As schools and colleges begin to wind down for this academic year, young people are amping themselves up as they prepare for the Unloc Student Voice Celebration from 9:30am -3:30pm on Wednesday 7th July!
Formally known as Student Voice Day, Unloc Student Voice Celebration (USVC) is an end-of-year celebratory event to showcase all the hard work that action groups of young people have achieved over the course of the academic year.
A special bespoke website has been created for young people to learn all about the event, as well as join in the countdown until it commences. The website at studentvoiceday.co.uk provides information not just about the day, but also about the action groups, activities and guest speakers who will be joining in the celebrations.
Unloc’s Student Forums provide a platform for the voices of young people to be heard, and enables students to play an active role in bringing about change which will affect all young people in their area.
The forums look to empower students to share their thoughts, ideas and opinions surrounding their education and learning, as well as their wider community. Students from each forum work together to find solutions to the issues they face, share conversations and resources to assist each other, and support one another in their actions, all leading to an improved educational experience.
Cambridgeshire Student Forum (CSF) is one of Unloc’s Student Forums, currently in its third year, with three schools, colleges and institutions from in and around Cambridge involved.
Also facilitated by Unloc is The Council of Portsmouth Students (CoPS) founded 19 years ago way back in 2002. Almost every secondary school in Portsmouth city participates.
This year, for the first time ever, the celebratory event will be hosted digitally online, bringing both CoPS and CSF students together on the same platform to see and hear about each other’s hard work.
Action groups from each establishment have worked on a focused action plan goal of something they wished to improve, topics include; diversity, mental health, recycling, life skills and careers. Action groups were paired with other establishments and like-minded students, and with regular action group meetings over the academic year, goals were tracked along with support, encouragement and advice.
Not only will the young people get to see, hear and experience the work of their peers, but Unloc Student Voice Celebration will also include some very special Guest Speakers, Council Consultations with each groups’ respective councils on current issues and matters, and an exclusive ‘In Conversation With…’ about the Importance of Student Voice from two of the countries’ leading Student Voice experts.
Guest speakers for the event include:
- Dr Nik Johnson – Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, who will be joining live to speak to the Cambridgeshire Student Forum students.
- Councillor Frank Jonas – Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, who has pre-recorded a greeting and message for the Council of Portsmouth Students.
- Karen Dawber – Engagement Lead for Kooth; Kent, Medway & Portsmouth, who will be giving the students a tour of the Kooth website, an online platform dedicated to the mental health and wellbeing of young people.
For more information on guest speakers and their backgrounds please click here
Unloc’s Programme Facilitator for Leadership Skills & Student Voice Jessi Wilson, has organised this year’s fantastic celebratory event. Jessi said:
“Our forum and executive team members have worked so incredibly hard over the past year, an especially trying time for all under Covid-19 restrictions where they haven’t been able to meet up in person as they ordinarily would. Our student forums provide such an important platform for young people, and it’s so important to recognise all their hard work.”
“Their determination and perseverance is evident in all they’ve achieved this year, and we absolutely cannot wait to bring them all together at this event so they can see what their friends and peers have been up to, and all the wonderful progress they’ve made during the most challenging of times. I’ll look forward to seeing you all there!”
For more information about the Unloc Student Voice Celebration visit studentvoiceday.co.uk
