DrJames Barkell

During my confirmation period, I have contributed extensively to governance, leadership, student support, community engagement, and professional outreach across the School, University, and broader community. I have held two GLE roles within SSESW. My initial role as Scholarships Coordinator involved developing relationships with independent schools, strengthening scholarship partnerships, and contributing to outreach initiatives that supported student recruitment and access pathways. Despite moving on from this role, I have continued to contribute to the Scholarships Program, remaining part of the selection committee and participate in more than 20 scholarship-related meetings annually to support equitable decision-making processes for applicants.

My current role as HPE Student Life Advisor has focused heavily on student wellbeing, retention, and academic success. I participate in academic progression meetings, support students experiencing academic or personal difficulties, and work collaboratively with academic and professional staff to coordinate appropriate interventions and support strategies. This role has involved substantial pastoral care, one-on-one mentoring, and cross-unit collaboration, helping strengthen student engagement and fostering a supportive student-centred culture within the program. I have also taken on and led the HPE program’s social media, contributing to the development of HPE Social Media Guidelines aligning with University policy.
Supporting inclusion and widening participation has remained central to my service contributions. I consistently host students from Uni 2 Beyond in my classes, a social inclusion initiative run by the Centre for Disability Studies at the University that enables people with intellectual disabilities the chance to experience university life. I have also contributed to the NSW Disability Sport Roll-A-Thon, through the University of Sydney team, supporting inclusive participation in sport. I have hosted students from Life Without Barriers to provide foster-care students with exposure to university learning environments, helped organise international student welcome events and hosted work-experience students from local High Schools to support educational aspiration-building and community engagement.
A highlight of my GLE activity was serving on the organising committee for the Business and Development of Women's Football 2023 Conference held alongside the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. My responsibilities included coordinating workshops and panel discussions and contributing significantly to the development of the conference program and website. The conference attracted leading academics, coaches, athletes, and current and former Matildas representatives, while also generating substantial public and media engagement.
My broader community engagement has also been recognised nationally. In 2024, I received the Rugby Australia Community Coach of the Year award and was named a finalist for the Australian Sports Volunteer of the Year. These recognitions reflect sustained leadership and impact within community sport. In addition, my coach education podcast has exceeded 12,000 downloads, extending the reach of research-informed practice to coaches, educators, and practitioners.

Further contributions include honours marking, participation on PhD proposal panels, serving as a Fire Warden, presenting at the NSW Primary Schools Sports Association, and ongoing engagement with interdisciplinary research and industry networks including the SPARTAN and SMASHD Research Groups. Collectively, these activities demonstrate sustained leadership, governance, service, and community impact consistent with expectations for a Level B academic.