VP Wellbeing Update Feb 9

Posted 111 Months Ago

As your Vice president Wellbeing, I work around improving your Welfare and Equal Opportunities and representation.  I have spent a great deal of time engaging new students into groups and activities, and throwing events to educate and empower students- check out week 1’s Liberation activities and our Diversity Week!

• I ran our first team meeting of the semester of gathering all Liberation officers, and the welfare officer to plan our semester. Having a full team meeting was important to get as many officers to lead and create projects of their own, and for me to have less focus on leading officers so I can work on university issues or external welfare campaigns. Some projects the officers will lead on and some I shall be leading on.

1. At the meeting it was discussed myself and Welfare exec shall create a charity donation base at the Union for the refugee crisis (REACTIVE). This is a project that means a lot to many of our students who come from so many different places around the world, and really want to give donations in helping refugees fleeing from poverty and war

2. I am working with International Students Group about refugee scholarships (other universities provide these). I have passed the following research onto the university: : Dundee University have a working group with aims for at least one Scholarship per school; Stirling University are financially supporting a PhD student from Palestine and have a fee waivering scheme for Syrian refugees; Middlesex University have agreed to house and school refugees, University of East London,  and Sussex University have scholarships, Essex University has a fund for refugees, Warwick University has 20 scholarships over two years, Sheffield Hallam University are working to provide yearly scholarships to asylum speakers and refugees,  and finally Goldsmiths University have gotten 6 this year for Syrians and have 2 others for Palestinians and one for war trauma, they have a business case for the 6 new ones that was put forward to senior management for funding to waive accommodation and tuition plus a £10,000 living bursary throughout UG and PG studies. Our students urge the university to do the same.

3. I am also working on GLOBAL DAY with the International students committee. This year we have seen whole new kinds of engagement with students from around the world, especially transfer students from Dubai. We are hoping to host a magnificent day to celebrate our students from around the world and currently are actively seeking students to participate.

• I spent an afternoon pushing Scottish elections and encouraging students to register to vote; it is incredibly important to have as many student registered to vote as we want the Scottish elections to focus on the many student needs- such as improving Mental Health support for students, Further Education support, and increased grants for Higher Education students. Register to vote here: https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
• I was at SBC for a day to help push any welfare activities that are happening there, and would like to support SBC’s causes whenever I can this semester
• Promoting Peer Mentoring to get first years to sign up to the many third and final year mentors we have- if you’re interested in joining the Peer mentoring programme please email: e.smail@hw.ac.uk
• Working with Womens Group around the lack of feminine products in bathrooms on campus. At a male dominated university it’s a travesty that pads/ tampons ad hygiene bins are not provided in campus bathrooms. The university have said they are doing this- we await to see any action, and if none are taken, there shall be a campaign on this
• I have spent some time on Islam Awareness Week and co-ordinating the Union side- ticketing, promotion. Trips to a Mosque for first timers and giving a speech on Islamophobia at the start of the week.
• I am involved in activities for Wellbeing week alongside the university and Sports Union- there will be Sexual health awareness with the Advice Hub, Therapets, Mindfulness/ mediation tasters and fundraising for See Me Scotlands cause of Student Depression at the Depressed Cake Shop – this is all coming in week 5!
• I was contacted by an external organisation to give research on Mental Health initiatives for students- they are developing an app for students who suffer from anxiety, stress and depression in hopes to help those who are most isolated
• I have been actively working on our Anti- PREVENT stance, from working with one of our Trustees, and with NUS as well as our Muslim Society and Liberation Groups