DMU graduates volunteer as school governors

De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) encourages active participation with charitable work and community engagement by our staff, students and alumni.  Two DMU graduates, Daryn Leggett and James Scorer, spoke to us about their continuing volunteering as school governors in their local area.

Daryn, who studied a BA in Business Management from 2015-2018 through DMU's partnership with his employer KFC, now works as an Area Manager for the Northeast of England and oversees over 400 employees. 

Discussing his work he said: "My role is very varied and keeps me busy, I deal with everything from HR, staff development, finances and accounts at different levels.  I was fortunate in that the skill sets and practical learning I gained at DMU translates so well into my professional life, it has been really helpful in my day to day work.

Daryn pictured above (centre)

"I've now been in my position long enough to be comfortable with my job and I felt like I had the capability to give something back to the local community alongside my day job.  A lot of what I do at work is about ensuring restaurants run efficiently and implementing decisions at a strategic level.  

"I had been involved in employability schemes with numerous schools around the country, so when the opportunity arose to become a governor at Monkseaton High School, I was eager to get involved.

"I've found that the responsibilities of a governor are well suited to the skills I've developed over my working career.  I'm part of the strategic decision making team, helping to appoint the school's management team, then monitoring the execution of their long term plan and ensuring it complies with the aims of the local authority.  It's very rewarding to be part of the behind the scenes work that enables a school to be well run and for pupils to receive a high quality education.

"I'd recommend volunteering to anyone who's considering it, although I think it's important to know how much time you're able to devote and what you want to get out of it.  Volunteering as a school governor is generally a longer term commitment and you're not likely to see immediate dramatic changes, but it is incredibly satisfying when you see the decisions taken by the board of governors result in improvements.  

Echoing these sentiments, fellow alumnus James Scorer said:

"As for why I became a school governor, both my parents and the majority of my family are, or have been teachers.  I felt therefore, that I would be able to add value to an educational institution with my knowledge of the field combined with the skills and experience from my career in the private sector, particularly by challenging the established status quo.

Furthermore, I understood many of the serious challenges surrounding schools' finances and I was keen to offer my assistance in resolving these issues.  I'm a huge proponent of education, both for the value that it adds to society and its fundamental role in economic development.  I would thoroughly recommend the experience of school governance."

If you would like to find out more about volunteering as a school governor, please click here.