The home for student opportunities
 
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The Student Opportunities Framework is here to help your students’ union grow.

It has been designed as a development tool for students’ unions, inviting you and the team to reflect with us, step out of the day to day and look toward the bigger picture. 

We provide an in-depth review of your current Student Opportunities service and give you a detailed picture of what you’re doing really well and where you could still do more; offering support, advice and recommendations.  

We gather as much relevant information as possible; reviewing documents, your online presence, in person meetings, focus groups and surveys.

We measure our findings on a traffic light system against more than 50 criteria in 9 different themes. The dashboard view provides instant insight while the detailed analysis and recommendations are presented clearly, allowing you to make impactful actions and plan for the future.  

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The Framework’s Categories

There are nine areas within the Student Opportunities Framework all created to steer you towards the best service you can offer. Covering everything that’s needed for your Student Opportunities service to run legally, efficiently and follow best practice from students' unions and the voluntary sector.

  1. Operations & Governance

  • Risk management is embedded across all Opportunities  

  • Your Opportunities function efficiently  

  • The Students’ Union governance covers Student Opportunities and works with the processes and policies  

  • Data is stored in compliance with GDPR  

  • Student media and fundraising are compliant with charity and media law  

4. People 

  • Staff can develop and grow and are able to do their jobs well 

  • Volunteers are supported effectively  

  • There is a positive culture for staff and volunteers  

7. Engagement & Participation 

  • A high percentage of students are able to engage with Student Opportunities 

  • The students’ union constantly works on removing and reducing barriers to engagement  

  • Students have different ways to feedback about Opportunities  

2. Student Leadership & Democracy

  • Students shape and lead their Student Opportunities  

  • Your Opportunities are fair and democratic  

  • Student Opportunities are important to your sabbatical officers and staff team 

5. Collaboration & Partnership 

  • The institution and the students’ union have a positive partnership  

  • Where the students’ union works with external partners, there are quality control measures in place

8. Impact & Strategy

  • Student Opportunities are designed around impact  

  • There is a strategy for Student Opportunities  

  • Staff are confident making change and innovating  

3. Student Development 

  • Students grow and learn through their involvement in Opportunities  

  • Student leaders are given appropriate training for their roles 

6. Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

  • Student Opportunities include a diverse range of people  

  • Student Opportunities are accessible and inclusive  

9. Specialisms

We look at these areas too if you support them:

  • Student media

  • Student fundraising

  • Sport

How was the Student Opportunities Framework developed?

When selecting the criteria for the Student Opportunities Framework we have drawn from best practice across the voluntary, fundraising and media sectors. We explored existing frameworks, looked toward current developments tools and the latest research.

We then translated what all that actually means to the day job of delivering outstanding student opportunities. 

To ensure that the Student Opportunities Framework is complementary to existing standards and codes we have been sure to work alongside the following:  

  • NUS Quality Students’ Unions

  • #iwill Campaign Principles for Quality Social Action 

  • Advice Quality Standard 

  • Investors in Volunteering

  • Investors in People

  • NUS Governance Code 

  • NUS and Universities UK Barriers Report 

  • Student Fundraising Guide

  • Student Media Guide 

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