I always say it takes one person. One person to guide, support, inspire and help create change. Being a student can be difficult and at times overwhelming, whether that’s because of academic stresses, personal difficulties or the general day-to-day struggles.
This is why having a positive, welcoming and safe learning environment is essential. On average every student spends over 1,000 hours at college a year, and yet it only takes one second for someone to say yes and one minute to have a supportive conversation. These small things can make the biggest difference.
My passion for spreading awareness on the importance of staff impact stems from my own personal experience of having just one staff member who believed in me, pushed me to be the best version of myself, took the time to support me and who truly shaped me into the person I am today.
I look at the things I’ve achieved, the opportunities I’ve had and the personal growth I’ve made and see one thing: gratitude. Yes, it might have been me that physically did those things, but I know that none of it would have been possible without the continuous support I had behind the scenes. When I talk about support, it’s not about giving up hours of your time or moving mountains, but instead asking if I was ok, offering to help when I needed it and celebrating success no matter how big or small.
