Student Members Team Duties

1) Purpose & Value

The Student Members Team is the centre’s learning engine and volunteer corps. It gives school and tertiary students hands‑on experience in Hindu arts and culture while building transferable skills (organisation, digital media, teamwork). The SMT ensures the centre remains youthful, welcoming, and future-ready.

Core outcomes

• Structured learning pathway in Hindu arts and cultural literacy
• Practical event and project experience with real responsibility
• Strong pipeline into the Junior and Senior Member teams
• Increased youth participation and community connection

2) Composition & Eligibility

• Age/Stage: Secondary and tertiary students (typically 13–22).
• Entry: Expression of Interest (EOI) + guardian consent for minors.
• Diversity: Encourage representation across genders, regions, languages (Bangla/Hindi/Tamil/etc.), abilities, and art forms (dance, music, theatre, visual arts, literature, digital).
• Tenure: 1 academic year (renewable).
• Induction: Orientation to culture, safety, roles, and expectations.

3) Role Clusters & Responsibilities

A. Learning & Cultural Literacy

• Attend foundations workshops (rasa theory, iconography, ritual etiquette, stagecraft).
• Maintain a learning journal (key takeaways, reflections after events).
• Complete micro‑credentials or badges (e.g., “Ritual Etiquette 101”, “Stage Crew Basics”).

B. Program & Event Support

• Assist with festival setups (e.g., Boishakh, Durga/Saraswati Puja, Janmashtami)—decor, stage changes, audience flow, green room.
• Help coordinate youth segments and rehearsals; support emcees and artists.
• Participate in front‑of‑house: greeting, ticketing, accessibility assistance.

C. Digital, Design & Documentation

• Content creation: short videos/reels, photography (with consent), posters, web updates.
• Maintain event pages, schedules, and photo/video archives (file naming, metadata).
• Assist with livestream support (tech checks, chat moderation under supervision).

D. Research & Heritage

• Contribute to oral histories (interviewing elders/artists with guidance).
• Help catalogue artefacts, scripts, and recordings (basic archival standards).
• Create student‑friendly explainers (festival guides, art form primers).

E. Community Outreach & Inclusion

• Support school/university taster sessions and stall presentations.
• Lead peer ambassador initiatives to welcome first‑time attendees.
• Assist with language access (bilingual signage, pronunciation cards).

F. Safety, Sustainability & Care

• Follow child-safe and workplace safety briefings; escalate concerns immediately.
• Promote eco‑friendly practices (waste sorting, reusable décor, minimal plastic).
• Support quiet zones and inclusive seating for families, elders, and people with disabilities.

4) Operating Model

Structure (suggested roles within the SMT)

• Student Lead (chairs meetings; coordinates with Youth/Program Coordinator)
• Deputy / Welfare Lead (wellbeing check-ins, peer support, incident escalation)
• Communications Lead (social posts, asset coordination, approvals flow)
• Events Lead (run-sheets, crew rosters, timekeeping)
• Archive & Research Lead (photo logs, metadata, interviews)

Cadence

• Monthly meets during term; fortnightly pre‑festival; retro after events.
• Joint sessions with Junior Members quarterly; mentorship check‑ins every 6–8 weeks.

Decision rights

• Advisory: youth segment content, student-led showcases, digital ideas.
• Operational (under supervision): run‑sheet tasks, roster swaps, social drafts.
• Boundaries: No independent ritual or safety decisions; escalate to supervisors.

Supervision

• Each Student team is paired with a Junior Member mentor and a Senior cultural mentor.
• A staff Youth/Program Coordinator is the day-to-day contact and approver.

5) Progression Pathway

On‑ramp → Contributor → Lead → Junior Member candidate

• Complete induction + two event cycles → Eligible for Lead roles.
• Portfolio review (learning journal, media samples, supervisor feedback) → Junior Member nomination.
• Certificates and references issued at milestones.

6) Training Curriculum (starter kit)

• Culture & Arts: Hindu aesthetics (rasa, bhava), iconography basics, festival overviews.
• Stage & Events: run-sheets, comms etiquette, stage safety, audio/lighting basics.
• Digital: smartphone videography, basic photo editing, caption writing, accessibility alt‑text.
• People & Care: welcoming guests, respectful language, inclusive practices, bystander principles.
• Ethics & Consent: photography consent, crediting artists, handling sacred spaces respectfully.

7) Safeguarding & Wellbeing Essentials

• Clear code of conduct: respect, non‑harassment, cultural sensitivity, punctuality.
• Two‑adult rule for interactions with minors; avoid 1‑to‑1 unsupervised settings.
• Escalation map: who to call for safety/first aid/mental health concerns.
• Consent forms for media; opt‑out options visible at events.
• Age‑appropriate duties; exam/assignment periods respected in rostering.

(Your centre should align these with your local legal and school requirements.)

8) KPIs & Recognition

Participation & Learning

• Attendance ≥ 75% of meetings; completion of 2+ training modules/term.
• Learning journals submitted each term; reflective growth evident.

Program Impact

• of youth-led segments delivered; audience feedback averages.
• Turnaround time on media assets; archive completeness (naming, metadata).

Community & Inclusion

• New student recruits per term; outreach sessions delivered at schools/unis.
• Accessibility touchpoints implemented (bilingual signs, quiet space stewarding).

Recognition

• Certificates (Bronze/Silver/Gold), portfolio endorsements, spotlight features, letters of reference.
• Small student micro‑grants for original mini‑projects (e.g., a short film on Saraswati Puja).

9) Sample RACI (Responsibility Matrix)

Legend: R = Responsible, A = Accountable, C = Consulted, I = Informed

10) Onboarding Checklist

• Welcome pack: org values, calendar, org chart, contacts.
• Guardian consent (if under 18), media consent preferences.
• Induction: culture, safety, event lifecycle, communication tools.
• Tool access: shared drive/folder, design templates, brand guide, content request form.
• First‑month buddy assignment + micro‑task (e.g., captioning a photo set).

11) Annual Rhythm (example for Melbourne school terms)

• Term 1: Induction; Boishakh prep; beginner workshops; recruit drive.
• Term 2: Boishakh delivery & debrief; archive consolidation; outreach to schools.
• Term 3: Residency/showcase development; interfaith/youth forums; mid‑year review.
• Term 4: Durga/Saraswati cycles; year‑end celebration; progression interviews.

12) Templates (ready to copy)

Meeting Agenda (Student Team)

1. Check‑in & wellbeing (5 min)
2. Safety & announcements (5)
3. Training spotlight (10)
4. Event tasks & rosters (20)
5. Digital & archive updates (10)
6. Ideas & innovation (10)
7. Actions & owners (5)

Learning Journal Prompt (post‑event)

• What did I do?
• What worked / what was hard?
• What cultural insight did I gain?
• One improvement for next time.

Content Approval Flow
Draft → Peer review (Student Lead) → Junior Lead approval → Coordinator sign‑off → Publish

13) Sample Role Descriptions (short)

• Student Lead: Chairs meetings, tracks actions, liaises with Coordinator; mentors new joiners.
• Comms Lead: Manages content calendar, coordinates assets, ensures brand voice and alt‑text.
• Events Lead: Preps run‑sheets, crew shifts, backstage comms; checks accessibility points.
• Archive Lead: Collects photos/videos, applies filenames/metadata, files consent records.
• Welfare Lead: Monitors workload, exam‑time adjustments, raises concerns early.

14) Guardrails & Good Practices

• Study‑first policy: exam weeks = light duties only.
• Rotation: every term, rotate crew roles to broaden skills.
• Buddying: pair new students with experienced peers.
• Debrief culture: quick retros after every event; celebrate wins.
• Feedback loop: quarterly surveys; publish “you said / we did” actions.