WELCOME FROM SU PRESIDENT The University experience goes beyond what you learn on your course. There are countless opportunities outside your studies for you to develop your skills, your knowledge, and gain crucial experience that will both enhance your time at University and help you progress in your future career Many of these opportunities are provided through involvement with the Students’ Union – an organisation which depends on the involvement of its members to function effectively. Leadership opportunities are available in the three key strands of the Union’s work. You may already be involved as a Course Rep, an Activity Group Leader, a Community Volunteer or a Union Council member. You may have already been involved in a campaign or project that set out to make an improvement on campus or in the wider community. Perhaps you aren’t already, but want to get involved with one or more of the above. It’s never too late to get started. For me becoming a student leader was a life changing event, it was initially through our activity groups which allowed me to make friends, build confidence and boost my CV. This opened my eyes to what opportunities the Students’ Union could provide for me and the impact it could have in leading me down a path I never thought I could take. The Student Leadership Award is there to open doors for you both while you’re a student at Huddersfield, and for when you enter the world of work. The award will help you develop and exercise skills which you perhaps wouldn’t gain from the classroom experience. Skills which are transferable and sometimes essential for future employers – more commonly referred to as competencies. While one of the core purposes of the award is to help equip students with the right tools they need for the working world, don’t forget that it’s in place to provide you with opportunities which you will benefit from, and subsequently for you to get enjoyment out of. So go out and enjoy being a student leader, being a campaigner, an activist, a volunteer - at the end of it you’ll reap the benefits I’m sure. But most of all, the Student Leadership Award is there to recognise you for the work you do for having a positive impact on fellow students, for making their life at university better. Enjoy it, take pride in what you’re doing to help fellow students and the community, get as much out of it as you can and good luck!
Mike McGougan Students’ Union President 2015/16
GUIDANCE NOTES How does it work? The Student Leadership Award is judged on the submission of a reflective portfolio submitted in Term 2, which details your involvement in one or more areas of student leadership activity, and how this involvement has developed you as a person. Each area is judged against a set of competencies, and requires you to provide examples of how these have been met. The identified areas for student leadership activity are: Making the student voice heard The Students’ Union political agenda is led by the Union Council, who play a key role in deciding what campaigns the Union will run, and leading on student involvement. Another crucial role in leading change in the university is being able to represent fellow students at course, department or school level. Suitable for: Course Reps, School Reps, School Council members, Union Council members, NUS delegates and Campaign project leaders Leading a fun and enriching student life The student population at Huddersfield has a huge range of interests which are represented in the many student-led sports clubs and societies that are supported by the Students’ Union. Suitable for: Club and society committee members Active involvement in community life Students can contribute to the local community through a range of volunteering opportunities, from one-off projects to taking the lead on some of our on-going volunteering initiatives. Suitable for: Charity volunteering If you’re still unsure whether you are a student leader take a look at the examples grid at the end of the portfolio to identify whether you are eligible for the award. Portfolio Assessment Your portfolio will be assessed against the criteria by a judging panel who will decide whether you can be awarded a Bronze, Silver, Gold or Vice Chancellor’s award. The judging panels To ensure a suitable range of expertise, entries will be judged by a panel consisting of: • A Students’ Union Exec Officer • A relevant senior University staff member or representative from an external organisation • A representative from the University Careers and Employability Service • Students’ Union staff members whose remits are closely linked to the student leadership areas
The Vice Chancellor’s Award All submissions awarded a Gold level will also be considered for the Vice Chancellor’s Award – a prestigious top-level award that recognises outstanding contribution to university and community life. Winners will have demonstrated that they have gone above and beyond the criteria for a Gold level, and will be given a special mention at their graduation ceremony, as well as being invited to an award dinner with the Vice Chancellor himself.
Your Student Leadership Award journey 1. If you are not already – get involved. The opportunities on offer within the three areas of student leadership cater for a wide range of interests – there is something for everyone. 2. Familiarise yourself with the portfolio template and make sure you gain a good understanding of the competencies you have been asked to meet. 3. Attend a Student Leadership Award portfolio workshop to ensure you are clear on how to best present your achievements and self-development. Details of these can be found online. 4. We encourage you to update your portfolio on a regular basis, as it will become difficult to remember everything you have done and provide meaningful reflection if you wait until the end of the year. To support you, a log page has been provided for you to list examples of how you have met the different competencies throughout the year. This can then act as a tool to help assist you when it comes to completing your portfolio. 5. Your portfolio can be submitted at any time by email to the Student Volunteering and Development Manager, via the Students’ Union volunteering e-mail account, volunteering@hud.ac.uk. The deadline for all applications to be received by is Monday 2 May 2016, 17.00. 6. Judging will take place between Monday 2 May 2016 and Friday 20 May 2015 – winners will then be invited to celebrate their achievements at the Students’ Union Awards on Friday 27 May 2016. Contacts Participation in the Student Leadership Award should involve on-going engagement with the Students’ Union, who will provide you with mentoring and support in both your chosen activities and development of your portfolio. At any time, you can get in touch with: Making the Student Voice Heard Democracy and Campaigns Coordinator Dan Ridsdale: d.ridsdale@hud.ac.uk Course Rep Co-ordinator Andy Blunt: a.blunt@hud.ac.uk Leading a fun and enriching student life Student Activities Coordinator (Societies) Carley Owen: c.owen@hud.ac.uk
Student Activities Coordinator (Sports) Joanna Zielinska: J.Zielinska@hud.ac.uk Active involvement in community life Student Volunteering and Development Manager For any general enquiries about the Student Leadership Award please contact: Student Volunteering and Development Manager volunteering@hud.ac.uk 01484 473546
PORTFOLIO Your Details Name Address
University e-mail address Contact number Course Year of study
Please note: It is expected for your portfolio to be completed in the style in which you would complete a job application. All examples you give must be from your involvement in Students’ Union activities. Competencies Assessment Please detail here how participation in student leadership activities has helped you develop the following competencies. You should provide clear examples wherever possible, and show evidence that you have effectively reflected on your experiences to help you develop. Where possible, try to draw from a range of different examples. If you have difficulty thinking of examples that support the competency areas, please view the examples grid at the end of the application. Influencing Influencing is: Being able to positively and effectively persuade other people’s actions, behaviours and opinions. Please indicate the area of student leadership activity you are drawing your examples from. Making the Student Voice heard Leading a fun and enriching student life Active involvement in community life Please provide evidence by means of example, additional points are given to demonstration of impact and reflection.
Organisational awareness Organisational awareness is: An understanding how your involvement has an effect on an organisation and its aims. Please indicate the area of student leadership activity you are drawing your examples from. Making the Student Voice heard Leading a fun and enriching student life Active involvement in community life Please provide evidence by means of example, additional points are given to demonstration of impact and reflection.
Self-motivation Self-motivation is: Ability to do what needs to be done, without influence from other people or situations. People with self-motivation can find a reason and strength to complete a task, even when challenging, without giving up or needing another to encourage them. Please indicate the area of student leadership activity you are drawing your examples from. Making the Student Voice heard Leading a fun and enriching student life Active involvement in community life Please provide evidence by means of example, additional points are given to demonstration of impact and reflection.
Adaptability Adaptability is: Able to adjust oneself readily to different conditions Please indicate the area of student leadership activity you are drawing your examples from. Making the Student Voice heard Leading a fun and enriching student life Active involvement in community life Please provide evidence by means of example, additional points are given to demonstration of impact and reflection.
Resilience Resilience is: Ability to recover quickly from any change, or misfortune. Please indicate the area of student leadership activity you are drawing your examples from. Making the Student Voice heard Leading a fun and enriching student life Active involvement in community life
Please provide evidence by means of example, additional points are given to demonstration of impact and reflection.
EXAMPLES GRID If you’re having difficulty thinking of examples how you have met each competency area, the below grid provides a variety of examples you could use when completing your portfolio.
Influencing
Representation
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Resolving an issue on your course
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Implementing an idea for the improvement of your course
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Self-Motivation
Organisational Awareness
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Influencing a decision at a high level within the institution that affects the wider student population
Understanding how your role as a representative of the student voice can help to lead and direct the work of the Students’ Union Understanding of factors that affect how Students’ Unions are governed and how this affects how they operate
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Understanding of factors that influence the Higher Education environment on a national level and the impact these have at the University of Huddersfield
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Evidence of seeking out the opinions of students on a regular basis through a range of methods
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Evidence of going beyond the routine raising of issues by proactively suggesting improvements on a regular basis Actively contributing your time and effort to involvement in or leading on Students’ Union campaigns
Activities
Volunteering
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Different ways in which you encourage students to join your club or society
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Making an impact on the people/cause you are supporting
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Different ways in which you’re able to inspire and keep registered club/society members engaged
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Encouraging others to get involved in volunteering
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Engaging others to become involved in campaigns to support charities
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Applying for financial support through ratification and sponsorship
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Understanding the value club or society membership can bring to students’ lives
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Understanding the impact volunteering has on a charity or organisation’s objectives
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Recognising the positive impact a club or society has in the Higher Education context
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Realising the benefit volunteering can have in the community
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Realising the positive impact that clubs and societies can make in community
Appreciating the positive impact volunteering can make on student life
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Able to deliver sessions to a group of student members
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Ability to keep a club or society developing and delivering improvements
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Bringing new ideas to a club or society and carrying these out
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Use of initiative when you have carried out positive voluntary action without direction
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Demonstrating occasions where you have gone above and beyond the expectations of your volunteering
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Creating or proposing a new idea which can enhance the volunteering you are part of
Adaptability Resilience
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Ability to represent viewpoints that may be different from your own
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Improving a proposal on the basis of feedback given to you by your peers
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Being able to deal with the unexpected when things don’t go to plan for your club or society
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Ensuring that your club or society remains inclusive to a diverse student population
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Describe a time when you have been volunteering and something hasn’t gone quite to plan and how you adapted to the situation
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How well you deal with change when alterations are made to the volunteering you’re participating in
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Proving you’re flexible in your volunteering by undertaking tasks that might not initially have been expected of you
Undertaking further research to improve an idea or to back up a point you have made
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Ability to respond to a negative outcome to an issue or idea that you have raised.
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Ability to deal with club and society complaints as and when they arise and being able to react positively
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A positive and proactive response when volunteering and something hasn’t quite gone to plan
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Dealing with difficult arguments from course mates or fellow representatives when debating an idea or reporting on a decision
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Being able to run a club or society in adherence to set regulations
•
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Being able to remain calm and level-headed in demanding and high pressure volunteering scenarios
Leading a club or society with limited resources
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Ability to quickly recover from setbacks that may occur in volunteering
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Ability to respond to criticism when being held to account by students you represent
Being able to use initiative when factors beyond your control affect the environment in which your club or society operates changes
SCORING CRITERIA Your application will be marked by the following score levels depending on how well you meet each competency. Each number you have been awarded for each competency will then be totalled to decide whether you are a Bronze, Silver or Gold awardee. The higher number you score per competency the more likely you will score a higher level of award. Score Levels (per competency) 1 – An example provided for how you have matched each competency area. 2 –Explain the impact you have made through the example you have provided for each competency area. 3 – Provide reflection on how your example for each competency has helped you develop that skill. Score Total The below scale displays the boundaries that depict what level of award you will achieve through the total of each score you gain through each competency. 0 – 4 = insufficient criteria met 5– 8 = Bronze 9 – 12 = Silver 13 – 15 = Gold
LOG PAGE This page is to help you record activities you have participated in throughout the year that may help to serve as examples you could use to prove how you meet the competency areas.
Month September
October
November
December
January
February
March
April
Examples