*(Please read/listen to the narrated version or do both based on whatever you prefer)!

Sam Browning, Geography & Environment, University of Liverpool (2024 Cohort)

Over the past year, I have thoroughly enjoyed being an EDI and Well-Being student representative for the NWSSDTP (DTP). I have been fortunate to get involved in a wide range of rewarding opportunities. In this blog, I will emphasise some of my highlights so far and why I highly recommend that any other student consider becoming a rep in the future.

Co-organising a student rep-led workshop:

Last year, in April, the reps organised and led a workshop on academic conferencing at the University of Manchester, which proved a huge success. The DTP kindly funded the event, a day organised by students for our peers. It was genuinely brilliant to meet so many new students from across the DTP community and to exchange our experiences and ideas about conferences in a supportive, interactive space. It proved to be an excellent opportunity to work as part of a team to organise the content, structure, and other key logistics for the day, which is vital experience to put on my CV afterwards.

Co-facilitating institutional drop-ins:

Similar to the conference-themed workshop, the drop-in sessions at Liverpool are a timely and worthwhile space to connect with both new and familiar faces from across all years and pathways at the University. The drop-ins allow the other Liverpool rep and me to gain a more robust understanding of students’ perspectives on practical training and support practices, and/or where these could be changed or enhanced to improve students’ experiences in the future. I have enjoyed working collaboratively to collect and relay students’ feedback to the DTP management team for appropriate follow-up actions. If you are new to Liverpool and want to drop by for a chat and find out more about the DTP at the next drop-in session, please do come along. All DTP-funded students are welcome, whether you have formal feedback for us or not.

Reviewing the Well-Being Survey:

As part of my role, which is responsible for EDI and Well-Being at Liverpool, I have been fortunate to attend and contribute to a couple of the latest EDI committee meetings (which cover all our network institutions). Last year, in June, I was invited to review a breakdown of some of the results and/or emerging themes from the DTP’s Well-Being survey, which I found particularly informative as both a rep and a researcher who is investigating neurodivergent students’ experiences in HE. Identifying where we can improve existing EDI-related policies and practices is currently underway. If interested, please look out for related opportunities to get involved through the DTP’s RiPPS.

Getting involved with the DTP’s ‘Induction Day’ event:

I embraced the opportunity to participate in November, along with the other reps, to meet this year’s cohort and explain what we do collectively and individually as a team during our dedicated section and the lunch break. We shared our personal experiences and recommended ways for other students to maximise their DTP experience, which helped us attract more people to sign up as reps. The day proved to be a really great opportunity for me to practice speaking in front of a larger audience and, over lunch, network with new faces, encouraging them to approach us as a friendly feedback mechanism between the student body and the DTP management team.

I have really enjoyed being a student rep so far. I strongly encourage anyone reading this (for the future) to come forward and register their interest with the DTP management team or us directly.