Student Ambassador Update - June 2024

Hey Student Ambassadors, we hope you are doing well.

Thank you very much for sending us your updates, as usual it was lovely hearing about what you have been up to. We have shared great examples of your work below.

If you have met with your branch representatives, we hope you have found this useful and are working closely with them to give a student voice to their initiatives.

Student Ambassador Activity

This is the space where we provide you with an update of each branch region's activities. Please feel free to send over updates to us to include.

Rozanna Pollock – University of Bedfordshire

Rozanna has been working on the next edition of the Psychology department newsletter, where she had the opportunity to talk about the role as the BPS Student Ambassador. Rozanna conducted a couple of interviews as the newsletter issue has focussed on careers in Psychology.

She had the pleasure of interviewing Sam Smith- a senior Forensic Psychologist from Serco, who has highlighted the role of Forensic Psychology and given some great insight into his career.

Additionally, she interviewed the University of Bedfordshire Graduate Skills and Development Manager Catherine Bernet-Wilson who explained about the Bedfordshire Career Development Award and how it aligns with supporting students into careers in Psychology through developing employability skills and how the role of the BPS Student Ambassador can earn credit for the award through the valuable experience gained.

Rozanna has also been working on a presentation to be shared with our students around my experiences as a BPS student ambassador and how students can get involved and apply. 

Rozanna also supported the Psychology Undergraduate Research Conference where she held a stall to promote BPS Student Membership. She was supported by two current students who were able to discuss their course and the pathway they are taking toward their career in Psychology.

Tom Scourfield – Swansea University

Tom has started a magazine after a discussion he had with a student during an ambassador meeting. Tom is formatting the magazine for mobile phone screens so that it will be widely consumable by the student cohort.

Tom used it to discuss what their university Psychology Society is up to, as well as promoting student membership to the BPS and reminding students of the opportunity to apply for the Ambassador role for next year. Tom started the next issue to try and keep students engaged over the long summer break, and he wrote an article on overcoming anxiety and improving academic motivation.

Tom also used it to promote the BPS Welsh Conference in Cardiff in September where he will be part of a panel discussion on ChatGPT use. He'll be speaking alongside lecturers from Bangor and Swansea university, both of whom have conducted research in this area.

Updates from the Careers Team - Student Ambassador Recruitment

Applications are now closed for the next academic year.

If you will be continuing with your role next year, I hope you're looking forward to welcoming a new cohort of BPS Student Ambassadors!

Events for you to promote

BPS London Branch Postgraduate Meet-Up

• Date: 2 July, 6:pm – 8:00pm
• Location: BPS London Office (in person), 30 Tabernacle St, London EC2A 4UE
• Cost: Free

The BPS London & Home Counties Branch (LHC) is hosting a meet-up at the BPS London offices in Tabernacle Street, with the aim of developing a postgraduate community.

We are currently looking for BPS LHC postgraduate members to share their research at our event on 02 July from 6.00pm to 8.00pm.  Whether you have a completed project, ongoing research activity, or plans for future research, we encourage you to share your work. The research can either be at Masters or Doctoral level.

Addiction: Choice and Disease

• Date: 17 July, 2:00pm - 5.30pm
• Location: Webinar
• Cost: £10 

Join us for an illuminating webinar 'Addiction: Choice and Disease' where we delve into the heart of a key debate surrounding addiction.

At its core lies the fundamental question: choice or compulsion (as exemplified by the 'disease model)? It could be said that at one pole, advocates of free choice argue for individual responsibility, shaping legal frameworks and intervention strategies. On the other end, proponents of the disease model highlight compulsive behaviour, emphasizing the need for abstinence, supportive structures and recovery networks.

CAPs and MHWPs in Services for Older People

• Date: 25 July, 11.30am – 1:00pm
• Location: Online
• Cost: Free

This online event will review the development of the CAP and MHWP roles within services for older people.
It will include presentations from trailblazer and early implementation sites, both University and NHS clinical services.

There will be opportunity to discuss how these roles have been developed, the training curriculum, experience of clinical services and possible future developments, along with other key issues.

Student Newsletter / Psych-Talk Magazine

As a reminder, we love to share your work across our communication channels.

If you have carried out an activity within your student ambassador role that you are particularly proud of, please send over a short description of the type of activities you have been doing within your role so far, and perhaps some accompanying photos, to [email protected].