► StARs Accreditation

This year, as part of Sam Uppal's (VP Education) manifesto pledges, the Students Union and University of Worcester are working together to create an Accreditation process for StARs and Institute Reps.

The Accreditation of Course Reps from other institutions has proven really successful as the StARs are able to evidence skills they have gained whilst being a rep to show employers later on. In addition, it allows StARs to remain focussed throughout the year and gain something really positive at the end of the year!

The Accreditation process will work alongside the current system of V Records and StARs and Institute Reps are still very much encouraged to fill out a V Record for further records of your amazing time and effort spent on volunteering as a StAR. Email: k.gynn@worc.ac.uk for more details about the V Record.

What do you have to do?

Bronze:

• To attend an Introductory training workshop with the VP Education
• To attend at least 1 Course Management Committee (CMC) during the year*
• Attend at least 1 VP Forum per semester*
• Write a 500 word statement about what you feel you achieved over the year as a StAR (guidance to be published)

Silver:

• To have achieved Bronze Award
• To attend an additional training workshop during the year
• To have attended 2 CMCs over the year*
• Attend at least 3 VP Forums over the year*
• Write a 750 word report about what you have learnt from your experiences as a StAR and how you think you can apply this learning in the future (guidance to be published)

Gold:

• To have achieved Silver Award
• Gold Award will be given to ‘exceptional’ StARs who have made a significant contribution to enhancing the quality of the course. Applications for Gold Awards will be considered and determined by a panel of judges
• To apply for Gold award, you must write a report of 1000 words about what you have done in your role that can be described as ‘exceptional’, include in the report how many CMCs you have attended over the year, how many VP Forums you have taken part in, and how many training workshops you have completed (guidance to be published)
• It is recommended that when you apply you have attended all CMCs over the year*. You must also have attended at least 3 VP Forums and at least 2 training workshops over the year*. To achieve Gold Award a member of staff (preferably your Course Leader or StAR Coordinator) must endorse your application.

Please note that discretion will be used by the judging panel as they will take into account StAR achievements and participation.

The proposed judging panel will consist of:

Pro Vice Chancellor Students

Head of Quality Assurance and Enhancement

Vice President Education

Membership Services Manager of the SU

*If there were meetings you were unable to attend, you must provide evidence that you sent your apologies.