Law – Julius Langrehr Health & Community Studies – Oliver Tull Business – Jack Smith Computing, Creative Technology & Engineering – Niall McCallion Social Sciences – Megan Pritchard Education – VACANT Events, Tourism & Hospitality – Becky Rowlands Film, Music & Performing Arts – Hannah Simpson Sport – Livy Porter

• Don’t worry if your School doesn’t have a Rep, Charlie Hind, the VP Education, will chair your forums!

Feedback

Gathering feedback • There are many ways of gathering feedback from the students on your course. • The following slide details a few methods of gathering feedback.

However, these are not exhaustive, if you use any other ideas that you think work quite well then please let us know!

Methods of Gathering Feedback • Social Media – be it a Facebook group or a course chat, social media is a great way to reach a large number of your course mates quickly. But remember, once it’s on the internet it’s there forever, so make sure you’re respectful.

• Face-to-face – students will often open up to you more face-to-face, so you get more honest feedback. The problem is that you might forget what they say, and you have no record of the feedback.

• Surveys – surveys can give you really insightful, useful feedback, especially when a range of different questions are used. But it can be hard to get people to fill them out.

• Post-it Notes – a really effective way can be giving every student a post-it note and asking them to write one piece of feedback on it. This way, it’s anonymous and easy to process. The problem is getting enough people in a room at one time to do this! Maybe at the end of a lecture?

• On most occasions, a combination of these methods will need to be used.

Resolving an Issue

Resolving an Issue • If a student comes to you with an issue there is a certain order that you can follow as a guide: • An issue arises: E.g. There is not enough plug sockets in the library.

• Gather as much feedback as possible.

• Speak to your cohort about what changes they would like to see, and discuss possible solutions.

• Arrange a meeting with the relevant people.

• Constructively discuss the issue at the meeting, reaching an appropriate solution or compromise.

• Feedback the details of the meeting and any solutions made, to your cohort.

Where to signpost students to

A student has come to you with a problem…

• Students may approach you with a problem, here is where you should signpost them to…

• If it’s course related, their first port of call should be their Course Director, if this is then not sorted, come talk to the SU advice team • If it’s financial, the money team at the university • If it’s mental health related, you can refer them to either the student wellbeing team or the SU advice team, who can signpost further • If it’s accommodation related, the accommodation team or the SU advice team • If it’s complicated and you’re just not sure, send them to the SU advice team

Your place in the student movement

VP Education • I’m Charlie and I’m your VP Education!

• I like Formula 1, politics and video games • I’m from York but I grew up in Grimsby

My Objectives • No more Hidden Fees • Fairness for Students in Work • Tackling the Black Attainment Gap

If you’re interested in getting involved with some of my objectives for the year please let us know!

No More Hidden Fees • We’re researching what expenses students have once they start their course that weren’t advertised • We want to make sure students know about what they’re going to have to buy before they start their course • Try to make the university cover these costs under tuition fees!

• If you’ve experienced any hidden fees, fill in the card Tom is giving you now!

Fairness for Students in Work • 58% of students at Leeds Beckett work alongside their degrees • We want to make sure those students know their rights at work and how to get

support from their relevant trade union • Also working on the “Fair Deal for Interns” project, which aims to tackle unpaid

and underpaid internships through an accreditation scheme

Tackling the Black Attainment gap • Leeds Beckett has an attainment gap of 29% between white students and BAME (Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic) students

• We are tackling this through: • Diversifying the curriculum • Introducing a BAME ambassador scheme • Holding Panel discussions on the attainment gap

You are part of something wonderful!

Course Reps are one part of something much bigger, a wider student movement.

It’s not just about your Course… you are often the largest, most widespread body of representatives and activists within a Students’ Unions democratic structures.

You have at your fingertips an opportunity to access a wealth of student insight and feedback that can assist us in making students’ lives better.

You are part of something wonderful!

Course Representatives x 850

BAME Student Ambassadors

School Representatives x 13

NUS Conference Delegates x 7 Student Campaign Activists

Other Student Council Reps x 32

Student Council

SU President & Vice Presidents (The Exec) LEEDS BECKETT STUDENTS’ UNION National Union of Students

Students’ Unions across the United Kingdom All Students studying at UK institutions

Student Trustees

Be an active part of your community

Simply being an active Course Rep is more than enough but we know some of you may want to d more: • If you have an idea for a campaign you want to run, you can apply for funding from the SU. • Think the SU should take action or have a stance on a particular issue? Submit a motion to Student Council or a Student Bright Idea.

• Participate in an existing campaign.

• Become engaged in your course-based Society or set up one up if there isn’t one already.

• Join an Equality Campaign group or become a BAME Student Ambassador.

What else can I get involved in?

Course Rep Mental Health Campaign • The SU this year will be planning and designing a mental health awareness campaign for all course reps.

• This is something you can help run, design, and publicise.

• Essentially, we are here to help you get experience of running a campaign and helping you decide what it is going to look like.

• If you would like to be involved with this please email studentvoice@leedsbeckettsu.co.uk.

Bright Ideas • Bright Ideas is the Student Union’s online platform for suggesting ideas and changes to both the University and Union.

• As a Course Rep we’d like you to place any suggestions that you have on Bright Ideas, share these on social media, and encourage your course mates to vote on these ideas.

• The Union takes successful ideas forward and works on them on your behalf. Previous successes include things such as free hot water when you bring in your own mug, microwaves on campus and free bottled water for in lectures.

Golden Robes • The student-led teaching awards are awards for academics and university staff that the SU runs every year.

• For instance, last year there was an award for Course Team of the Year.

• As a course rep, it’s your responsibility to promote these awards and put in lots of nominations!

• You also have the opportunity to sit on the panels that decide the winners – this will happen around March, the awards will be presented in April!

Student Opinions • Student Opinions is a research group led by the Student Voice team.

• If you sign up you get the chance to attend focus groups and shape how the Union works.

• Most importantly, you get rewarded for your time.

• Join here: https://form.jotformeu.com/StudentVoiceTeam/studentopinions-registration-form

Beckett Award • If you’re a final year student, the Beckett Award allows you to get recognition for all of your contributions in extracurricular activities at the Students’ Union and beyond.

• There are many ways to get involved, including: leading a society, local and international volunteering, running a campaign, part-time work, as well as being a Course Representative.

• There are three levels; Bronze, Silver and Gold.

• As part of the award you submit a reflective portfolio which can be used in job applications - it’s a chance to improve your employability prospects.

• You sign up for the Beckett award here!

University Activities • School Academic Committee – three course reps from each School are required to sit on the School’s Academic Committee. This looks great on your CV and is a great way to stay up to date on what is happening in your School.

• Course Validation – every few years, a course has to be revalidated so it can continue to be a course. This means every element of the course will be examined.

This process MUST have students involved – so course reps are often asked to get involved. This is a great chance to shape your course for future generations of students and make your CV stand out.

Support

Support • The Student Voice team are on hand to help whenever you need - you can arrange a one-to-one to discuss any issues.

• We can attend meetings with you or take forward issues on your behalf anonymously.

• You can always email/message/ring/pop by should you ever want to discuss an issue.

• Email us on studentvoice@leedsbeckettsu.co.uk

Support • Charlie Hind, your Vice President Education, is also on hand to help.

• Get in touch with Charlie if you’re having some academic issues that you’d like some help with, or if you want to get involved with his campaigns. These include: • Hidden fees • The BAME attainment gap • Fairer work for placement students.

Email Charlie on c.hind@leedsbeckett.ac.uk or add his Facebook – VP Charlie Hind.

Course Rep Toolbox • The Course Rep toolbox is found on the Student Voice section of the SU website, and has everything you need for your role.

• It has your handbook, details of training and of your next School Forums, as well as the Feedback Pack, and somewhere you can log both successes and complaints.

• It’s really important you log your successes, these are how we can tell you are achieving change within your role: more of these could lead to a nomination for Course Rep of the Year.

• That’s all the slides! Now to complete the training complete the quiz linked here: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/39N926Z.