14 students from West Lancashire College joined peers from across NCG colleges to take part in a prospective Student Governor Training Day, delivered by Unloc.
Unloc works with schools, colleges and universities across the UK to embed youth leadership, entrepreneurship and student voice programmes into the curriculum. As a company, they exist to 'unloc' the potential of young people, helping them to develop the confidence, skills and leadership to shape their own futures and the world around them.
Throughout the morning, students explored what it means to be a changemaking Student Governor, gaining a valuable insight into the role while developing their leadership, representation and public speaking skills. The interactive sessions encouraged students to build confidence and consider how they could help shape the student experience across the college group.
During the afternoon, students worked collaboratively to develop and present compelling pitches explaining why they should become an NCG Student Governor. They also had the opportunity to hear from former Student Governor from colleges across the country, who shared their experiences and the impact the role had on their personal and professional development.
Students from West Lancashire College collectively said, "I would never have been selected as a Prefect in high school, but college has given me a chance to be myself and get involved. Although I didn't have the confidence today to stand up and pitch, I think I will be able to do it next time after watching and listening to other students doing it."
The events received positive feedback from those who attended and for many students, it was their first experience of participating in learner voice activities and they embraced the challenge with enthusiasm and confidence. Students also had the opportunity to connect with peers from different college courses, form new friendships and broaden their networks, with many expressing a keen interest in taking part in similar opportunities in the future.
Dawn Hughes, Careers & Learner Experience Manager said, "This is the first time our students have taken part in this type of training day. It was wonderful to see all the students coming together and supporting one another. They also loved hearing from other students in our NCG family. I watched their confidence grow throughout the session and they were all excited to take the skills they have developed and put them into practice."