Passports, questions, flags and a cheery welcome – my day within Early Enrolment

In the lead up to Welcome Week, D&I Consultant Alison Devlin took a day out to volunteer on the university frontlines, supporting student enrolment and helping students get their first taste of King’s and their ID cards.

I volunteered for my first assisting in student enrolments this week and what a truly amazing and worthwhile experience it was. In large bureaucratic organisations it’s always beneficial for backroom corporate staff to get ‘back to the floor’ to reconnect with the service users and this was no exception.

After just 30 minutes training on using the student records system (SITS) to verify the students’ identity and learning how to produce an encoded ID badge from the Gallagher software, I wasn’t sure if I was safe to be let loose on the systems.  My worries were unfounded though, as us volunteers had been given very controlled access rights and the SED staff were available as our ‘supervisors’ and were at our side the moment that we waved our red flag.  Yes, we had flags, one to summon the supervisor and a green one to indicate to the student ambassador to send the next student forward.  I think Primark’s check out queue management could learn a lot from this simple method.  By mid-afternoon though, several of us were commenting that we needed a third, “someone-make me-a-cup-of-tea-please”, flag as the stream of students was non-stop from 1.30-5.30 and from about 4.30pm some of us were having difficulty articulating our words.  I don’t think I have spoken so constantly in my entire life, why, you wonder?  Well, it wasn’t just a case of looking at their proffered passport, verifying the picture and date of birth and printing off the Kings ID card, that would barely have strained a vocal cord.  No, this one-to-one session was the ideal opportunity for King’s to check that each enrolling student was up-to-speed with their onboarding processes and to create a fantastic King’s first impression for a whole variety of UK and EU students.

Hello, have a seat, do you have your student number.  It’ll probably start “one nine” It’s in the subject line of your enrolment confirmation email.  That’s the one.  Fantastic. Now, whilst I confirm your identity and print off your ID card, can I just check, have you downloaded the ‘Welcome to Kings’ app?  You have? That’s marvelous. And have you booked yourself onto your course, and department induction sessions? Next Tuesday? Excellent!  But do consider attending some wider events to meet students who aren’t also studying molecular genetics / classical archaeology /astrophysics and cosmology.  Don’t forget next week’s Welcome Hubs and the freshers fair over at The Barbican.  That’s at Old Street. No, not really walkable but easy enough by bus. What bus from your accommodation in Camberwell? Do you know the TFL journey-planner?  Perhaps you prefer Google maps, that’s good for buses too.  Have you received your personal timetable yet?  No? Well, the schools are publishing them at different times, yours might not be up there yet but keep checking KEATS.  There’s a link to KEATS from the Kings App, yes that’s the one.  Now I sense you’re new to London, have you registered with a GP yet? No, the one back at home isn’t going to help if you’re ill during term time.  Oh, you’ve only been in the UK since Saturday.  Well, you’ll need to register with a GP…Family doctor…It’s the route that you take to access most hospital-based health services in the UK. Yes, this is the NHS, you’ve heard of that? Good. Yes, it’s free and we’re very proud of it.  Now you need to register now before you’re ill.  No, they’re all ‘general’ practitioners, they refer you to the hospital specialists. Yes, it’s free for EU students with the European Health Insurance Card.  Yes, well, who knows after 31^st October…Here’s your ID badge it gives you access to all sites, so, it’s a lovely day, go off and explore.  Whilst in this building check out the Loft student space on the 7^th and 8^th floors, the student bar in the basement, oh and pop into the Strand Building opposite and have a look at the King’s Chapel, it’s fabulous. Any questions? No? Well, “Welcome to Kings!”. Waves green flag “Next!”

By 5.30pm I had confirmed and issued IDs to around 40 students, was mildly hoarse and exhausted but I’d do it again most certainly and would recommend the opportunity to others.