CampusConnect welcomes new Community Ambassadors

February was a busy time for the CampusConnect community as we kick off our most recent round of launches with partner universities. This involves leading several welcome and training sessions with those who keep our student spaces thriving: our Community Ambassadors. 

Community Ambassadors play a crucial role in welcoming, conversation starting, and moderating across the CampusConnect apps. For over 6 years now, we’ve been developing specialist training to help them develop their skills for this role and beyond. Community Ambassadors are equipped with digital communication strategies, technical know-how and teamwork and gain essential knowledge of community engagement, digital community building/management and intercultural competence. 

The guidance doesn’t stop at training: we take a high-touch, tailored approach to Ambassador support and management. Ambassadors are supported throughout their role by our dedicated Community Manager, Adele. We also work closely with the host university to ensure they are rewarded tangibly, whether this is financially or by recognition and support to extend their networks. 

So what makes a Community Ambassador different to the typical ambassador role? At CampusConnect, we don’t train students to become mini marketing robots. There are no scripts, nor a pressure to present a perfect image of every aspect of student life. Instead, we focus on authenticity, personal experience and shared learning. 

Whilst a key part of the Community Ambassador role is responding to questions from incoming students, there is a strong focus on non-transactional interaction. Every year, we see an increasing number of messages about pancake toppings across the apps (with the latest total being around 8,000!) These conversations are what help students to find out more about each other, discover peers with similar interests, and go on to build long-lasting friendships.

Being a CampucConnect Community Ambassador is a rewarding experience: offering the chance to develop soft skills, professional experience, and personal gain. Approximately 80% of our Ambassadors are former CampusConnect users with a desire to remain part of the network and give back to the community that helped them to transition to and succeed at their university.