VP Wellbeing Update 11 January

Posted 112 Months Ago

Sahara Choudhury, VP Wellbeing

What I have been working on Semester 1...

• Refurbished the Advice Hub- as the Union’s welfare department it needed a touch up to make it a more workable and inviting space. The work the Advisors do is the most important: from helping students with their mental health to handing out sexual health materials, we know the Advice Hub is pivotal for student survival!
• Was elected to attend NUS Scotland Zones Conference where I debated and pushed forward items that were important for our campus in relation to asking Parliament what they can do for students- this includes improving the mental health services at institutions across Scotland.
• Leading your Student Union to better represent your views and be more inclusive- such as being opposed to PREVENT. Alongside other officers and students, we have educated ourselves on PREVENT (#StudentsNotSuspects tour) and have support from the National Union of Students (our policy was shared nationally)
• Building better links with the Muslim Society and Students with Kids in hopes to include them in the Union by dealing with their issues and representing them to the University
• Raising awareness of the Liberation groups on campus- by engaging new students in Freshers Week to sign up (395 new students to the groups) and re-branding to the Liberation Operation
• Co-ordinating and pulling together a week of events for Mental Health Week- from Agnes Torok a LoudPoet leading a mental health and happiness session to CRAFTPUNK
• Pushing a campaign to get students to fundraise for mens health: Movember
• Getting Liberation groups more active- we had very little representation for International students, despite being an international university. I engaged many new students to join the International Students Group, formed a committee and encouraged students to become the Representatives. This new group is passionate and have already hosted a Tea and Chat welcome session and a Diwali Party to engage more international students. We currently plan on more activities in semester 2 to celebrate international cultures.
• After engaging more members to join Womens Group, I lead the first meeting and from that we gained a new elected Womens Officer and 2 committee members. We have a plan of activities for semester 2
• I joined many of NUS Scotland in going down to Westminster to lobby our MPs about the worrying increase in student debt, the cuts to maintenance grants (preventing the poorest students from attending education), cuts to Nursing bursaries and the Disabled Students Allowance being cut. This is a serious Welfare concern, one that I am adamant to help in dealing with at a national level.
• Peer mentoring is shortly to be piloted and I am the Union point of contact for it as I am incredibly passionate about its run and success
• I am working on my Change One Thing which is to find more Muslim Prayer Space on Campus as well as Ladies Products in the bathroom
• I have planned the E and D side of Refreshers Week as well as Diversity Week upcoming in semester 2, as well as finishing Mental Health First Aid training so I can better support students in need who find me as the first point of contact