Being a student at SMB College Group is not just about studying a course and gaining a qualification, it’s also about getting involved, having a voice, and helping the college be better for its students, staff and stakeholders.
You can get involved by becoming a Student Rep, Student Governor or Student Ambassador. You can find out more on each of these below.
What will you get out of being a student representative?
- Excellent opportunity to drive something that is your passion and make an IMPACT
- Gain invaluable employability skills such as leadership, communication and organisation
- Gain invaluable personal development skills such as confidence and resilience
- Add to your CV, personal statement (UCAS) and i-smb backpack
- Represent your fellow students
- Represent the college
- Inform college developments and improvements
- Gain an SMB Ambassador/Governor/Representation certificate
Please talk to your Progress Tutor to apply for any of these roles.
What is a Student Rep?
You will be the voice of your class. This will require organisation and good communication to gain feedback from class peers, before concisely feeding back in termly meetings.
Skills gained will include: leadership, communication, public speaking (in meetings), confidence, communication, organisation.
How it works
- You will collate feedback from your class in a tutorial, where you will also make some notes. Areas to cover include timetables, teaching and learning, campus environment, resources, assessment plans and feedback. There will be a set of questions to ask.
- You will then report this back with other student reps to the student voice team, once per term.
What is a Student Governor?
The College has two Student Governors who represent student views on the College Board of Governors (Corporation). Student Governors work with the Student Reps to make sure that our students' voices are heard and remain at the heart of our decision-making process.
The College Board of Directors overseas the management by the college Principal and senior staff, deciding on the overall strategic direction of the college. But Governors do not manage the College.
Student Governors are usually nominated and elected by the student body, and they contribute to the college and its strategic direction. Being a student governor means you will meet lots of other interesting people, develop your listening and communication skills, and experience a real-life boardroom and decision-making process.
What is a Student Ambassador?
Student Ambassadors are specific champions at each campus for the following areas:
- Sustainability Ambassador
- Mental Fitness and FIKA Ambassador
- LGBT+ Ambassador
The ambassador roles allow you to lead on this agenda on behalf of the students at your campus, allowing you to pass on feedback and suggestions for the college to consider, and potentially implement.
Ambassadors will be responsible for organising discussions with fellow willing students to talk about their specific champion area. They will support open days and staff recruitment for the college as well as discuss and feed back ideas to the Student Experience Manager and Progress Tutors about their champion area. Ambassadors will work with the Student Governor to feed back to the Board and Executive team.
Become a Student Governor!
Olivia Swinbourne just graduated after five years studying Equine with us, hear more anout her journey as Student Governor below!