Student leaders prepare for the college year

February 04, 2008

With the academic year about to begin, student leaders at the University of New England are undergoing a two-week training program that will prepare them not only for their current role on the UNE campus, but also for future positions of leadership and responsibility within the wider community.

UNE's unique residential system is well known for providing opportunities for the development of leadership skills. Within the colleges, Residential Leaders (including Resident Fellows and Assistants) play a key role in helping their fellow residents with all aspects of college life – from personal and academic problems to issues of safety and security. Residential Leaders are generally students in their third or fourth year of study, or graduates.

During a full-day program today, about 90 Residential Leaders from the seven colleges and the University flats (Wright Village) met UNE's counselling team to discuss the process of engagement with their fellow students and how to assist them when in difficulty. The Armidale solicitor Greg Moin and risk management consultant Murray Giles visited the campus to inform them about their legal and safety-related responsibilities, and they received training from UNE's Fire Officer, Scott Norton.

The day's program ends with a formal dinner at Robb College this evening.

The coordinator of the training program, David Ward (Head of Earle Page College), said that appointed positions as Residential Leader were highly sought-after within the college community. "Residential Leaders are a key support link between the students and the College Heads," Mr Ward said. "They're not expected to solve all problems, but they are expected to identify where help or change is needed."

"The program today covers the broad issues," he explained. "Then they'll go back and see how these can be applied in their individual colleges through a range of in-house workshops."

Today's program, following a series of individual team-building activities last week, brings together the Residential Leaders from all the colleges, enabling them to establish mutual support networks. "The day provides an outline of our legal responsibilities and duty of care," said Lynese Welsh, a Senior Resident Fellow at Robb College, "and it also allows us to meet our counterparts at the other colleges."

A related training program tomorrow and the following day is for members of the colleges' Junior Common-rooms and college clubs. This program, too, includes sessions on legal responsibilities and health and safety, but also includes sessions on financial management, minute-taking, event management, and the UNE Alcohol Policy.

The work of all these college leaders and office-bearers will begin in earnest during Orientation next week.

THE PHOTOGRAPH displayed here shows Earle Page College Residential Leaders (from left) Evatt Styles, Nick Ballam, Chris Cucuruto and Gwen Hall during today's training program.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at February 4, 2008 05:14 PM