Students from all seven colleges took part in the conference, including Carlisle College, Newcastle College, Newcastle Sixth Form College, Southwark College, West Lancashire College, Lewisham College and Kidderminster College. The event forms part of NCG's commitment to ensuring student voices are at the heart of college life and decision-making.
The conference provided learners with an engaging programme focused on leadership, representation, communication and influencing skills. Students explored what it means to be a changemaker, developed their public speaking abilities and learned how they can make a positive difference to their education and the experiences of their peers. Participants also heard from former student governors, gaining first-hand insight into the impact student representatives can have within their colleges and beyond.
As well as building confidence and developing valuable skills for employment, higher education and future leadership opportunities, the event also served as the formal process for selecting each college's next student governor. The programme was specifically designed to help learners develop skills such as communication, presenting, decision-making, relationship management, project planning, community engagement and student representation.
Throughout the day, students worked on their own leadership pitches, considering why they wanted to become a student governor and what they hoped to achieve in the role. Following dedicated pitch preparation sessions, learners presented their ideas to their peers before local voting took place within each college group to select their representatives.
Sarah McGrath, Director of Quality for NCG, said: "It is really important that our learners have meaningful opportunities to develop their confidence, leadership skills and ability to influence what happens in their colleges. Bringing students together from across NCG gives them the chance to learn from one another, share their perspectives and see the difference their voice can make."
The conference was delivered in partnership with Unloc, a youth-led organisation that specialises in developing leadership and social action opportunities for young people. Through a combination of interactive workshops, collaborative learning and peer-led activities, students were encouraged to think creatively about how they can influence positive change within their colleges and communities.
For many participants, the event represented more than an opportunity to stand for a governance role. It provided a platform to develop confidence, strengthen their ability to represent the views of their peers and gain practical experience that will support their future academic and professional journeys.
Scarlett and Callum were successfully elected as Student Governors for Carlisle College after being voted in by their peers. They will now play an important role in ensuring learners' voices continue to shape the future of Carlisle College.
Simon Ross, Principal of Carlisle College, said: "I would like to congratulate Scarlett and Callum on being elected as our new Student Governors. We are looking forward to working closely with them over the coming year, supporting their development as leaders and ensuring they have every opportunity to make a positive contribution to college life. Their voices will play an important role in helping us continue to shape the best possible experience for our learners."