“A vote for me is a vote for your voices, heard."
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Your Voices, Heard
When I campaigned to be your Student Union President 2020/21, I pledged to help make you feel heard. If elected, I will continue to do so. This year has been a hard one, and I have spent my time working to relay your feedback and concerns to the Senior Leadership Team and the Principal, as well as working with other staff to answer your questions. I have developed the Online Feedback Form, re-implemented the Suggestions Box in the SU, chaired all Student Voice meetings and attended all Staff Student Liaison Group meetings. I have helped negotiate extra access to studios and workshops, extra resources, staffing changes, deadline extensions, even a brand new renovated Student Union space, and much more - all based on your feedback. Thank you.
Supporting You
As well as helping to make you feel heard, I have worked hard to support you as best possible throughout the year. I have helped to raise awareness of the Student Union Food Bank, and even ran it from my own home during the lockdown to support students affected by financial hardship or who are vulnerable or self-isolating during the Coronavirus pandemic. This includes toiletries and period products. I also created the Student Union Bursary to support your studies, which supported a number of students with products totalling £1,000. If re-elected I pledge to continue all of this support and more, including implementing a scheme with Student Support to employ students as paid Mental Health First Aiders.
Student Representatives
If re-elected, I plan to continue development of the Student Representative scheme to ensure student feedback is always heard and acted upon. This year, I developed a Google Classroom for better communication and easier navigation for a better experience for all Student Representatives. I aim to provide more opportunities for Student Representatives to help with professional development, such as training and a range of wider engagement with the college through Committee vacancies. I pledge to provide the chance for all Student Representatives to meet with me more regularly to discuss any concerns brought to them by those in the cohort.
Student Union Team
If re-elected, I plan to continue to strive for equality, diversity and inclusivity in my Student Union Executive Committee Team and throughout the wider Student Union Team, including Student Union Ambassadors. This year, I worked to increase representation within the Student Union Executive Committee by including a BAME Representative and Disability Representative for both HE and FE. If elected, I want to introduce a Mature Representative and will continue to ensure there is wider representation on Boards and Committees. I want to encourage students to engage with the individual student members of the team more, and plan to raise visibility through social media, the SU website and SU noticeboard, as well as purchasing SU lanyards so that the team is always easily identifiable if and when you need them.
Collaboration
If re-elected, I aim to further foster the importance of collaboration by creating and developing both physical and online spaces for this. I would want to create further awareness of the Plymouth College of Art Collaboration Group on Facebook and encourage students of all levels and alumni to use the group for collaborative projects and to swap your skills. I would like to create physical forums to encourage networking, such as Collaboration Socials and events similar to the Volunteering and Careers Fair I ran in 2018 to help students find volunteering and paid opportunities. Lastly, I'd like to work with the Careers Team to create a Collaboration Catalogue where students can find people to work with based on their skillset.
Showcasing
If re-elected, I want to create even more spaces for students' work to be showcased. There is such amazing talent at Plymouth College of Art and I believe there are more ways it can be exhibited. This year, when Paige and I renovated the Students' Union, we introduced a Student Artwork Wall to showcase your work. I want to do more of this around the college, on all campuses, so that Pre-Degree, Foundation, Undergraduate and Postgraduate students have a place to display their work. For example, on the wall by the Quiet Contemplation Room. I would like to include a monthly Student Showcase on the SU blog to shine light on some of the incredible talent at the university, as well as introduce a 'Student Shops' section of the SU webite so that people can buy directly from your shops and websites.
Shop Local
In last year's manifesto, I spoke about the importance of networking with independent businesses in the local area and how I'd like to set up Pop Up Shops. This academic year, Paige and I worked with a range of local businesses to run these events as well as secure exclusive offers and commissions, volunteering, and paid opportunities from these companies for PCA students. We also ran a series of giveaways and competitions in partnership with local businesses, whilst also increasing students' awareness of them. If re-elected, I want to continue to strengthen the Student Union's relationships and develop meaningful partnerships with local businesses. Most importantly, I want to keep encouraging students to shop local.
Supporting Charities
Similarly, I want to continue supporting local and national charities and causes. This year, I became a Uni Boob Team Leader for CoppaFeel!, working with their team to raise awareness for the early signs of breast cancer within the PCA community and raise money to support the work the charity does. If re-elected, I aim to continue to work with Student Union Executive Committee members to raise awareness and fundraise throughout LGBT History Month, Black History Month, Disability History Month and during the year, e.g. via the Wellbeing Representative's proposed monthly charity collection. I would also like to increase awareness of the C-Card scheme that the Student Union runs in partnership with The Eddystone Trust and implement a Volunteering Scheme.
Thank you for taking the time to read through my manifesto, I hope you’ll consider voting to re-elect me as Student Union President for a second term.