After seven years as a governor for MidKent College, Christopher Reeves has shared the reasons he volunteered for what he describes as ‘a privilege’, and what he would advise anyone considering the same role.
Born and raised in Gillingham, Chris had the family connections that made MidKent an obvious choice. “This is my community. My dad was director of education at a large college and many of my family worked in the trades, so I knew they all came through the further education system. When I was considering becoming a governor, it made sense to consider a college instead of a school.
“I was looking online to see if there were any opportunities. Another governor at MidKent with a legal background was stepping down so I sent my CV through. Then I got the chance to explore the college, walk round. It wasn’t a formal process. There was an informal interview. I met the principal and the chair of governors and here we are!”
Chris works in London as an ombudsman with the Financial Ombudsman Service, which investigates complaints about financial service providers. In his career, he makes legally binding decisions on sensitive, complex, high-risk and high-profile complaints but says his voluntary work as a governor has enhanced his skills.
“Being a governor gave me an incredible opportunity and it was a privilege to be involved. You do have an impact, but no one does it alone.
It’s like with a football team, everyone from the water boy to the top scorer, you all have a part to play.
“I joined when I was 32 and for anyone who is at an earlier stage of their career, I would say that the people you learn from are incredible. The role isn’t about self-interest but at board level, you get to meet managing directors and it changes you. You develop your own professional skills as a side benefit watching how other people at that level work. I also saw how the public and private sector have different ways of thinking and try to straddle the two, trying to pull them together.
“I joined MidKent when it technically ‘required improvement’ but it was clearly on its way up and looking at ways it could do better. Working with professional leaders, transforming how they provide education is wonderful. MidKent really engages with students to help them attend. For this college, it’s about engagement not attendance – giving people who might go adrift real life chances. The college has become a leader in the green economy and personally, I’m very proud of how inclusive it is.”
Often, people who consider becoming a governor are unsure of what the role involves, and Chris Reeves has reassurance. “I sat on every single committee at different times, over the past 7 years, not intentionally! With a legal and compliance background, that skill set meant I could bring additional value to different committees.
If your skill set is valuable, then the opportunity is there. All the governors have 5 meetings a year. It is a 2–3-hour formal process, where you speak through the chair. As a committee member, you meet 3 times a year for 2 hours, and they’re spaced out nicely. You might have one meeting a month, but you must prepare. You do need to have read your papers beforehand.”
He believes colleges need a broad range of experience at governor level. With what they’re responsible for and their impact on the community, he says a college should have a mix of those who are time rich, those with current experience as an employer, someone from the relevant local authorities, key stakeholders, local business leaders. “There’s space for everyone because it’s important there’s diversity of experience. I mentor the student governors and their voice is incredibly valuable. It’s the same with staff governors. For the challenges we face, it’s not about being an executive level professional, we need to hear from those who are part of the community.”
Governors also get the chance to see how the college operates, and for Chris Reeves, this was the most enjoyable part of his term. “Apart from the formal meetings, you can arrange to make informal visits. I loved spending time with students and going on learning walks with the Director of Quality, the member of the senior leadership team who is responsible for helping lecturers improve.
“The way they do it at MidKent College is really collaborative. You are welcomed into classes, you get to walk round for 10 minutes, you can ask direct questions about their learning outcomes, lesson plans, and touch base with more junior staff, and then get to talk to the students, to learn about their experience and their future plans, and to see if they’re engaged.”
He experienced how the college handled the pandemic. “They did such a phenomenal job in difficult circumstances. Every time I engage with the college, I am impressed with the people I meet. During Covid for those teaching young people, with so many entitled to free school meals, the question was: how did we get them to eat, and give them the opportunities and qualifications they need to transform their lives? Not socialising had a real impact on their mental health. The college staff worked their socks off.
As a governor, Chris Reeves says he has pride in what they’ve achieved during a challenging period. “Every college has to be all things to all people, I genuinely think it’s a foundation stone for the community, and such an important place for young people and businesses.
“In my experience of Further Education, nothing compared to Covid. But at different times, something significant was always happening. For example, shortly after I joined the Governing Body, another college went into administration, and we suddenly had to consider the possibility of merger and carry out due diligence. There’s often dramas but I had no doubt the college would rise to the occasion.”
He has these final words of advice to anyone who is considering becoming a governor. “They should reach out to the college and spend some time there. I promise they will be inspired by it. It’s just the most wonderful place. I didn’t really think of that before I joined. Being a governor has for me been a really wonderful experience.”
