University of Otago Student Leadership Award

The University of Otago Student Leadership Award, supported by Canon, is an extended leadership programme designed to enhance student leadership potential. The Award is about leadership with a purpose, working towards positive change in the community and developing the student's own leadership practice along the way. The programme involves mentorship, leadership development planning, communication workshops and reflection journaling. Awardees have completed 170 hours of volunteer work or more.

INFORMATION SESSION: Come along to find out more about the UOSLA and how you can enhance your leadership capacity for positive social change. You can register your interest for the UOSLA here to have your name added to the mailing list to be notified of updates.

What is it?

This is a two-year commitment to yourself. The programme is about supporting you to develop your own leadership practice, no matter where along that pathway you are.

Who can do the Award?

The Award is open to students from all academic disciplines. Typically the Award is best suited to undergraduate students who have at least two years of academic study remaining.

What does the Award involve?

In addition to connecting with a group of motivated students involved in a hugely rich array of social action and community activities, these are the key elements that make up your Award experience:

1. Mentor

   All participants are connected with a staff Mentor. Mentors are staff members from the University of Otago who have volunteered to act as a sounding board and provide a listening ear.
   
   Your Mentor can be viewed as an adviser with a light touch. Students meet with their Mentor at least once a semester.

2. Leadership Development Plan

   Your LDP helps to set a pathway for the time you will be engaged in the Award. It is an exercise in self-awareness, getting you to think about what leadership means to you and how you do leadership. Learn how to set yourself effective goals and give your next two years some guidance and structure. The LDP is completed within the first couple of weeks of starting the Award.

3. 170 Leadership Hours

   You will complete at least 170 hours of voluntary leadership and service activities during your Award. Students typically complete this within two years. We do make some allowances for paid leadership experiences.

4. Workshops

   There are 6 compulsory leadership workshops you will attend across the two year period. Topics cover Leadership: The Basics, Communication, Community Engagement, Boundaries, and Diversity.

5. Reflective Essays

   You don't learn from experience - you learn from REFLECTION. Thinking critically about your experiences is how you uncover and articulate all that you have learned from them. You will submit a reflective essay at the end of each semester as a way to document your learning progress.

6. Exit Interview

   Once you've done all of the above, you will have an Exit Interview with at least two members of the Award Advisory Group.

If you have any questions about the award, please contact the co-ordinator: ola@otago.ac.nz