For Students, By Students: MVA Ambassadors Take Over Head Office for First Ambassador Conference
MVA's small Brixton HQ office was full to bursting this week, as the members of the Student Ambassador Programme gathered for Minerva's first ever Ambassador Conference, for a series of workshops and sessions aimed at making students' voices heard at the very top of MVA.
Championed by Vice Principal of Student Development, Anna Berney, the Ambassador Programme has already seen students stage a takeover of the MVA social accounts, and meet with new and prospective families to share their stories.
This week, however, saw the group meet up in-person and become the largest group of students to gather at MVA's closest thing to a physical premises, where only a handful of local staff work most days.
On this day, though, the office was abuzz with excitement.
After a productive session with the group, where the Ambassadors shared their thoughts and ideas on MVA and where they would like to see it go, MVA CEO Hugh Viney said:
This is a seriously dedicated, positive, enthusiastic and energetic bunch of young people who have their futures locked in their minds, and the ambition to make their visions a reality.
Kamal Ellis-Hyman from Aim A Little Higher was also impressed with the group's positivity during the session he ran with them. Frankly, we're not surprised.
The MVA community is one built on a culture of kindness, compassion, and understanding - values that the students embrace to an extent that sometimes surprises even faculty.
It is not unusual to see students going out of their ways to support each other, or raising concerns when another student is struggling.
Perhaps it's, in part, because a significant proportion of our students come from backgrounds where school was, for whatever reason, quite an unhappy place to be. Perhaps it's simply because when students are in an environment that puts wellbeing and happiness first, they take that as an opportunity to engage and participate in it.
Whatever the reason, this is a fantastically passionate cohort of Ambassadors. In their hands, the future of Minerva looks very bright indeed.
