Student Leadership Conference: tips from the top

The end of November saw RSA Academies hosting the Student Leadership Conference for Year 12 and 13 student leaders from Arrow Vale RSA Academy, Whitley Academy and RSA Academy, Tipton.

The end of November saw RSA Academies hosting the Student Leadership Conference for Year 12 and 13 student leaders from Arrow Vale RSA Academy, Whitley Academy and RSA Academy, Tipton.

Here are some of the TOP 5 TIPS from the students and the RSA Fellows who joined in for a day of inspiration and conversation.

Marie Nixon, Chief Executive at Sunderland University’s Students Union starts us off.

1. You're a leader all the time. You don't have to wait for the 'big' job or opportunity to start being a leader. You can be a leader in your community, in your area of interest, in anything. Get on with leading and the big leadership opportunities are more likely to come your way.

2. Don't be scared of 'don't know'. One person can never know everything. Surround yourself with brilliant people and together you can know all sorts - and work out the answers to what you don't.

3. The power of the unthinkable. Don't be afraid of 'mad' ideas that might seem beyond the realms of possibility. It's a great spark for exciting conversations which help you decide on ambitions and exciting things you want to change and do.

4. The boldest measures are the safest - changing something a tiny bit usually requires exactly the same effort as changing something radically. Be bold, be brave, attempt to do what you really want to do rather than what you might get away with. It'll take the same effort and you might as well go for what you want.

5. Telling it like it is. Feedback is super powerful and it takes a bold soul to give it. Feedback is essential to make sure you're getting to where you want to be. When you're giving feedback make sure you do it with accuracy and kindness and that you're doing it for the good of the person affected or the project. It's NEVER a chance to be mean.

Followed by Prince Chivaka and Cynthia Ariana, Head Boy and Head Girl at Whitley Academy in Coventry.

• Communication is key

• Develop confidence in the role

• Be very firm, but friendly and be assertive and considerate in a team

• Plan an agenda for each half term and  meet with Student Leadership Group and the Principal

• Encourage others to become leaders, be a role model

And Rick Hall from Ignite’s 5 Rs: the characteristics of creativity… and leadership

1. Resilience – be determined and learn from your mistakes, this is part of the process of getting towards the solution

2. Resourcefulness – working out what to do when you don’t know what to do

3. Referencing – see something is like something else and make the connection, learn from this

4. Reflection – step aside and observe, use mind mapping as a technique to help

5. Risk taking – pushing the boundaries, going outside your comfort zone

And lastly from Andrew Watts, Head Boy at RSA Academy in Tipton

• Plan, plan, plan – set goals, what do you want to achieve?

• It’s crucial to talk to people – what do students want from you? Expect the unexpected.

• Don’t be afraid to ask for help – you don’t have all the answers and learn from the example of others

• You have to make big decisions – consider everything, sometimes what you want isn’t best

• Be willing to get involved – you have to be in it to win it

Duncan Piper at the Young Leaders Consultancy has the parting shot.  He encouraged us to think about self-less leadership: how can I help you get to where you need to be?