Are you considering standing for a position at The Students’ Union? If yes, great! If no, why not? It is one of the most empowering things you will ever do. 

Being part of The Students’ Union has been one of the best decisions I have made to date, I ended up involved in something bigger than I originally anticipated. The organisation works tirelessly to deliver for students; whether that's the officers campaigning on a variety of issues, staff members organising BUCS trips, or voicing concerns in high level meetings with the University directorate. By standing in the elections, you will have the opportunity to make a change and ensure that the student voice is heard. These changes can be anything, big or small, it depends what matters to you and your fellow students.

Over 2016/17, the Executive team has worked on a variety of projects to improve the student experience at university. We have reduced the cost of graduation tickets, worked with Accommodation to get wifi in laundry rooms, created more vegetarian options at the bar, as well as organising events for everyone to get involved with. The range of things you can achieve is endless. 

Don’t get me wrong, running in the elections is hard work, but so worth it. A week of solid campaigning; talking to hundreds of students, running around to different campuses and giving out freebies is exhausting… but nothing beats that feeling of exhilaration when you win. The elections ensure that The Students' Union always has a current representative that the students believe in. The Students’ Union needs to be student-led so that the work it does is relevant to you. You could be the student that leads it!

My role; Vice-President Societies & Communication, is one of the best as you can engage with such a fantastic body of students that really care about creating a community here at UWE Bristol. The societies are diverse and hearing about their thriving success is a daily motivation. Societies helped shape my time at university, broadening my social and academic network; supporting them is incredibly rewarding. Standing for VP Societies & Communication would allow you to champion and empower these student groups so they can be the best they can be. The position gives you a chance to support and invest in societies, create sustainable student groups for the future and leave a legacy. 

If you would like to know more, please contact me at vpsocsandcomms@uwe.ac.uk or the Elections team at suelections@uwe.ac.uk