Becoming a PAL Leader is likely to be one of the most rewarding experiences during your time at University. Working closely with other PAL Leaders, you will plan and deliver weekly study sessions to support your fellow students and develop valuable skills employers look for. There are many opportunities for you to become a PAL Leader on your course, or to help students learning a language.
What does being a PAL Leader involve?
PAL Leaders work in teams to plan and deliver weekly study sessions for students in the year below. You can use activities and resources to encourage students to work together to develop their understanding of course concepts. Alongside the sessions, you will also meet regularly with a Senior PAL Leader, who is there to support you in your role, develop and review sessions and help you come up with ideas or resolve issues.
Why should I become a PAL Leader?
Being a PAL Leader is a great way to support other students and develop yourself. As a PAL Leader, you can…
- Develop valuable skills that employers look for, including communication and facilitation skills, organisation, teamwork and networking to boost your C.V.
- Consolidate course knowledge by revisiting core ideas and skills.
- Build a sense of community within your department
- Have the opportunity to attend PAL events and conferences, including the European PAL Leader Conference.
How do I become a PAL Leader?
In order to become a PAL Leader, you need to complete a short application form demonstrating why you would make a great PAL Leader. We recommend reading the role description and outlining the skills and experiences you have that are relevant to the role.
Successful candidates are invited to a training day in Freshers Week, where our new PAL Leaders will develop the skills and qualities they need to run effective PAL sessions with support from the Peer Support Team.
Please note that only students who have studied a programme or unit with a PAL scheme can apply to become a PAL Leader.
Read the Role Description
Apply now to be a PAL Leader
Current PAL schemes
What does being a PAL Leader involve?
PAL Leaders work in teams to plan and deliver weekly study sessions for students learning a language at University. You can use activities and resources to encourage students to practise using the language and learn about different cultures.
Read the role profile
We are looking for PAL Leaders who are native or near-native speakers of the following languages.
- Arabic
- English
- French
- German
- Italian
- Japanese
- Mandarin Chinese
- Portuguese
- Spanish
- Russian
Why should I become a PAL Leader?
Being a PAL Leader is a great way to support other students, develop yourself and celebrate your culture. As a PAL Leader, you can…
- Develop valuable skills that employers look for, including communication and facilitation skills, organisation, teamwork and networking to boost your C.V.
- Share and celebrate your culture.
- Build a sense of community by meeting people learning languages.
How do I become a PAL Leader?
In order to become a PAL Leader, you need to complete a short application form demonstrating why you would make a great PAL Leader. We recommend reading the role description and outlining the skills and experiences you have that are relevant to the role. Applications normally open in September each year.
Successful candidates are invited to a training session near the start of the semester, where our new PAL Leaders will develop the skills and qualities they need to run effective sessions with support from the Peer Support Team.
Apply now
What does being a Senior PAL Leader involve?
Senior PAL Leaders act as a mentor for new PAL Leaders, facilitating weekly debriefs and supporting Leaders to plan sessions, develop activities and resolve issues. They also work with the Peer Support Team to run training and personal development opportunities for PAL Leaders and help develop PAL across the University.
Why should I become a Senior PAL Leader?
Being a Senior PAL Leader is a great way to build on your experience as a PAL Leader and support new leaders as they take on the role. As a Senior PAL Leader, you can…
- Develop valuable skills that employers look for, including leadership, communication and facilitation skills, problem-solving and organisation to boost your C.V.
- Develop mentoring experience by supporting new PAL Leaders
- Have the opportunity to deliver training and development activities for students
- Have the opportunity to attend PAL events and conferences, including the European PAL Leader Conference.
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How do I become a Senior PAL Leader?
In order to become a Senior PAL Leader, you need to complete a short application form demonstrating why you would make a great Senior PAL Leader. We recommend reading the role description and outlining the skills and experiences you have that are relevant to the role. You must also have previous experience as a PAL Leader – current and previous PAL Leaders are both welcome to apply.
Applications are open over the summer and successful applicants will be invited to a training session around Freshers Week, where new Senior PAL Leaders will develop the skills and qualities they need to complete the role with support from the Peer Support Team.
Read the Role Description
Apply now!