What it’s like working as part of a Students as Partners Project

Written by: Husna Amani, Vishal Ravindran, Dale Rogers, Aremel Tibayan

The Students as Partners: Career Education Co-Design Project was a Deakin University project in which four Student Partners: Husna Amani, Vishal Ravindran, Dale Rogers, and Aremel Tibayan, collaborated with Dr Lauren Hansen (formerly of Deakin Talent, now of Learning Futures) to identify the barriers faced by students seeking paid employment while at university. These four student partners then created a set of resource sheets, narrative vignettes (both written and video) and a report of recommendations aimed at providing students with information about the opportunities, resources, and services available to them appropriate to their needs, with the goal of removing some of the barriers that exist when it comes to finding paid opportunities, accessing support services, and learning about their rights at work, making the process more simple and accessible. On the 2nd of December, the Career Education – Students as Partners team presented the findings of their project to DeakinTALENT and other key stakeholders in the University.

‘My role was to locate legislative information on work rights and support services for specific student groups, as well as any other relevant material, to include in the resource sheets, with the goal of making it easier for students to acquire employment-related information. I also prepared a series of narrative vignettes, aimed at being utilised in in-class activities, or as part of an assignment.’ – Husna Amani, Student Partner.

‘My role was to develop a report of recommendations linked to the barriers faced by students when seeking paid opportunities while studying. The purpose of this report, which was based on student diversity and student experiences, was to make recommendations for improving student success in relation to finding paid work while studying.’ – Vishal Ravindran, Student Partner.

‘My role in the project was to locate all paid work and paid internship opportunities for students within all faculties, as well as Work Integrated Learning (WIL), at Deakin University.’ – Dale Rogers, Student Partner.

‘My role in the project was to create a narrated video, which presents an example of a student finding employment through Deakin services, and the stepping-stones role model.’ – Aremel Tibayan, Student Partner.

Watch the Stepping Stones for the Hidden Workforce video.

When describing their experiences working on the project, Husna and Aremel stated that communication and collaboration in group and one-on-one settings were key. Aremel also noted that the collaboration process improved his abilities to convey ideas and identify problems with others, and provided him with the opportunity to hone his video editing skills, which he may use in his course and future profession. Vishal found the project to be a valuable learning experience, stating that learning is both constant and fluid, and is best done when hearing from the voices of others. Dale and Husna both highlighted the flexibility and accessibility of the project, as it enabled them to work efficiently around their disabilities and chronic illnesses, respectively. Everyone on the team felt that participating in the Students as Partners Project increased their confidence in their abilities.

As for what they learnt throughout the course of the project, Husna stated that through her research, she learnt about the different support services available aimed at supporting specific at-risk student groups through their employment journey while studying. She also highlighted the lack of, and difficulty in finding, resources for LGBTIQ+ students, Aboriginal students, and rural, remote, and regional students. Vishal learned of the barriers faced by specific student groups, and to be open-minded and sensitive to the experiences of various student equity groups. They also gained an understanding of the communication gaps faced by students when seeking paid opportunities. Dale, meanwhile, learnt about the different paid options offered to students at Deakin through her interviews with contacts from various faculties and departments, although did find it challenging to locate information and meet with contacts within the timeframe for the project, as there was no one central point where these opportunities were available. Aremel gained a deeper understanding of the stepping-stones model process at Deakin and highlighted its convenience, practicality, and usefulness in assisting students seeking to find paid employment whilst they study. He also noted that obtaining paid employment while studying can be challenging for some students, as everyone’s situation is different.

A recommendation from the team for future Students as partners projects was to find ways to help students in developing and improving their productivity skills, as this would be valuable to students while they study, as it would enable them to further develop these skills during their employment. ‘For example, these skills may include balancing different obligations and tasks and completing high-quality work within a small-time frame’ – Aremel Tibayan. The team also stated that change is necessary, adaptability is key to inclusivity, and additionally recommended to keep the project going and to amplify and hear from those with lived experience when trying to effect change.

If you are interested in working on a Students as Partners project, please sign up to the Students as Partners database.