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Student leaders hone their skills

February 22, 2006

Students participating in a leadership programA group of 83 college students from The University of New England has completed a leadership program to prepare them for their new role as Resident Fellows.

The group, which included students from all the colleges and Wright Village, completed a week-long program of lectures, group presentations and role plays. They heard talks from a number of guest speakers, including Dr Kypros Kypri, who spoke on the negative effects of alcohol on student's health and academic performance, and Chris Street, an expert on cross-cultural communication.

Resident Fellows (or Resident Assistants, as they are also known) are responsible for supporting and advising their fellow students, and for various administrative and disciplinary functions within the university residences. They also play a key role in the orientation of new students to the campus.

Resident Fellows have to be on duty “practically 24 hours a day”, since students come to them with problems at any time of the day or night, according to Vlad Ruttley-Wolf, a Resident Fellow in Drummond and Smith College and a fresh graduate of the leadership program. He said three to four hours of every day were spent carrying out the duties of his role, “even if it's just talking to someone in the corridor”.

“It's basically about being a nice guy,” he said.

“You have to be able to empathise with people, and to understand where they're coming from. It's about giving people suggestions, and asking them if they want to try certain things [to help them with their problem]. It's not about telling them what to do.”

He said the sessions on cross-cultural communication were especially educational.

“The speaker, Chris Street, came in and just started speaking in Spanish. We had no idea what was going on, and it made you realise what it's like for someone who doesn't speak English. It really made you think, because that's a common prejudice a lot of people have.”

As well as listening to guest speakers, the student leaders learned about the duty of care they have to their fellow students, the roles of the NSW police and campus security managers, and topics related to student health and well-being.

The program coordinator, Nick Hanson, said its real value lay in the practical nature of the lessons the students received.

“The workshop nature of the program meant that all the residential leaders had the opportunity to have a hands-on role, and not just sit back listening to lectures,” he said.

For more information contact Nick Hanson on (02) 6773 1011 or Leon Braun (UNE Public Relations) on (02) 6773 3771. A photo is available to accompany this story.

Pictured: Sheri Carolan (Austin College), Kim Glover (UNE Counselling and Careers), Peter Savage (St Alberts College).

Posted by Leon Braun at February 22, 2006 02:57 PM