In our last article Your Guide to Student Voice Groups, we broke down exactly why SVGs are so important in your role as a rep.

We wrote this article so you can get some insight into what to do after you’ve attended your SVG – please feel free to pursue any ideas of your own, but our guide will help you get started!

Always let people know you advocated for them

Sometimes we need to sing our own praises. That means we need to talk about the great work that we do – because otherwise, people won’t know that we do it at all!

So, when you’ve spoken up at the SVG and given feedback to members of staff about an issue on the course, always let the student know you raised the issue.

This is something called ‘closing the feedback loop’ and it not only increases your standing as a rep, but it helps the student feel more confident their issues are being seen to – meaning they’ll probably reach out to you again!

You could also do this en masse in a course-based group chat, or post on LinkedIn to share the work you’ve been doing.

Double check the action log

Have you ever heard the phrase – get it in writing? Sometimes we need to make sure that things we’ve agreed have been written down, so we can confirm everyone agrees.

After an SVG takes place, you will get sent something called an ‘action log’. This may be a few days after the SVG has taken place but no more than a week.

This is basically a list of all the actions the group agreed to. And you’ll need to look at this to find out if what you discussed is mentioned and indicate who is responsible.

This also means if you are responsible for any actions personally – we at Essex SU will know and be able to support you to deliver this by helping you out.

Claim your points mean prizes rewards

Did you know that we run a prizes scheme which rewards the work you do as a rep?

Now the whole point of this is not only to say a big thank you for volunteering with us, but it also helps us understand how often our reps are volunteering with us and in what capacity – this means we can shape the scheme according to what works for you.

It also means at our end of year celebration we can ensure we shortlist the best reps in our community for the right awards!

So what next?

Attending an SVG is just the beginning of the work you do as a student rep.

After the meeting, it’s crucial to let students know when you’ve advocated for their issues, making sure to close the feedback loop.

Double-checking the action log ensures that the actions discussed are followed through, and if you’re responsible for any tasks.

Don’t forget to take part in our rewards scheme, where your hard work is celebrated and recognized for your volunteering with us.

Written by

Harry David Jones
Education Manager – Essex Students’ Union
My pronouns are he/him/his