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This Summer Unloc were proud to host our very first Student Governor Changemaker Programme Destination Conference. The event, held in London in partnership with Rockborn, wasn’t just another generic conference around education. It was a focused celebration of student leadership, a gathering of passionate voices, a recognition of young people, of Further Education, and a platform to spotlight those students making real change in their colleges and communities.
The space was packed with Student Governors, governance professionals, and inspiring thought leaders from across the country. Elevating, connecting, and empowering a new generation of changemakers throughout the country.
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As part of this event we developed an award to recognise the vital impact that a young person can have upon their college and the people around them, scouring the country and its colleges for our first ever Student Governor of the Year Award.
We were flooded with applications from colleges across the UK, and the standard was incredibly high. From young people using their voice to raise money to improve college buildings, develop new support and sponsorship, enable better accessibility on campus, fund raise for local charities, or assist with environmental clean up events – the bar was raised so high that it was incredibly difficult to pick a winner.
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After much consideration, we knew there was one Student Governor who really shone for their dedication, hard work and commitment. Someone who made such an enormous difference to their college, their campus, and with such a tremendous impact on the students, that it would literally be wrong to NOT award them the Student Governor of the Year 2025 Award.
Our winner was Ivy Knight, a 20-year-old floristry student from Moulton College in Northamptonshire. Ivy has been a force for good at her college since 2021, using her role as a Student Governor to drive meaningful change — and always doing it with integrity, courage, and heart. Ivy began her journey facing significant challenges, and really struggled with low self-confidence after being removed from school at just 13 years old. However, taking up further education provided her with the confidence she needed, and many opportunities to reinvent herself, follow her passions, and develop her way forwards both in her life and career potential.
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From joining sustainability and EDI groups to calling out issues like bullying, accessibility, and environmental shortcomings, Ivy has shown what it means to lead with purpose. Her attention to detail, her relentless drive, and her commitment to improvement are exactly what this award was designed to celebrate. Ivy always confidently and appropriately calls it out when things need improving, be this bullying of the LGBTQ+ community, poor accessibility for wheelchair users or lack of information around sustainability. Ivy didn’t just speak up — she created impactful change.
We caught up with Ivy to hear about her experience and her win.
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Ivy congratulations on winning our first Student Governor of the years award for 2025! How did it feel to have your name called on the night as the winner?
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I was absolutely shocked. All of the nominees had their achievements read out for the room, and I was certain I hadn’t won. I would have been just as happy not winning, knowing all of the amazing work done by the young people in the room.
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What made you first become interested in becoming a student governor, how did you hear about the role, and was it an easy process to get involved?
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I had a friend at the time who was applying, I helped them write their application and submitted mine at the same time. It was a fairly simple process, partially due to a lack of applicants that year!
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When you began as a governor – did you receive any kind of training or support in what you were meant to do? and if so, where from and how and why did it help?
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The Head of Governance and the entirety of the corporation were extremely welcoming, they supported any questions I had no matter how daft I felt they were. I received all of the same training as any other governor to help me prepare for the role. It was certainly a struggle at first to learn the acronyms and rules of the meetings (it almost felt like a foreign language) so my last act as student governor was to submit a guide to my successor, breaking everything down in a language more easily accessible to a student with quite often 0 corporate experience.
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What were your ambitions and goals when you became a governor – what did you want to change or improve in your surroundings or for your peers?
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After the first meeting I attended I noticed a large difference in how the college performed on paper compared to the lived experience of the students. I used my time on the board to point out the weak points of the student feedback systems and stand up for the students who represented the small percent that slip through the gaps.
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We’ve seen the list of some of the amazing work you’ve done to support and help people in your community, we were so impressed, we were literally blown away. What made you want to get involved in those issues – and tell us a bit about what you did to help and what the results were!
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Honestly, most of my advocacy work is fueled by my own experiences. I am a 20 year old, queer, woman, with both physical and mental disabilities. I also grew up as a young-carer, and was removed from school when I was 14. I have faced many disadvantages not just in College, but in life. Alongside my close friend Eleanor Holland (pictured below – who has an inherited disability, and is a wheelchair user), I started a revolution for the access rights of disabled staff and students at Moulton College.
We used her stories, and my links at the college, to raise awareness of the day-to-day life of a disabled student. Together we wrote a detailed document and recorded a podcast (both of which were made available to the governors).
Eleanor and I were also very involved in the renovations of the wheelchair accessible accommodation to make them more practical. There are so many things that can never be known about a minority without living it or listening to those who live it, and it was clear to us that disabled students had not previously been involved in the planning.
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Do you think young people are enthusiastic about becoming a student governor? Do colleges do enough to promote the role or provide insight into what it entails?
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Simply put, no. Based on my experience the general student population has no idea what a student governor does, or why. Being a student governor has changed the trajectory of my life in such a major way, and it sadens me to think that people are missing out on the opportunity.
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How did you find the experience of being a governor? Did you feel heard/listened to? Were there any challenges? Was the process of putting your views forward easy or difficult?
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I found it difficult to have my voice heard at first, but once I got comfortable I found it easier to be listened to. I faced a lot of struggle with the intents of my words being misunderstood, partially I believe this came from my passion being read as pushy or arrogant. I have Autism Spectrum Disorder, so I struggle with the social nuances that are necessary for this type of work. It was very difficult finding my way but once I did, I couldn’t be stopped.
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What would your advice be to someone just starting college this autumn term if they were considering being a student governor?
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Contrary to popular belief, being a student governor has very little in common with being a student representative or being in a student parliament. A Student Governor is considered an equal member of the corporation. We vote on decisions and have a hand in planning corporate goals and strategies.
We do not talk on behalf of the students; we are instead there to bring a new perspective to the meetings (you will likely be the only full-time student in the room, so you will have different ideas and questions to ask compared to the other board members). They may have experience in accounting, or in government, but you are the one with experience in being a student. That is your specialty, don’t let anyone undermine your authority and knowledge in that department.
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If you were just starting out in the role now – looking at the society we live in in 2025, the stories prevalent in the news – what campaigns or goals do you think you would focus your attention on?
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I would continue my focus on environmentalism, considering I am studying in the land based sector. It’s important to know what you’re talking about when you make a stand, and the easiest way to know: is to live it.
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What’s next for Ivy? Tell us a bit about your ambitions and plans now for the next stage in your life and career!
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I am starting a degree in Floral Design in September. I’m extremely excited! I will be starting at a new college at the other end of the country, and I will be sure to bring my ambition with me.
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Unloc Co-Founder and Chief Executive of Unloc, Hayden Taylor said:
“The sheer standard of nominees for our first ever Student Governor of the Year Award was totally overwhelming. We knew the standard would be high, but even we were shocked by the high bar these impressive young people set. Choosing a winner was incredibly hard, all of them had made such an impact on their school and college, and were true examples of young changemakers in action. Ivy is absolutely deserving of being our first ever Student Governor of the Year, her dedication to the role and its function, and her commitment to making real and lasting change in her college made her the perfect choice for our first ever winner, we can’t wait to see what she does next.”
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Peter Ryder, Company Director at Rockborn said:
“Ivy thoroughly deserved this prize. Her list of achievements over her time as student governor made a very difficult decision a little bit easier. She is an amazing young woman. That said, the quality of all the candidates was hugely impressive on paper and even more so when we got to meet them in person. I know Ivy and all these young people will go on to greater things and wish her and them every success. As Rockborn we’re incredibly proud to support this programme recognising the outstanding contribution of our student governors.”
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David McVean, Chair of Governors at Moulton College, said:
“Ivy has been a revelation as a student governor, and it is right and proper that she has been recognised for her work at Moulton College. There are many voices that speak on behalf of Further Education, but Ivy reminds us all of the most important one – that of the student.“
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Tony Shrubsall, Unloc’s Director of Content and Quality, and the Head of Academic Programmes added:
“As the voice of student leadership, being a student governor provides young people with the opportunity to inform and have a say in their education, helping to shape their college environment and the services they offer. We’re delighted to have awarded Ivy with the inaugural Student Governor of the Year award in recognition of her efforts and wish her all the best on what promises to be a successful future.”
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For more information on Unloc and our programmes and events click here
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For more information about Rockborn and the services they offer click here!
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For more information on Moulton College and their range of courses click here
