My update for the AGM
Current:
Publications
We’ve been working really hard to make sure our publications this year reflect our diverse student population. We’ve sent student photographers to many of the network events to try and capture some of the identity, cultural, faith and campaign based activity that go on across campuses for better promotion of student networks.
Glenside Development
This year I have been assigned to Glenside campus with VP Education JJ Clark. We’ve both been working closely to develop the community at Glenside. There currently is a new coffee shop that sells Starbucks, replacing the old shabby disco area with the nice comfy chilled space. We’ve also together started coffee mornings for students to come along, socialise, paint personalised coffee mugs, and find out more about how to get involved with their students union. For the future we’d like to bring more activities down to Glenside like movie nights, social themed nights and more coffee mornings to create a better community feel.
One World Fiesta/Interfaith Week – I’ve been involved with setting one world fiesta and interfaith week up to create something bigger and better this year and what an exciting time of year as we’ll all be celebrating the diversity, culture and talent we as networks can offer across UWE.
Student Safety/Welfare
With the Hidden Marks report by the NUS recently being publish I’m currently planning a campaign which will launch late November that aims to prevent and tackle the culture of sexual abuse on campus. This is something I’ve been working on very closely with UWE and the White Ribbon UK campaign. The campaign is called the Anti-Abuse Campaign and will be getting students to pledge in support of the campaign. We’ll also be giving out white ribbons for students to wear to raise awareness.
Freshers' Accommodation Forum (FAF)
This term I’ll be setting up a Fresher’s Accommodation Forum and invite all students from halls accommodation to raise student matters within accommodation. This will be a chance for students to discuss issues they may be facing within their stay at halls accommodation. It will also be a chance for students to discuss solutions to these arising issues.
Future:
Along with the Anti-Abuse Campaign I’ll be working closely with SARI to deliver HateCrime campaigns across our university. This is to prevent and raise awareness of these issues that are prevalent across the UK and our local Bristol community.
I’ll also be delivering a campaign with VP Sports for Shag Week to promote safer sex.
Taxis
A large part of my manifesto was to do with safety and expenses of taxis. So currently creating a survey and case study group for students - this I’ll be launching in second term to get feedback on experience students may have had with taxis. If you’re interested in being in the case study group to talk about experiences that may have happened to you in taxis then please contact me. Over 50-60% of students are the population in streets and bars on nights out so it is crucial we feel safe especially when on our own traveling back to our homes.
Don’t Rent Yet!
I've started this campaign up to warn students of the dangers of renting too fast during the months of October – January. Students that rush renting are more susceptible to problems. This meaning they could suffer financial difficulty/loss, scam traps, and much more. Tuesday 14th October is the launch date which was a successful interactive day. Until January the Campaign will be running and if you’d like to be part of the campaign team and do something fun please contact me at; vpcommwelfare@uwe.ac.uk
Property Portal
Students raised in the Community & Welfare committee that a lot of students have housing issues and there needed to be some kind of system/guidance in place if student’s experiences are poor. The ‘Property Portal’ is an idea I came up with which coincides my ‘Don’t Rent Yet’ campaign for students that do rush renting. I’m currently creating a website system that will help students swap tenancy, this can be for many reason; financial difficulty, friendship problems, deferring/dropping out of university or other changing circumstances.
Networks and new networks
Currently we have 5 new networks that have started up, meaning we now have over 30 networks in total. Post grad, Anti-Abuse, Pagan, Pilipino, and Nepalese networks have all been newly welcomed and we’ve worked with each student network to help them be as successful as possible whilst starting up. Each network also got the opportunity to participate in the Fresher’s Fair 2014 welcome event as we provided each with their own stall to promote themselves. Throughout these last couple of weeks we’ve also be training each network committee.
£15 week challenge
In addition, I have been working on the £15 week challenge and getting the presidents to participate for better promotion and awareness of budgeting financially at uni. The challenge is where participants can only spend £15 on food for 7days and budgeting is crucial.
If you moustache me a question – email me on vpcommwelfare@uwe.ac.uk