By Brooke Lewis-Richards.

I can’t remember the day Beryl and Simon came into the lecture hall and told the cohort about the Student Leadership Academy, but I remember thinking that it was calling out to me. It was an inspiring journey from start to finish and I am so grateful for the opportunity and proud of myself for completing it. The leadership academy consisted of three jam-packed full days of activities, talks, problem-solving, empowering messages and personal journeys … I loved it!  Two of the three days were undertaken face to face and one Zoom meeting! None of those three days felt any different to the other despite one being an online attendance, which I think says a lot about how thought-provoking, interesting and captivating the whole experience has been. Once the three days were over, we each were given a coach from our field of study. We all had three sessions with our coach to further our knowledge and potential. I’m still in contact with mine and I now feel I just have an extra person to support me through my career journey which I am appreciative of.

As a mature student, I never thought I’d find myself at university at this stage of my life, I always assumed I would have my ‘dream job’ by now but when I finally woke up one morning realising I didn’t like the job I’d been working in for nine years, something had to change. I always knew I was capable of more it just took me a little while to realise if I don’t do it now, then when? When I applied to study at Swansea University, I didn’t expect myself to be accepted but I was, and now here I am. Applying to the leadership Academy was a daunting afternoon, I didn’t expect for one minute I’d make the cut, but it was worth a shot, right? When I received the email to say I’d been accepted I was so happy I could have cried. I knew this would be an opportunity for me to learn, build on any skills I already had and a fantastic opportunity to meet new people. 

On the first day, I was early (I’d always rather be early than even a minute late). Greeted by Deb Rowberry I was asked to find my name card and sit at that table, in that particular seat which sent my anxiety through the roof. Why had it never occurred to me I might not be able to sit next to somebody that I recognised? But within about 10 minutes of the day starting it didn’t matter. There were six of us sat at that table and I’m now proud to call them my friends. It was the best thing for me to not sit with familiar faces and that was my first lesson learnt. Simon Sinek once said ‘Life is beautiful not because of the things we see or do. Life is beautiful because of the people we meet’. It’s true, the people I have met have left a profound effect on me and we have supported one another greatly, ensuring we all got the most out of this whole experience. 

    All three days were exceptional, we heard from many wonderful and inspiring people, some familiar faces, some not, but everything each of them said spoke to me and helped me to believe that I am worthy of where I am and where I am aiming to be. 

On day one there were lots of introductions and a few icebreakers which I think helped each of us to relax, laugh, start to get to know each other and enjoy each other’s company ready for the day ahead. Emotional intelligence was discussed extensively, and I can’t say it was anything I’d knowingly thought about before that day, but it is something I will carry with me now to use effectively throughout my career. I have been equipped with the knowledge to help myself communicate effectively with myself and others, control my emotions to help me overcome challenges that come my way, enabling myself to understand them and put a positive spin on it, learning from the experience. I learnt a lot about myself when we discussed emotional intelligence and it will help me to be a better person from now on as I know to view situations from all angles first, then decide on the most appropriate route for solving or discussing issues and concerns. Do you wonder how emotionally intelligent you are? I’ve found this quick quiz online, it’s a bit of fun and may give you some insight into your emotional intelligence. https://www.verywellmind.com/how-emotionally-intelligent-are-you-2796099. 

So, what do you need to be a good leader? We discussed this on day two and it was very inspiring and exactly what we needed to hear about. To be a good leader you need to have leadership values, this includes qualities such as empathy, honesty, bravery, passion and respect. The list could go on and on as there is so much that could influence an individual allowing them to become a good leader and show others how to do and be the same. I related to a few aspects of my old job and it was reassuring to know that I had learnt some worthwhile skills, meaning the time wasn’t completely wasted. Thus, relieving heavy shoulders and showing me everything I’ve done, I’ve learnt from and nobody gets to where they want to be overnight.

 I took away from that day that an authentic leader isn’t afraid of failure, they are real people who have worked hard, respect those around them and are dedicated to making a difference.

The last day of the leadership Academy took place via a zoom call due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Despite the fact we were not together in the same room, it didn’t take away any of the excitement or engagement of what the day was to hold. We were told to ‘take and provide opportunities’ which is exactly what we were doing! Taking in every ounce of information and experience that we were being let into and it was great. 

Each one of us was thriving and bouncing off each other’s enthusiasm and drive to be a better, more involved and influential leader. We heard stories of both struggle and success, each as inspiring as the other, proving that hard work, failure and learning from mistakes pays off when you have the right intentions, focus, grit and time investment. 

I thoroughly enjoyed my experience with the leadership Academy. The confidence I have in myself has grown dramatically and I know now that I will get there, it will not be easy but with the right tools, knowledge and opportunities that I take and create, I can be a great leader that will accomplish more than I could have ever imagined.

Thank you to everyone who took time out of their busy schedules to come and speak with us, to the new friends I have made who support me when I need it and to Beryl Mansel for the opportunity overall.

I will leave you with a link to my favourite leader in the world who I listen to, read about and learn from whenever I need encouraging and reminding that

I’m no different to anybody else and I’m able to do anything that I put my mind to, Michelle Obama.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIsf2p9iOsk&t=6s

References

Blodget, H. (2012, April 24). What People Think Success Looks Like Vs. What It Looks Like. Retrieved from Business insider: https://www.businessinsider.com/what-success-looks-like-2012-4?r=US&IR=T

Student Leadership Academy. (2020, July 6). Student Leadership Academy. Retrieved from Twitter: https://twitter.com/SWANSLA/status/1280054925871976448

by Brooke Lewis-Richards, Mental health Nursing Student (2020 cohort).

by Sarah Davies

I made the decision to try and return to University to fulfil a dream of becoming a nurse at the age of 34. I dropped my hours to part time gained a place on an Access course, applied to Swansea University and began my journey to gain the qualifications and expertise needed to begin my dream to become a nurse. I knew University life would offer many opportunities and the Student Leadership Academy did not disappoint. 

Beryl Mansel (Director of the Student Leadership Academy) came and spoke to my cohort in St David’s Park (SDP) a week before the deadline for the Leadership Academy applications closed. Knowing how I will never have these opportunities given to me again, I decided to apply and though some stroke of luck I managed to gain a place in the academy. This gave me a feeling of opportunity and I was left excited at the prospect of learning something different and meeting new people.

During the wait for the first two sessions, I was introduced to Karen who like me was a mature student and the only student from SDP that would be attending and the prospect of not knowing anyone there or where I was actually going in Swansea was quite daunting. However, the meeting with Karen relaxed me. We exchanged telephone numbers and she was ready and waiting for any questions, concerns and panics I was going to have. 

The day arrived of our first meeting together as the Swansea Leadership Academy Cohort of 2020 and after finding the car park, I wondered onto the campus very aware I was wearing my Scarlets coat and bracing myself for heckling from rival Osprey supporters! I realised I was very early, but this is a trait in myself, I always prefer to be early than late I consider this a strength! I was not the only early bird. I met a lovely medical student who I discovered had overcome many things in her life to get where she is. Her story really got to me and my admiration for her was bubbling over as I realised just how lucky I was to have been given this opportunity. As the room filled up, I found designated table, took my seat and decided to introduce myself to others on my table. 

Before we knew it, the day was about to begin. We were welcomed by Beryl over a pre-recorded message as she and a few of the previous cohorts’ students were on the way to London as the Student Leadership Academy had been nominated for a Student Nursing Times Award. We worked through an icebreaker and were introduced to Emotional intelligence. I had never heard of the term Emotional Intelligence before and the subject intrigued me. As the morning went on, I discovered I already possess some of these qualities, but the thing I will take the most from the mornings exercises is that what you say can impact a person more than what we can be aware of. It is easy to criticise. However, to give a compliment and accept a compliment takes a different skill set. Generating positivity from any situation good or bad is important to keep moral and to learn from mistakes. 

Lunch was delivered and this gave us a chance to fill our stomachs and network with the many influential people in the room. Being way out of my comfort zone, I found comfort with a fellow student who was an Osprey supporter and the conversation quickly turned to my other passion rugby. After lunch we were greeted by James Moore who invited us to complete a Myers Briggs personality test. This exercise made me look at myself in a different way and I have learnt from this. The exercise brought us as a cohort closer, with us all enjoying, laughing, and getting to know each other. 

Following on from James was Julia Pridmore who shared her journey with us, I must say her story was truly inspiring, and her final actions really did hit home, when she pulled off her cardigan to show a purple student scrub top underneath, adding that ‘you never stop learning’. I found her story and her view on life, breath taking and feel very privileged that she chose to share her story with us. With this we ended the day with reflection and left. 

The second day upon us, I left a little later as I knew the roads better and not so worried about getting lost and a quick dash through Singleton park and the grounds not to be spotted by the rivals’ supporters. Debbie Rowberry began the day with her journey with the use of Banksy, she related the works of Banksy to her journey and what the interpretation of his art meant to her. Deborah’s journey again was inspiring, and her wealth of knowledge and experience defiantly shone through. With Beryl back from her journey to London, we talked about our self-confidence, striking a power pose and the ability to learn to accept a compliment. Beryl also shared her journey which was again was very inspiring, to come from the area I am from and to achieve so much really instils that the world really my oyster and we can achieve anything if we want it enough. 

The two days were really amazing and made me look at myself in a completely different light. As we bid our farewells we could only look forward to our final day in March. A few weeks later, we received an email from Beryl telling us who our coach was. I was absolutely delighted to discover it was Julia Pridmore and I was excited to discover what advice and knowledge I could gain and learn from her. 

However, no one could predict what was going to happen, COVID-19 managed to grip the whole world and affect us all. Our third day was postponed, meetings with coaches had been changed from face to face to Zoom calls, our placements came to an abrupt stop and our lives were thrown into a turmoil of home-schooling, zoom lectures, 30 minuets of exercise a day and shopping like a ninja trying to always keep a distance of 2m. 

With new guidelines in place, I had a zoom meeting with Julia, and she helped me organise my life, prioritising those things that were making life harder, juggling a child, lockdown, university work, my daughter’s schoolwork, food shopping for myself and the nearest and dearest and making sure our mental health was not suffering on my own was proving too much, but Julia helped me more than she realises. 

Our third and final day was to be held over Zoom. The disappointment of sitting in front of a screen all day not seeing my peers in real life and the added fact I would have to make my own lunch (I mean who does not appreciate a free lunch) was proving a difficult hurdle to overcome.

But, how wrong I was!

The feeling of negativity that was so prominent was taken over by added opportunities that we may not have had if we had been in person. Beryl had organised Ismalia De Sousa to join us via zoom from Canada! Her story and journey were more than inspiring. She shared her roots with us, no stone left unturned. She really has worked hard to be where she is, and it was humbling, and she is an inspiration to us all. 

We also had the privilege to be introduced to Dr Sarah Tobin, who discussed her journey and what it means to her to be a leader. As the other speakers she again was just truly inspiring, Sarah highlighted that compassion was not optional in our chosen careers but essential, and not only compassionate with the patients but, each other. 

What I have gained during my time with the Student Leadership Academy is mindfulness. Being mindful of others and their feelings, be it a patient who is struggling with a diagnosis or a simple task and with my peers who are having a difficult day. I believe it will be important to me to see and notice changes in patients and peers and take the time to listen, or throw a word of advice, even coax a fellow peer to the staff room to strike a power pose when they are lacking in confidence. I believe it is important to realise we are all different, we deal with different emotions and feelings and not one person is better than another. By looking at each other holistically we can help and support those around us. 

Finally, the rugby pitch side-line is where I go an unwind and destress and I have mentioned my passion for rugby within this blog and I can see so many similarities in what I have learnt from the Student Leadership Academy and rugby. The old saying of there is no I in team rings true. However, I IS important, we lead from any area of the pitch, if you have the ball, you are in the lead and the direction we take the ball will inspire others to follow. Positivity is an important asset to possess and is key to any successful team, be it a rugby team, ward team, community team or cohort of students. We are all a part of a team and without positivity the team will suffer defeat from negativity. No one learns from negativity, but what we do how we view the negative is the difference between winning and losing. 

By Sarah Davies Adult Nursing Student (2020 cohort)

By Zoe Dixon 

My Leadership Background

I have never seen myself as a leader, but I have experienced leadership through my sport and degree in Sports and Exercise Science of leadership development. It is an experience that I would like to build on and apply to my new career as a nurse. Through my sport, I am a qualified windsurfing coach, and I have benefitted myself from being part of the UK Olympic training scheme. Through this training, I have developed an ability to lead people in a sporting context. However, I have had no experience in leadership within a professional context and being a student nurse. I have also never had any formal training in leadership until the Student Leadership Academy. 

My Journey

My journey started when Beryl Mansel introduced us to Swansea University Student Leadership Academy during the first few weeks of starting the Adult Nursing programme. The first weeks or even month of starting Adult Nursing, I felt completely overwhelmed as it was all completely new to me. When Beryl came along and spoke to the cohort about taking part in the leadership academy, I initially thought I couldn’t do that. It’s for people who are outgoing and those who already have experience in leadership roles. So I didn’t apply. 

However, a further email was sent out advertising it again with a link to apply. It was then I thought what have I got to lose? Therefore, I applied thinking I would not get offered a place, I was wrong. I was so shocked that I had been accepted to join the Student Leadership Academy, so I decided to grasp this opportunity and throw myself into the experience. 

The first day of the conference, I felt incredibly shy, walking to campus not sure what to expect and who else would be joining me. I arrived and sat down at my designated table, greeted by everyone and a nice cup of tea and biscuits. I started introducing myself to the rest of the people on my table, getting to know what areas they are studying in, paramedic science, mental health nursing, midwifery, to name a few. They were so lovely and friendly, making me feel comfortable. I made the right choice of applying to the Student Leadership Academy (SLA). 

Once everyone was settled Beryl gave an introduction to what the next two days of the conference would entail. I was excited to listen and engage in the activities and talks from all the inspiring people. In the morning, we spoke about Emotional Intelligence the ability to monitor my emotions as well as other people’s emotions and tell apart the different emotions. Emotional intelligence consists of five elements; self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy and social skills. 

My Leadership Coaching

I was lucky enough to be Coached by a Nursing Officer. My leadership Coach has had an exciting career, now working in the Welsh Government. Due to the pandemic and lockdown, my meetings with my Coach was carried out over the phone. To start with, this made me even more nervous about meeting someone in the Welsh Government. However, my Coach soon made me feel at ease. We spoke about the opportunities I will come across during my training and my career.  My coach also directed me to important policy drivers such as Delegation guidance, A Healthier Wales, NMC social media guide. The second meeting I had with her, we spoke about the current COVID-19 situation, what the hospitals and Government are doing to help fight and cope with the virus. We also talked about what assignments I was currently working on, namely, Health Promotion. I was directed to two great resources, Making Every Contact Count and the Well-Being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. 

In my third meeting with my Coach, we spoke about how much my self-confidence had increased.  Being part of the SLA and starting bank shifts within the hospital certainly made a vast difference. We discussed the assignment I had recently submitted, which was about Adult Obesity in Wales. This led us to a conversation about health professionals’ diet within the workplace. During most of my placements, the majority of staff would buy food from the canteen; a fully cooked breakfast; for lunch curry and chips or the days offering. During night shifts nurses would tend to eat dinner before they came to work, but before midnight, they would go to the canteen and buy pie and chip and consume sweets throughout the night. I also found that they drank a lot of tea and coffee throughout all shifts. My Coach and I discussed what can lead to health professionals being overweight: quick and easy food; not enough time to prepare food from home; cheap canteen food; lots of vending machines around the hospital; stressful environment. 

My Coach tasked me with asking the health professionals, why they go for a cooked breakfast during work? If they eat a cooked breakfast when they are at home? To begin these discussions would help to build my confidence even further and also was an opportunity to educate my colleagues on healthy eating during a shift. During my next shift and break, I engaged with the health professionals in a discussion around healthy eating. They soon realised the need to be mindful of an unhealthy diet and accessibility of canteen food.  The conversation led to my colleagues stating that they will consider their diet during shifts and try to choose the healthier options. 

Reflecting upon this experience with Swansea Leadership Academy, I have developed my confidence to begin a conversation. I have also gained an understanding of how to be a good leader. Also, what leadership roles there are within the NHS. I have found this experience eye-opening, and now I have to confidence to approach other health professionals to discuss patient care or ask them to explain why they are doing such tests on patients and what they are hoping to find. The Swansea Leadership Academy has been a life-changing experience I will never forget. 

Thank you Beryl.

Zoe Dixon Adult Nursing Student (2020 cohort).

My journey started when Beryl Mansel visited St David’s Park campus and explained about the Student Leadership Academy programme. As a mature student, I have had many different careers throughout my life. I believe the role of a manager at a fast-food restaurant, moulded me into the person I am today. I started at a basic level and promoted to a management role. I already knew that being a leader, rather than a manager, creates a positive workforce. However, I felt as a first-year student nurse, I was at the bottom of the ladder and had minimal healthcare experience behind me. Many students in my university cohort appeared to be young individuals, new from college. I felt slightly lost and lacked confidence.
The leadership programme interested me, and I was intrigued to find out more, so I applied.
I remember receiving the email from the Student Leadership Academy informing me that my application had been successful, and I would be part of the first cohort. I was very excited and rather proud of myself.
As time passed, and the Student Leadership Academy study days became nearer, I did regret applying. This was not because I had lost interest. I felt nervous. I was the only student attending from St David’s Park campus, I did not know where I was going, I wasn’t going to know anyone there, and I didn’t even know what I was going to wear!
I emailed Beryl, and she was a great help and very supportive. On the first morning after parking, I wondered onto the Swansea campus. I met Beryl and another student, Angharad. We chatted, and all walked in together, this put me at total ease.

Small actions can have a considerable impact.

Angharad was a student midwife and had been part of the #150 leaders, Council of Deans of Health Student Leadership Programme.
That first day went so fast, and I enjoyed every minute. We were allocated a seat; everyone around my table made me feel welcome, thinking back, most of them were in the same situation as me.

During the morning session, we discussed emotional intelligence, and I found this concept fascinating. I didn’t know much about emotional intelligence before. I had never really explored my personal qualities, and I found the workshop made me think deeper, this taught me about self-awareness and empathy. Being aware and knowing how to handle my emotions, and how my emotions can affect people around me. I see myself as a person with a positive outlook on life, and I try and see the best in people, and situations, however, this isn’t always easy.
How emotionally intelligent are you? Take the quiz …
https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/ei-quiz.htm

After lunch (free lunch is always a bonus, and it was delicious) Steve Moore, the Chief Executive of Hywel Dda University Health board shared his leadership journey with us. The room went silent, while everyone listened with interest and enthusiasm. His leadership journey was inspiring and very personal; it was from the heart. I felt honoured to have heard his story.

On the second day, I sat next to a student nurse, Amanda. We are both studying adult nursing, Amanda studies on Swansea campus. We clicked immediately, and I felt like I had known her all my life—what a change in my feeling from the first morning, nervous and shy to happy and chatty.
After another delicious lunch, the Professor of Microbiology and Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Swansea University shared her leadership journey with us. She talked about equity and diversity, such an incredible and inspiring person. One thing she said that made me think and reflect on my journey. A quote she had seen on the back of a toilet door … ‘Don’t let the hand you’re holding, hold you down’ … this meant so much to me, without the constant support from my family, especially my husband, I would not be where I am today. This quote made me appreciate everything I have, inspired me and made me feel incredibly grateful.

Judy McKimm (Swansea University Medicine School) spoke to us about grit and resilience, and this followed on from our emotional intelligence workshop. I found this information useful and attend to explore it more in-depth. The session reminded me that I am in control of my actions and behaviours, and bouncing back when situations don’t go to plan isn’t always easy. I learnt that resilience affects a person’s values, beliefs and emotions, mentally and physically. Techniques to help with resilience include putting the situation into perspective, being optimism and allowing myself time to reflect.

We were gifted a copy of ‘ABC of Clinical Leadership’ edited by Tim Swanwick and Judy McKimm. This book is a little gem. I love the book’s layout, it is full of information and easy to flick through. This is a perfect time for me to say … Thank you!

Later on, in the year, I had the opportunity to attend a conference in Cardiff, ‘Developing a Healthier Wales through a culture of Compassionate leadership’. The room was packed with people from various areas of health and social care, not just from Wales. These included people from England and Northern Ireland. The ‘star of the show’ for me was Professor Michael West, his talk on compassionate leadership was amazing and made total sense – Working together while respecting each other.

It has been an honour to be a part of the first cohort of the Student Leadership Academy. We have had the opportunity to hear from a range of guest speakers, who shared their journeys, knowledge and experiences with us.
I feel the programme has helped me to rebuild my confidence, strengthen my knowledge and teach me how to apply them in the field of nursing. I may be a student, but now I know being at the bottom of the ladder, will not stop me from achieving my goals. The programme has helped me to recognise my potential and highlighted my strengths and weakness.

Moving forward, I will share my leadership knowledge with others, encourage, guide and direct while giving support and motivation. I believe leadership can always be developed, and I will learn from others, this will continue to build on my leadership skills and knowledge. I am excited and looking forward to what the future brings.
I thank the Student Leadership Academy and everyone involved for this opportunity.
Karen Cooper
Adult Nursing Student

Mindtools. (2019). How Emotionally Intelligent Are You? Boosting Your People Skills. Retrieved from https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/ei-quiz.htm

As a mature adult nursing student, I was apprehensive about coming to university and reconnecting with people from different cultures and ages. So, when Beryl came into my lecture to invite us, students, to attend the Student Leadership Academy, I was tempted mainly by the free food on offer as well as the possible study days I could take (Hey, don’t judge me 😊). So, in November 2018, I went to the leadership taster session with an empty stomach and an indifferent mind. What happened next was unexpected and life-changing for me.

One of the speakers at this session gave a talk that to this day has stayed with me. It was one of my lectures who we all respected because of their position of authority. However, what inspired me about her presentation was, how she reminded us all that underneath this knowledgeable, well respected successful leader, was the woman who had started as a student nurse just like me and was forever learning. She said that despite everything she has achieved in her career, she was still fundamentally a student because she never stopped learning and growing. If a person I had so much respect for was honest enough to share this with us to encourage us to embark on a leadership course to better ourselves, I would be unwise not to apply for the Student Leadership Academy programme, and I can safely say it was one of the best decisions I have made for my personal development so far.

I was lucky that my friend also came to the session and she too decided to join the academy, so both felt like fish out of water but had each other for support. That is one of the most valuable lessons I learned as part of Swansea SLA, is that leadership is not a solo activity and as part of the academy you are never alone because there is always someone there to support you, develop your leadership skills, be it the lectures, mentors, or fellow participants. We had such support form the leaders of the student leadership academy, who were keen for us to excel and provided us with resources.

I learned valuable skills such as how to listen, lead and inspire from within and be a person that others want and choose to be led by. However, I also realized that it is not easy to continue to be motivated, to stay on this leadership journey and have the same passion when faced with assignment deadlines and life pressures. Luckily, the Student Leadership Academy is well aware of the pressures on us as students and have been very patient and understanding by continuing to encourage my participation. This entailed going to a leadership conference in Cardiff where we were lucky to mingle with professionals from various sectors of the health service who we might never have an opportunity to network with as a student.

I am glad I joined the academy as my social skills and confidence have improved immensely. I have made many new friends and invaluable connections through it. I would highly recommend anyone to join it but also advise that leadership comes with responsibilities such as self-motivation so be prepared to put in the work to get the full benefit from this course. This programme, however, has not cured my social media participation reluctance as we are encouraged to use twitter and other social media platforms to improve our connections and learning opportunities. I guess that is something I have to continue to work on as part of my lifelong leadership journey.

Cerina Lee Mashirirngwane, Adult Nursing Student