Since being on the council, my confidence has grown especially with networking and public speaking. The student council has provided an opportunity to enhance the student voice and I have always felt my contributions and student perspective have been valued.

I have been involved with the great place to train project, contributing my student perspective. I have also been involved with the student survey project, investigating what makes Hampshire and Isle of Wight Trust an attractive employer and how we can encourage students to work in the trust once qualified. These projects have always been directly linked to the student council objectives.

I have had numerous opportunities to represent the council and attend events, including an Occupational Therapy immersive event (to encourage people to enter the profession), student council regional events, providing the opportunity to network, attend a RADA training day, and attend the Hampshire and Isle of Wight leadership event which was a valuable opportunity to network and promote the student council. 

I have a rotational Occupational Therapy role lined up for when I qualify. I strongly believe the student council helped me get this role - my experiences from the council enhanced my CV, my mentorship through the council provided me with shadowing and networking opportunities, and the student council leads helped me network with potential employers. 

Serving on the Student Council during my final year at the University of Southampton has been a genuine privilege. It provided a platform to elevate the student voice at strategic NHS meetings and actively contribute to discussions on healthcare education and workforce development. Through this role, I have strengthened my confidence in professional communication—both in-person and virtually—while developing key skills in chairing meetings, note-taking, and public speaking.

Highlights include the RADA communication skills workshop, attending national forums such as the NHS Staff Wellbeing event in London, and participating in regional networking events with fellow student representatives. I also gained a valuable understanding of the Integrated Care Board (ICB) structure and how student feedback can directly inform service improvement.

Balancing council responsibilities with academic and placement commitments significantly enhanced my time management, prioritisation, and advocacy skills. I’ve also learned how to effectively escalate concerns and contribute to a culture of openness and continuous improvement. Collaborating with healthcare students from a range of disciplines on shared projects has been an enriching experience, and I am committed to carrying this multidisciplinary approach into my practice as a registered nurse.

The skills I have gained on the student council will be invaluable as I begin my nursing career and continue to grow as a reflective and effective practitioner.
 

Being on the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Student Council for the last year has given me some incredible experiences and opportunities. To highlight a few, I have been fortunate enough to attend leadership events, sit in on and give updates in high level meetings to represent the student voice, and have the responsibility of gathering all the metrics and reporting data within the student council.

I have been lucky to have been mentored by Leon Ghulam throughout my time on the council who has been incredibly supportive and encouraging. I also thoroughly enjoyed working with other members of the student council on a variety of projects and the opportunity to network and meet so many new people through sitting on the student council has been a privilege.

A project I am particularly proud to have supported on is a regional document about preparing for practice placements which helps practice educators prepare learners on pre-registration healthcare programmes for their placements.

As I come towards my time of stepping off the council and becoming a qualified Occupational Therapist, it has been great to see eight new members be recruited to continue the work we have achieved over the last year and I wish them all the success in doing so.

One of the highlights of my time on the council was attending events like the NHSE Student Council Networking event. Through these experiences, I’ve learned that even those in senior positions are just people—they’re not as intimidating as we sometimes imagine. This is something I’ll carry with me into my practice as a student paramedic.

Another highlight of mine is having a mentor - it’s helped me to grow both professionally and personally. My confidence has increased, and it’s opened the door to many new opportunities.