Do you know what SA means in PN language?

The training provided by Passerelles numériques includes not only a quality IT curriculum but a great part is also given to education & soft skills development. So, for the past few years in each country (2015 in PNC, 2016 in PNV and 2017 in PNP) Student Associations (SA or SBO for Student Body Office in Philippines) have been implemented with mostly the same objectives.

The main objectives of the Student Association are first, to represent all PN students in their respective centres. Secondly, it offers to students a higher degree of autonomy – room for creativity – and finally it help to disseminate and relay information about news and activities in the centers.

Like any other association, Student Associations are strictly organized. There is a board elected by the members which is organized with one president, one secretary and one treasurer.

To complete the board, there will be a fewer or greater number of members depending on the centre. For Cambodia, for example there is in addition one vice-president and two club coordinators. In Philippines, there is one board office for each class which include one vice-president and four additional operational coordinators. In Vietnam, the board is completed with two activity leaders, one club coordinator and one club assistant.

To fulfill their objectives, many missions have been assigned to the student members of SA.

Within the Passerelles numériques program, a club is an association of students that gather to do the same activity; to learn or teach something; to help others student or to make good use of the various skills of the student.

Number of Clubs can vary from year to year depending on student’s project & wishes. Currently there are 10 clubs in Cambodia, 8 clubs in the Philippines and 4 clubs in Vietnam.

Each one is managed by a Club leader and assisted by an advisor who will ideally be a member of staff with some knowledge in the subject area. As you can see beside, there are many activities such as sport, music & dance, but also cooking, gardening and games!

“I decided to join the volleyball club because I knew this would not only give me the sporty fun time we scholars usually seek in the midst of our hectic academic schedules, but also because I believe it creates a sense of solidarity among the members – students, alumni, and even staff.”  Mark Raymund FERNANDEZ, PNP Class 2017, member of the Volleyball Club

Being part of the Passerelles numériques program not only means training and studying. As the students live together close to the centres, they form a community life which needs to be stimulated and promoted on a regular basis.

As for Cambodia, the Student Association is in charge of organizing monthly dinner parties and also organizing the Khmer New Year event.

As for the Philippines, the Student Association manages the organization and facilitation of the regular monthly event called the Family park event during which the students gather for a day of games, activities, and fun. Family Park events are conducted with the aim to reinforce the unity and camaraderie among the entire student body of PN Philippines.

As for Vietnam, Student Association is in charge of organizing trimonthly collective birthday parties for students and an event for Teacher’s Day to thank PNV staffs and teachers.

“ I am honored that my friends have put their trust in me. As this is the very first Student Association, we have faced a lot of difficulties. However, we organized some successful events which brought us relaxed, happy and joyful time together. As a president, I will give my best to the growth of Students Association.” NGUYEN Huu Tuong Vi, Current President of PNV Student Association.

In the same way that SA manage regular events, students are also involved in larger-scale one-off projects. SA collect, suggest new ideas and coordinate the implementation of those projects inside or outside the centers.

In Philippines, the students have weekly Community Service on Saturdays. The students go to partner organizations (Missionaries of Charity, 180 Degrees Cebu, Parian Drop-in Center, and Blessed Mother Josephine Vannini Home for the Aged) to volunteer for community and/or social services. This is part of their holistic development spearheaded by the Education Team.

In Vietnam for example, staff donated their old clothes, and Student Association held a garage sale for students to fundraise for future events. Clothes were sold at a very low price, and for the latest event, Student Association raise almost 1.700.000 VND (about 80 $).

Thanks to their partner ANZ, in Cambodia, students and staff are working together on the implementation of a Learning Lab. The aim of this 2 years project is for the students to get to learn in a dynamic and adaptable way and to facilitate communication and group work. Some characteristics of the Learning Lab include a large room, movable chairs, whiteboards and overhead projectors. As it is an ongoing project, the second step will be to get movable custom-made tables and laptops!

In the same way that SA manage regular events, students are also involved in larger-scale one-off projects. SA collect, suggest new ideas and coordinate the implementation of those projects inside or outside the centers.

Passerelles numériques Student Association helps students be more autonomous, more creative and to improve students’ lives. All this is done in collaboration with the Education Team, who support and advise the students on how to proceed, and validate any important decision.

“ Students are getting a lot of profits from being part of the SA. Such as time management, which is very helpful for the students. They have to be on time, to respect schedules. Another thing is important: sharing information & communication. Not only about what we have learn, but also communication between students, with the teachers & PN staff. Being part of SA makes me confident” Heng LOEM, Current President of PNC Student Association.

As part of the Educational training, being part of the Student Association or a member of a club helps the students to improve their soft skills. e.g. Teamwork, Organization, Responsibility, Communication and Presentation skills among many others, which will help them both personally and professionally.

This has been a description of just one component of everyday life at our centres. We hope you enjoyed the update and see you soon for more “news from the field”!