Toolkit for learner representatives
Training for Learner Representatives in the Further
Education and Training System
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Today’s journey
Section 1: Why be a learner representative?
Section 2: You and your organisation
Section 3: Making things happen
Section 4: Taking action
Section 5: Goal setting
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Section 1: Why be a learner
representative?
What we are going to cover


Getting to know one another.
The different reasons why you became a learner
representative.
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Icebreaker
Turn to Resource Sheet 1a: My name
is………..and I’m a leaner representative.
Spend the next 10 minutes filling in the blanks.
Section 1: Why be a learner representative?
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Section 2: You and your organisation
What we are going to cover
The number of…
• learners studying in your organisation
• funding per learner in your organisation
• 16–19 year old learners and part-time/mature learners in your
organisation
• Further Education colleges in England
• Further Education learners in England
• Further Education learners that are members of National Union of
Students (NUS)
•
other types of education and training providers.
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So what is the correct answer…
A, B, C or D?
Go to the poster that you think has the correct answer!
Section 2: You and your organisation
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Section 3: Making things happen
What we are going to cover:



Your own learning experience.
Which issues are suitable for action.
The specific issues affecting the learners you
represent.
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Your learning experience
Turn to Resource Sheet 3a to support you in this task.
Section 3: Making things happen
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Question
As a learner representative, do you think that it will be
possible for you to effectively take action on all of the
issues that are identified by the learners that you
represent?
Answer
No – for many reasons.


You simply don’t have the time to act on all
the issues.
Not all issues can realistically be changed
So how do we decide on which issues to act?
Section 3: Making things happen
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…move forward on issues that have potential for change
Decide which have high priority
Complete the activity on Resource Sheet 3b.
Section 3: Making things happen
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Real learners with real issues
As a learner representative, your role is to help improve the
learning experience in your organisation.
For the next 25 minutes you will have the opportunity to talk
to the learners that you represent to find out the specific
issues that affect their learning experience.
Use Resource Sheet 3c to support you in this task.
Section 3: Making things happen
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Section 4: Taking action
What we are going to cover


Which issues presented by your learners have priority
for further action.
How to take action on the chosen issues.
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Taking action
Think of ideas on how you can take action on the issues
that are affecting the learner experience in your
organisation.
How do they compare with the ideas in your Toolkit for
learner representatives?
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Taking action
Choose two issues to take forward for action.
Plan how to take them forward.
Develop your plan with a partner.
Resource Sheet 4a will help you.
Section 4: Taking action
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Section 5: Goal setting
What we are going to cover

Setting SMART goals - specific, measurable, agreed
to, reachable and time bound.

Setting goals as a learner representative.
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‘Smart’ goals are:
Specific: clear and precise to avoid confusion.
Measurable: measurable, so you can see if you have reached
it.
Agreed to: everyone needs to agree on it at the beginning.
Realistic: achievable, or it will be pointless and frustrating.
Time-bound : It should have a time-frame as well as a deadline.
Section 5 Goal setting
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Over to you
Turn to Resource Sheet 5a.
Now it’s your opportunity to set SMART goals for your
time as learner representatives.
Section 5 Goal setting
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Thank you for listening
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