SMLC Volunteer Schools’ Language Ambassadors Programme
Each year in the Autumn and Spring terms we run our school's language ambassador programme to provide useful employability skills and personal development opportunities for our undergraduate students and to help schools to promote languages in their MFL classrooms. We work with both primary and secondary schools. Our undergraduate students act as excellent role models for young people in schools as they bring maturity and a passion for languages which they are keen to share. Their visits can help to support:
Speaking practice
Careers talks
Cultural input
Raising aspirations for future study opportunities
Language clubs
Feedback
Feedback from teachers:
" a lot of enthusiasm and engagement from students; a lot of hands up (even from students who would not normally) to ask further questions on the ambassadors' journey. Our students were extremely complimentary and asked if we could have more of these sessions throughout the year, where University students would deliver sessions for them"
"Year 10 especially loved the working in 2s and 3s with a student and want the students to come every Monday to work with them as they felt got more individual attention and help and were more confident than speaking in front of the class. A definite success, thank you"
"they loved it!! I have forwarded some of our students' feedback - they were absolutely buzzing!!! amazing! thanks ever so much, we've applied to the British Council International School Accreditation and this morning helps tremendously!!!"
Feedback from SMLC students:
" The experience in the school was super fun! The students were well behaved and engaged in our classes. It was great to see students exploring a new language and seeing what languages could offer"
" The fact that I got to meet new people and go out of my comfort zone to give back to the community"
"Being able to speak Spanish with and encourage students and watching them get more confident"
"Seeing how appreciative my student was of the effort I put into the session"
Contracts
We have contracts in place for schools and for our ambassadors to sign to formalise the process, clarify expectations and facilitate the smooth running of the visits for the benefit of the school students
Schools on our mailing list automatically receive an email from the Widening Participation Officer to request an ambassador. These emails are sent mid- September for term 1 and just before Christmas for term 2. Places or dependant on the number of student volunteers who sign up in each term. Term one visits usually happen between October half term and the Christmas break due to university term dates. We are usually able to accommodate all requests but if oversubscribed we will allocate places based on closest distance to the university campus and if the school meets widening participation criteria. Any new requests to join should be sent to Orla on
No- there is no cost to schools. We are pleased to be able to cover transport costs for the students to and from your school within a reasonable distance from campus not exceeding 30 mins travel time.
We send students to schools in pairs and match them based on the languages you have requested. They usually visit at the same time to save on resources but can be placed in different classes for the visit.
We advise that schools arrange suitable times for visits in agreement with the students (The WP Officer will put all parties in touch via email introductions). They should visit just once and complete their 3 hours. If your school is very close to the university campus then 2 visits may be possible in agreement with the student.
The possibilities are endless! some examples are:
Working with small groups in the classroom to support speaking practice
Delivering a presentation on their journey with languages
Talking about their gap year
Supporting a lunch time languages club
Reading with the school pupils
Delivering an assembly/careers talk
Activities should be agreed with the Ambassadors to ensure they are comfortable with the requests and support from the teachers available if required. Students should send any presentation materials to the teacher to check in advance of the visit.
Students will NOT have DBS checks so therefore need to be supervised at all times while in schools. An initial compulsory 2 hour in-person training session is delivered to all SMLC students taking part which covers professional behaviours, communication in the workplace, safeguarding basics and ideas for sessions.
Yes absolutely. It is likely that they will be different students as most volunteer for one term only. If students and schools have a good rapport in term 1 and the student(s) wishes to volunteer again in term 2 at the same school, this is possible. We just ask that the WP Officer be informed.
There is a school contract which outlines expectations and we expect that schools provide a safe and well organised visit for the student for the benefit of all parties. Clear communication between all parties is essential for the success of the visit.
Yes, if both parties are in agreement and bearing in mind that students do not have DBS checks.
Yes, due to cost and resource implications we can only allocate students to schools that are within 30-40 minutes travel distance by public transport/uber from the university campus to your school.
If you have any further questions please get in touch with Orla on
