Election Season - letter to students

Perhaps a rather strange thing to Blog, but I think it’s important to remind people that RUSU Elections are coming up and one of the positions you can be elected to is Vice-President Welfare – my current role. I’ve tried to identify some key groups that might be interested in this, and hopefully this letter will give you some ideas of what it is I do and what you could do differently.

VP Welfare is primarily a trustee, a representative and a campaigner. As a trustee they look after the RUSU organisation and, along with the rest of the trustee board, are legally and financially responsible for everything from 3Sixty to the Nursery and licensing to the intricacies of European legislation on minibuses. There’s a lot of support in this role and is more exciting than it might sound at first.

As a representative they are the “face of students” concerning Welfare issues to the local community, police and University. This role might include speaking on local radio about student accommodation, sitting on a board that makes decisions about the University health Centre or attending a local community forum on safety issues. It’s also as a representative that you’ll have an input into particular aspects of Welfare provision from the Students Union, like the Housing talks in Halls and be a link between JCR Welfare Reps and other Welfare services.

Many people get into Student politics because they want to change something – and this is where the campaigner comes in. You could be organising a walk for better lighting on campus, being part of an NUS march for higher education funding or petitioning the University to improve facilities in Halls.

The above examples are all things I’ve done (or plan to do) whilst being VP Welfare, but the role is flexible enough that you can make it your own. Is the burning issue on campus Sexual health rather than safety? Should we be doing less for accommodation and more for Mental Health?

It’s a wonderful, challenging and exciting job that offers you opportunities you’ll never get again. Each day you wake up knowing today’s job is to support and help students and the staff you work with are amazing. You feel part of a local, regional and national team through the Student movement and beyond.

If anyone is interested in running for VP Welfare next term and wants to consider what the role means and what they can bring to it then please get in touch.

Nick Smith

Nickers updates his Blog... sort of

I've been really busy so apologies for not Blogging. Some stuff I have been up to includes:

· Money Week planning
· Ali’s memorial service
· Meeting with Martin Salter MP about safety
· Welfare Committee
· LGBT safety talk
· Welfare Support and Guidance University meeting
· Several days worth of press calls about students drinking
· Work supporting the build up to National Demo
· National Demo
· 2 talks to Fe students about coming to University and also some Chinese Ambassadors
· Sick with Shingles over Money Week so only worked half days and felt grumpy
· Met Janet Richards from Peer Support
· Met with LGBT to discuss Sexual Health
· Attended a local residence forum on safety
· Discussed student accommodation websites and landlord accreditation with head of accommodation service
· Organised the Night Walk – 25 people came including the Mayor.
· Dealt with press coverage surrounding Night Walk
· Physics Lobby
· Helped with 2 Course Rep training sessions
· Self Defence classes – again about 20 people attended and the feedback was excellent.
· “Don’t panic about” housing posters
· Working on community relations with councillors and MPs
· Sexual Health Fair (today)

Also – casework ranging from accommodation to sexual health to hygiene, supporting JCR Reps with campaign support, financial stuff like balancing accounts and signing cheques, building Facebook networks and of course the disciplinary actions.

Fish watch – fish are fine, cleaned regularly, but I think they may have worms as they’re pooing a lot at the moment.

Next term’s plans:
Biggest housing campaign ever, balanced lifestyle campaign.

Freshers Week Blog – 29th September to 6th October

The International Welcome programme (29th – 1st) in 3Sixty went well and it was nice to work with other support networks within the University such as the International Office and the chaplaincy. There are some issues that need to be addressed before next year, but I’m confident these can be looked at.

The Open Day was as busy as we expected, and we fielded many questions about the potential closure of Physics. I always enjoy a chance to discuss the Students Union and what we offer, especially to new students.

On Monday I attended meetings for Mature Students and first year students currently placed in Host Families or houses and kept an eye on the Freshers Angels.

Tuesday – International Foundation Programme talk, helping the general mayhem that is the Union and campus during Freshers’ (directing, guiding, welcoming etc.).

Wednesday morning saw me speaking about student accommodation on BBC Radio Berkshire. I raised my concerns about private halls, concerns shared by two Freshers who were also interviewed, and visited a student house. My mum was very impressed.

While at Freshers Fair I kept losing my voice when I encouraged people to sign up for the Admission Impossible petition and demonstration – over 1,500 signatures and hopefully several coach loads of people coming on the demo itself.

On Thursday night I also attended the International tea-party put on by the VC and met with students in unusual housing situations as part of the quiz and karaoke.

By the end of the week I was completely shattered, a state that I was to get used to in week 1...

Week 1 Blog 9th October – 14th October

Much of this week is a blur, the tragic news of Alison Kemble’s death hit many people very hard and there were long periods of shock among the Sabbatical Team and others.

Monday started off with the Physics meeting, which I really enjoyed and showed how much students care about this issue. I caught up on a lot of my paperwork and e-mails from the previous week. In the afternoon I talked with the Careers Service about Student Rights at work and joined the LGBT that evening for their social and the scizzor sisterz gig.

There was more Physics debate at Senate, which I sit on. I was shocked by the way the question about keeping the department open was phrased and also by the way heads of School voted. There are other options between “close a department” and “cut all budgets” but these were ignored. If another department faces closure, no doubt everyone will vote for that one if it’s not their own. At the Students’ Union we often say that unity is strength – aspects of the University seem to think strength lies only in self-interest.

Also this week I was keeping an eye on the situation in Wessex with the suspected Meningitis, various bits of case work and attended a get together of Mature Students.

Saturday was a SEANUS Executive meeting, followed by my birthday party which had a London Underground fancy dress and was a much needed break at the end of the week.

Week 2 Blog 16th October – 22nd October

On Monday I caught up with the other Sabbs and discussed plans over the next few days. Also this week I’ve been doing lots of work for Money Week and the National Demo, met with Martin Salter MP and attended the very moving memorial service for Ali.

Reggie Dancing

A Quick Blog before Freshers starts in earnest

Since last time…

• Attended meetings about Student Advice branding, International students (x2) and the RUSU Trustee Board on 20th September
• Finished the Welfare JCR packs – over 2,800 condoms, 200 attack alarms, 750 ‘Spikies’ and LOTS of leaflets and posters distributed
• Did a press release about RUSU Money Doctors
• Trained 20 Freshers’ Angels
• Got 30 Freshers’ Angels printed
• Attended a meeting about Training sessions as part of RU Ready
• Helped at the first day of International Student Welcome Programme
• Spoke to June Orton and Tony Paige, two local Councillors about my campaign plans
• Wrote a letter in reply to Rob Wilson MP, to be blogged later
• Tried out the smoothies at Cereal Works
• Did some LGBT awareness work with Sam, Dave and Ryan
• Generally answered e-mails – and in trying to answer some got more information than I expected
• Raved with incredulity at the decision of the University to reduce Student Parking permits, but not staff ones

I also helped my brother and sister-in-law to be plan a Wedding, baked 3 cakes and didn't go clubbing in London.

Nick x

A message for Freshers

As the handbooks have now gone out, there will be many Freshers looking at this and other Sabbatical Blogs for the first time. I’ve outlined elsewhere my background, roles and plans but I think it pertinent to explain to new students, and indeed even some returners to talk about Welfare and the student experience. And the message should be regarded as a positive one.

It’s true that occasionally Welfare is often about supporting someone who is upset or worried, lonely or unhappy. I hope that you don’t feel these things at University, and for many people University is a great time in their lives. It doesn’t mean it always will be a great time for everyone however, and this is why we have Welfare representation. It’s my job to make things better, through campaigns, meetings and making sure that there are services from the University and the Union.

Reading University is generally a safe and enjoyable place. Students, especially new ones, shouldn’t feel worried about coming to University at all. We campaign because things can always be better, not because things are always bad. A degree opens many doors to you, but should be a door open to everyone, not just those that can afford it. The University campus is a friendly environment, but we can make it better with more lighting. Reading is full of life and opportunities, but better transport for Students would allow us to enjoy it even more.

So come to Reading with optimism, come to Reading with confidence but also come to Reading ready to fight, campaign and be part of your Union.

Freshers, Money Doctors, National Demonstrations and other things which I have planned...

Here is a ‘what I did in my last week’ Blog. It’s quite difficult at this time of year as so much of it is to do with finalising things for the term ahead and makes for less than interesting reading…

Monday 11th September – Freshers Planning, sorting out JCR Welfare boxes.
Tuesday 12th September – Sorting out stuff for the RUSU Campaigns stall and enquiring about publicity materials for the year ahead.
Wednesday 13th September – Talk about money Doctors, a scheme that RUSU is part of which looks at Student Advice in finance and how it ties into money weeks and the finance campaign ‘Money for Nothing’. Also took part in the Demo Planning at RUSU.
Thursday 14th September – Met a ‘Money Doctor’ from Roehampton, replied to lots of e-mails and general paperwork…
Friday 15th September – Talked to Kay Dickinson and Dave Lewis about the house hunting day on Saturday and did more work on the JCR packs, Freshers Angels and other planning bits and bobs.
Saturday 16th September – House Hunting day at Palmer Building all morning. Met lots of new students and tried to make a difficult situation better. It’s frustrating that with the new variable fees so many University’s are squeezing students into courses, and I hope that this is not a sign for things to come. We need more Halls places yes, but with proper pastoral support systems and not just a shell for living in. I’d hate to think that the University were looking at commerce and residency as the same thing

Slide Show from Sabbatical Social