Professional Ambassadors are volunteers from a wide range of geography related jobs and sub-disciplinary backgrounds who offer their time, knowledge, skills and enthusiasm to bring geography to life for secondary school and university students in the UK.
Ambassadors are an important resource for educators. They work with the Society to offer informative and interactive sessions that will help students to:
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Choose to study geography past the compulsory age of 14.
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‘Bridge’ the gaps between school, university and the workplace in terms of subject knowledge and skills.
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Better understand the dynamic nature of geography in the news.
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Recognise the relevance of geography in the workplace and the range of different career pathways available, through learning about what you do in your job and the opportunities you took to develop your career.
Why be an Ambassador?
Contributing to the Society’s Professional Geography Ambassador scheme is an excellent opportunity to showcase your geographical knowledge and skills to the fore, enhance understanding of the importance and relevance of geography in study and careers.
Becoming a subject ambassador and speaking to students about careers is a recognised by many employers and professional accreditations (including Chartered Geographer) as a key form of Continuing Professional Development.
Working with the Society offers a unique opportunity to be part of the wider geographical community, including networking with other professional ambassadors.
Support from the Society
The Society provides support for all Geography Ambassadors. This includes:
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A matching service, in which the Society lets you know of schools or universities near you that have requested a Professional Ambassador visit. You can also approach schools directly, or tell us when you’ve been invited.
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An online resource bank of information/activities and ideas for engaging young people, key messages for geography, the curriculum and what students are learning, and suggestions for session planning.
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Keeping a record of visits completed, and providing follow-up support or resources for the school or teacher where appropriate.
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Offering occasional in-person training sessions, or bespoke Ambassador workshops at your workplace for a larger group.
Delivering a session
The amount of time you'll be speaking for will be determined by the type of event you're speaking at.
Universities will usually ask for a general introduction to your role and career, how you use geography in your work, and hints and tips for students on getting into similar roles/sectors. Presentations range from 15 to 60 minutes, and you may be speaking on your own or as part of a panel.
In schools, sessions are usually 40 to 60 minutes in length, but may be longer by negotiation. Secondary school teachers commonly request one of the following session formats:
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Option evening: A talk given to GCSE or A Level students and their parents about your career and how studying geography has contributed to it (usually takes places after school hours/in the evening).
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Key Stage 4 options: A session for students aged 13 to 14 about choosing geography for GCSE.
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A Level options: A session for students aged 15 and 16 about choosing geography for A Level.
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Going Places with Geography: Careers events held at the Society or in regional locations, in which a range of Professional Ambassadors are invited to explore the relevance and importance of career opportunities associated with geography with groups of students.
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Geography at university events: Small focussed workshops intended to improve awareness of what it’s like to study geography at university, from geographical topics to skills and technology, based on your experience
We would be happy to discuss other opportunities for partnerships between your employer and a school, for example through placements, site visits or fieldwork. We also welcome the offer of ‘real world’ problem-solving, data and other information that can be used for curriculum-specific teaching resource packs in different environments.
Contact us to become a Professional Ambassador
If you would like to be added to our list of Professional Geography Ambassadors please contact professional@rgs.org. We are in the process of developing a range of resources and support processes and will keep in touch.