Hello all,

so cause im trying to be accountable and all i am publishing my votes. I am sat here typing it down as i go. i only decided to type it as i went along halfway through today, so currently the below is not all of today but i will update it when i get a chance to.

This is now up to date with everything so far.

This is my voting record for the motions that went through council. Enjoy

Occasionaly there is some little notes about my thoughts or what has been said but mostly this is just a simple how i have voted on each motion and the amendments and the procedual motions.

Link to the motions here (it can take some time to load but it does load)

http://www.nusconnect.org.uk/pageassets/conference/about/info/NUSC_NC2012_final_proposals.pdf

you can also watch it live link here

http://www.nusconnect.org.uk/conference/

If you would like more info on how i voted or why please feel free to ask me.

Email me on vpw@guild.bham.ac.uk

please note i will not respond to this question until i return from conference as there is barely enough time to upload this and i think it is important to pay attention to what is going on at conference.

 

So the info you want.

 

 

 

 

 

WELCOME TO NUS NATIONAL CONFERENCE 2012

Some lovely opening and welcoming speeches

 

New Members and Constitutional Ratification

 

Vote to accept new member unions

 

Voted: For and members accepted

 

Vote on the minuets from last conference

 

Voted: Abstention

 

101 – Constitutional Ratification

 

Voted: for and motion passed

 

 

Union Development Zone

 

Vice President Union Development present Union Development Zone report and answered questions.

Voted: to accept the report and this passed.

 

Union Development Policy Recommendations

 

501- Don’t just widen participation – deepen participation

 

Amendment 501A,

Procedural motion to take in parts and remove resolves 1 and 2. Voted: abstention and amendment passed.

Vote on amendment: for and amendment passed.

Vote on motion: for and motion passed.

 

 

502 – Students’ Union Development; More important now than ever

 

Amendment 502A, Voted: abstained and amendment fell

Vote on motion as proposed: for and motion passed

 

 

503 – NUS; Developing students as well as unions

 

Amendment 503A, Voted: for and amendment passed

Amendment 503B, Voted: for and amendment passed

Vote on amended motion: for and motion passed

 

 

 

 

504 – Building a generation ready to say ‘I am the change!’

 

Amendment 504A, Voted: for and amendment passed

Amendment 504B, Voted: for and amendment passed

Vote on motion in amended form: for and motion passed

 

Union Development Ordinary Motions

 

505 – NUS is not the National Union of sabbatical Officers but there should be one!

 

Reading and speech for made sense but speech against raised decent problems about how it wouldn’t be able to sustain its self even if all sabbatical officers joined it and other issues such as no expertise and conflict of interests.

Summation speech about it said it is an investigation into this and getting unions to understand sabbatical issues and bits.

Motion clearly says to initiate creation of a body.

Voted: against and the motion fell.

 

506 – Supporting small and specialist Unions

 

Amendment 506A,

Speech for and against both sensible

Procedural Motion to take this in parts,

Conference Resolves 1 but didn’t get enough cards shown to hear this procedural Motion.

Vote on amendment: abstention as didn’t feel best placed to decide on policy for small institutions, amendment passed.

Vote on Motion: for and motion passed.

507 – Democratic students unions

 

Amendment 507A, voted: for and amendment passed

Fringe break, went to find the hotel and get rid of my bag and also got some food as was hungry and needed a drink, so unfortunately got back late.

Missed the Below:

Amendment 507B, passed

Amendment 507C, fell

Motion passed

508 – prioritise FE student union

Motion passed

This is where I was back and had caught up with what was going on.

 

509 – New Income, financial management, RAG

 

Procedural motion – parts on resolves 1 and 2 to be removed

Voted: for this and this passed so parts removed

Procedural motion – parts on removing resolves 4

Voted: abstention as didn’t feel had appropriate knowledge. This passed so parts removed.

Vote on Motion: abstention and the motion fell.

510 – Right to protest on campus

 

Voted: for and motion passed

Time for zone had lapsed.

Procedural motion to increase time for this zone, Voted: against and motion feel.

 

Procedural motions to defer rest of the motions to NEC for approval or not. Voted: for and this passed.

 

511 – Membership data

512 – FE students affiliation

513 – Global union development

514 – 433,000 students

515 – Transnational education

Moving onto the FE and HE Education Zone

 

Vice President for Further Education to deliver Further Educations committees report and answered questions.

 

Voted: to accept the FE zone report this passed.

 

Vice President for the Higher Education delivers the Higher Education Committees report and answer questions.

Talked about charters on technology in HE, Academic support, worked with liberation officers on inclusive curriculum and widening participation. Mentioned in passing bursaries not fee waivers. Put together a new aim higher type group called national education xxxxxxx (slide changed before I got chance to type it) network.

Voted: to accept the HE zone report

Education Zone Policy Recommendations

 

201 – Keeping colleges in check

 

Voted: for motion and it passed.

301 – Postgraduate funding and support

 

About 20% of students are postgrads do NUS and the government spend 20% of their time on postgrads. No but they should rather than postgrads being an after thought

 

Amendment 301A, Voted: for and amendment passed

Amendment 301B, Voted: for and amendment passed

Amendment 301C, Voted: for and amendment passed

Amendment 301D, Voted: for and amendment passed

Amendment 301E,

Procedural Motion to remove resolves 3 from the amendment: voted yes and this procedural motion passed, resolves 3 was removed from this amendment.

Vote on amendment as amended: for and amendment passed.

Vote on motion as amended: for and motion passed.

202 – Offender learning

 

Voted: for and motion passed

 

Procedural motion to move all the FE motions behind the HE motions.

Voted: against and the procedural motion falls.

 

302 – The public role of Higher Education

 

We need to do the research on the public good and benfit to the public the higher education gives. And we need to prove this and let the public know and then next time we fight on an issue like fees the public will be on our side and we can win the debate on higher education.

 

Amendment 302A, Voted: for and amendment passed.

Amendment 302B,

Procedural motion to remove resolves 1. Voted: for and this passed. Resolves 1 removed from the amendment.

Vote on amendment: for and amendment passed.

Amendment 302C, Voted: against and amendment falls.

Vote on motion as amended: for and motion passed.

203 – Free education

 

Amendment 203A, Voted: for and this passed

Amendment203B, Voted: abstained and the amendment passed

Vote on motion as amended: abstain and motion passed.

303 – Student engagement in teaching excellence

 

 

Amendment 303A, Voted: for and amendment passed

This is where we started Wednesday morning.

Amendment 303B, Voted: against and amendment fell

Amendment 303C, Voted: against and amendment fell

Vote on motion as amended: for and motion passed

 

204 – Lifelong learning

Voted: for and motion passed

 

304 – Access and admissions

 

Amendment 304A, Voted: for and amendment passed

Amendment 304B, Voted: for and motion passed

Amendment 304C, was withdrawn

Break

Amendment 304D, Voted:

Vote on motion as amended:

 

Came back late so missed the last two votes.

 

305 – Higher Education bill

 

Amendment 305A, Voted: for and amendment passed

Amendment 305B, Voted: for and amendment passed

Amendment 305C,

Procedural motion to delete resolves 2. Voted for the procedural motion which passed and resolves 2 was deleted.

Procedural Motion to move resolves 4 into the main motion. Voted for and this passed.

 Vote on amendment: against and amendment fell

Amendment 305D, Not disscvussed due to time running out for this zone

Vote on motion as amended: for and motion passed.

Procedural motion to pass left over motions to NEC for decision as guillotine was about to fall. Voted for this motion and it passed

 

Education Zone Ordinary Motions

206 – Security in Colleges

306 – Education now and then: Tear it down and start again

207 – International FE

307 – Education: Public, not for profit

308 – Employment and employability

309- Mature students, we hardly know you

 

 

Welfare zone

 

Vice president welfare spoke about the work of the welfare zone and its report. Ran out of time cause they had done so much, but mentioned localism and housing andf pound in your pocket.

Vote to accept the report: for and report was accepted.

Welfare Zone Policy Recommendations

 

601 – The pound in your pocket

 

Amendment 601A, Voted: for and amendment passed

Amendment 601B, Voted: for and amendment passed

Vote on motion as amended: for and motion passed

602 – Localism

Amendment 602A, Voted: for and amendment passed

Amendment 602B, Voted: for and amendment passed

Amendment 602C, Voted: for and amendment passed

Amendment 602D, Voted: for and amendment passed

 

Vote on motion as amended: for and motion passed

 

 

603 – Faith and Sexuality

 

Amendment 603A, falls as proposers weren’t here.

Vote on motion as proposed: for and motion passed

 

604 – Prevent

 

Amendment 604A, Voted: abstained and motion passed

Amendment 604B, Voted: abstained and motion passed

Vote on motion as amended: for and motion passed

 

Welfare Zone Ordinary Motions

 

 

605 – Stop and Search

 

Amendment 605A, Voted: for and amendment passed.

Vote on motion as amended: for and motion passed

606 – Support for students’ taking a year from study

 

Vote on motion: for and motion passed

607 – Cyber Bullying

Vote on motion: for and motion passed

 

Procedural motion to pass all left motions onto NEC to vote on due to the guillotine was about to fall. Voted for this and it passed

 

608 – Nations

609 – Retention

610 – Against discriminatory immigration

 

 

Society and Citizenship Zone

 

Vice President society and Citizenship delivered the report for the zone and answered questions.

Society and Citizenship Policy Recommendations

 

 

401 – Access and Citizenship in the committee

 

Vote on motion: for and motion passed

 

402 – Defend the right to protest

 

Amendment 402A, Voted: abstention and amendment passed

Amendment 402B, voted: for and amendment fell (by 2 votes)

Vote on motion: abstained and motion passed

Procedural motion to pass all left items on to the NEC for decision as the guillotine was about to fall. Voted for and motion passed

 

403 – Living Wage

404 – Eden Springs

405 – Gap Years

 

Society and Citizenship Ordinary Motions

 

406 – Fight the far right

407 – A Generation lost

408 – Opposing unpaid internships in the creative arts

409 – Citizenship

410 – Move your money

411 – Peace one day

412 – Solidarity with Syria

413 – Student fuel poverty

414 – Don’t attack iran – Fund education not war

415 – Defend the welfare state

416 – International students activism

417 – Twin with Egyptian universities

418 – Tarsands

419 – University of Sanctuary

 

 

 There where some closing remarks and job was a goodun.

So i thought i would keep these seperate to the Motions.

 

Elections

 

Presidential Candidates in order I voted

 

1. Usman Ali

2. Liam Burns

3. Ed Marsh#

4. Kanja Sesay

I did not allocate a number to Re-open Nominations

 

 

Round 1

 

Usman 149

Liam 302

Ed 133

Kanja 120

RON 6

 

Round 2

 

Usman 149

Liam 303

Ed 146

Kanja 121

 

Round 3

 

Usman 183

Liam 335

Ed 186

 

Round 4

 

Liam 387

Ed 295

 

Liam Burns was duly elected as the President of NUS

 

 

Union Development Candidates in order I voted

 

1. Rebbecca Bridger

2. Tom Holloick

3. Luke young

4. Vicki Baars

5. Christina Yan Zhang

I did not allocate a number to Re-open Nominations

 

Round 1

Vicki 225

Luke 171

Rebbecca 180

Tomb 110

Christina 53

RON 0

 

Round 2

 

Vicki 246

Luke 181

Rebbecca 192

Tom 115

 

Round 3

 

Vicki 291

Rebbecca 237

Luke 196

 

Round 4

Vicki 385

Rebbecca 325

 

Vicki Baars was elected as the Vice President of Union Development

 

Higher Education candidates in order I voted.

 

1. Rachel Wenstone

2. Michael Chessum

3. Sophie Richardson

I did not allocate a number to Re-Open Nominations

 

 

Micheal – 134

Rachel – 202

Sophie – 168

RON – 4

 

Rachel – 257

Sophie – ???

 

Rachel won and was elected Vice President of Higher Education

 

 

 

 

Society and Citizenship candidates in order I voted them.

 

1. Dannie Grufferty

2. Jamie woodcock

I did not allocate a number to Re-open nominations

 

Danny – 374

Jamie –  191

Ron –  68

 

Danny was elected the Vice President Society and Citizenship

 

 

Welfare Candidates in the order I voted them.

 

1. Pete Mercer

2. Edd Bauer

3. Sean Rillo-Raczka

I did not allocate a number to re-open nominations

 

 

Pete – 388

Ed – 78

Shawn – 145

RON – 25

 

Pete was elected the vice president Welfare.

Mental Health Mind Awareness Days 12th – 16th March   -         Monday 12th Film Showing of  Insatiable Moon 6.30pm Guild Council Chambers with FREE Popcorn -         Wednesday 14th FREE Laughter Yoga 2.00pm Worship Room  in the Chaplaincy -         Saturday 16th M.A.D FAB with Nightline and Bilby the Bear -         Boards around Campus for the week displaying Think Positive Messages as well as Time to Change pledges and Nightline post a secret.   Possibly more events too but need finalising.   Review Services   After Reviewing the mental Health Advisory Service I will now be reviewing the Disability and learning support service.

What other duties have you been carrying out within your role?

Zero Tolerance   Written a report to go to NUS so we can achieve our accreditation to the Zero tolerance campaign. This had gone to Guild Officer Group and the Student Equality and Diversity Committee and will now be amended and submitted.   Supporting RAs   Went along to a Sleep Out on the vale raising money for St Basils charity and also attended and helped at the pancake tossing world record attempt raising money for Acorn Hospice.   College of Arts and Law   Attending college Board meetings and Assurance and Approval committee.   Gradball   I sit on the working group for this.     The ARC   We have had a busy flurry of students who need representation at meetings and I have taken on a lot of these.   Birmingham Foundation Academy   I sit on the student experience working group which feed into this project.   Personal Tutoring   Been working with the university on this and did a presentation to the personal tutoring working group.   Candidate Training   Did a presentation to candidates about their welfare during the campaign period and also helped the VPDR to pick, buy and put together the welfare packs.   Redbrick Supplement   Put together a diversity supplement called ‘know your community’ highlighting and celebrating diversity on campus.

What do you aim to get done before the Guild Council?

- Confirm and complete Mind Awareness Days - Attend International summit at Warwick - Equality and Diversity meeting - BFA student experience meeting

 

1 in 4 people suffer from mental health problems. This is a fact you have probably heard before, especially if you pay attention to the Vice President (welfare) election campaigns, but what does this mean?  It means 1 in 4 of us will experience mental ill health at some point in our lives. This figure though is based on those individuals who have come forward for support or been formally diagnosed. So if all those people who feel they can’t come forward to receive support because of stigmas did step forward we would probably be looking at a higher number. Women are more likely to be diagnosed with a mental health disorder than men but this isn’t a women’s issue. The 1 in 4 applies for all genders, race and age, so the fact above goes to highlight the stigma surrounding men and mental health is still in existence as well as many stigmas around mental health disorders.

So we probably all know somebody affected yet 9 in 10 people with a mental health condition say the face discrimination. But why? These are our friends, family and peers. People often act out against things they don’t understand and metal health conditions are something most people don’t understand.

It is hard to know what it is like to live with a mental health disorder. Without having one yourself, I find people don’t know what to expect from someone with a mental health disorder else they have had a friend or family member who has had or suffers with one. But people with mental ill health aren’t aliens; they are not some strange being we have no contact with. They are just people. No different from me and you, chances are that either you or I have had or will have mental ill health at some point. Would you want to be treated like an alien?

So why do people still experience discrimination? It’s because the stigma attached to mental health disorders. The way they are portrayed in movies. But it’s time to change and time to talk. It’s time to understand. Cause understanding is half the battle. This is why Mind Awareness Days (MAD) are bringing you a film to help you realise the stigma attached to mental health disorders, talks to help you understand and a laughter yoga workshop to help you think positive and keep a healthy mind. So what are you doing between March 12^th and 17^th? Get involved, learn, listen and help everyone live a happy live including yourself.

watch a video….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6vuGhZALVk&feature=relmfuVideo

There will be a number of activities and workshops taking place focusing on a ‘happy mind’, ‘focused mind’, and ‘informed mind’.

Monday 12th March
6.30pm – Guild Council Chambers, Guild of Students Film showing of the award winning ‘Insatiable Moon’ with FREE popcorn

Wednesday 14th March
2.00pm – Worship Room, Chaplaincy
FREE laughter yoga session

Friday 16th March
5.00pm – Guild Council Chambers, Guild of Students Talk on autism from a student perspective and mentor

Saturday 17th March
10.00pm – Fab ‘N’ Fresh, Guild of Students Nightline will be around with Bilby the Bear

 

It was always a wonder to me what sabbatical officers do? not that i thought about it too much before i decided to run, but know i have been an officer for over half a year now i should of finally realized.

 

Well i have and i haven’t. Its very much like my days of a student as I’m still wondering where time goes. You can plan your diary to the letter but you will never keep to it. Its always those unexpected drop ins from a student you cant plan for, or an unusual amount of emails or one that takes an hour to write a response for. This in the end leads to overworked SABB’s.

Now I’m not one to complain on my blog to you lot as this is what i expected. I knew that it would be many full days of different meetings meaning you would only get a chance to do your emails after 5 O’clock then any developmental work and manifesto work after that.

OK its not always like that but often it is. The ARC is keeping me busy at the moment with different appeals, plagiarism and conduct cases going on. Its work i enjoy and its why i ran to be a sabb. To actually help people and make them feel comfortable when they need help.

 

This can come unexpected and through planning for something else out of the window. These have lead to many late nights last week, with me being found in the office at 10pm specially on Tuesday where i went straight from there to a charity sleep out on the vale run by the Residents Association’s raising money for St Basils. Was actually a nice warm night until about 5am where the cold woke me up and kept me up until i had my first ever breakfast in Fusion.

 

I myself was once a committee member of Hunter Court’s Residence Association and i have a lot of love for the scheme so am i always happy to go along to events and help out. Same with Carnival RAG which is why this Monday you could of found me stewarding carnage making sure everyone was alright.

 

OK after all that blabbering what have i done recently.

The two main things i have done is one being the Diversity Suppliment in Redbrick. Highlighting diversity on campus and rasing awarness of these issues.

http://guildofstudents.com/files/diveristy-insert-february-2012_web.pdf

The Second thing i have done is write a zero tolerance report which will be submitted to NUS to gain the Zero Tolerance accreditation. This has gone to Guild Officer Group and the student Equality and Diversity committee for amendments and approval.

 

and another thing i have been doing in conjunction with the Disabled Students Officer is planning for Mind Awarness Days which are happening in week 10.

 

thats a little flavour of what i have been doing. If you want a more in depth knowledge come back in a weeks time and ill have my Guild Council Report up here for you.

 

Enjoy.

 

Name: Luke Reynolds

Position: Vice President (Welfare)

Date of writing report: 23/01/12

What duties have you been carrying out which tie into your manifesto pledges?

1)      Welfare Wednesdays On the first Wednesday back of term the VPS and I collaborated on a healthy living Welfare Wednesday where we had free zumba class on at the vale which 20 people attended and also free advice being given out but the UBS Thrive team.   2) Mental Health Working with the Universities Senior Tutor and Director of Student Services we have been doing a review of the Mental Health Advisory Service which is in its final draft stages, among the recommendations are the need for administrative support and an extra case worker. Planning for Mind Awarness Days (MAD) has been going on with laughter yoga confirmed and plans in line for a lecture, film showing and other things on during the week. Attended a NUS training day around Mental Health  Campaigns in Manchester with the DSO.

What other duties have you been carrying out within your role?

Have attended many meetings including; Campus security and crime prevention, Steering, Trustee Board, Gradball mettings, R & HR, with campus security, with Director of student services, plagiarism meetings with students, E & D meeting and Degree congregations.   I Have been working on putting together a diversity supplement to celebrate diversity on campus and raise awareness of issues certain groups face.   Have been working on getting the Zero Tolerance accreditation from the NUS and will shortly be writing a report to get the accreditation which we will then be advertising to student to improve the safe feeling of the Guild and Campus.   I am on the Gradball working with the VPDR and hoping to make the dinner part of the Gradball more successful than in previous years.   I have also been involved in the recruitment process for a new ARC advisor as a position became vacant.

 

 

 

 

What do you aim to get done before the Guild Council?

Better Guild and Welfare forum Arts and Law College Board Meeting Interviews for ARC role University Fitness to practise panel Catch up on emails Collect articles for diversity supplement Conitue planning for MAD Help with one world week planning

Yes it will be a lovely new term full of fun and not so much fun.  Lots of big things coming up like the Officer Elections where you can vote on some people in the hope they will do what they say. Guild Awards always a bit of fun and nice for the groups to get some recognition. But more importantly you have some welfare wednesdays coming up. There is a couple of big ones this term, one near the end of the term called M.A.D (Mind Awareness Days) where there will be lots going on. And one at the very beginning in week one, Where we have some free taster active lifestyle classes being put on for you up at the Vale in Fusion and the thrive team who can check you BMI and give you some advise, keep an eye open for the details coming soon.

And in week one its all about keeping healthy and there is also the Sport and Recreational Get Involved Fair.

‘Want to get into sport for 2012, but not sure what is on offer, or how to sign up?

Come along to the ‘Get Involved’ Sports and Recreation Fair for your chance to:

• Sign up to classes
• Join sports clubs
• Play social sport
• Learn a new sport (Try Sport)
• Learn about Active Universities
• And more

The fair is aimed at providing social and non-competitive sport and recreational pursuits that are accessible for all. Everyone is welcome, especially international, postgraduate and first year students.

Get Involved Sports Fair will also see the launch of ‘Who will you be?’ an Active Universities scheme, funded by Sport England. The scheme is aimed at increasing participation in sport and recreation for all students and will include the introduction of five exciting sports projects.

Visit the Sports and Recreation Fair on Friday 13th January for your chance to Get Involved.

Starts: 13 Jan 2012
Start Time: 11am
Finishes: 13 Jan 2012
Finish Time: 3pm
Venue: Munrow Sports Centre new gym
Cost: FREE
Contact: munrow@bham.ac.uk, 0121 414 4117′

 

and in week 3 the societies get involved fair.

 

ENJOY

 

What duties have you been carrying out
which tie into your manifesto pledges?

 

 

WELFARE
WEDNESDAYS

This initiative was designed to help spotlight how everything we do affect our welfare and try to get people to engage with Welfare issues. Every other Week I have been highlighting a different topic which might be  ffecting you around that time of the year, and all the info gets achieved on the page so you can come back and access it at any time when it’s needed. So we have spoken about;

1.
Now you have moved in…

2.
 Finance

3.
Personal Safety

4.
Putting the ‘How’ into Housing

For these we have handed ~ 200 flyers out about the housing campaign and upcoming Housing roadshows while at the stand outside the library. ~100 people came to the personal safety event on the vale where the student mentors talked about personal safety and put on a showing of scream for Halloween. Over 700 people
came to the ‘How Employable are you’ fair which was advertising part time jobs as well as offering C.V. checking and advice from the student funding office
and we had the Community Wardens doing all out days over the term talking to many resident. Unfortunately the landing page on the website has only had just
over 70 unique visitors but I have since placed some promo in the library to help advertise this campaign and get people engaging with this.

The last Welfare Wednesday of this term is based on Alcohol and there will be drop in sessions done by Aquarius up at the mentor Welfare Office on the vale for
this.

 

Welfare Wednesdays helps to encompass 4 of my manifesto pledge, Finance Support, Mental Health, Sexual Awareness and Services Explained. Welfare Wednesdays haven’t yet covered some of these issues but these are future projects. There will be two based around mental health one around getting involved and how this can have positive impacts on your wellbeing and also a specific M.A.D (Mind Awareness Days) which
I am working on with the DSO.

 

What other duties have you been
carrying out within your role?

 

• Some
  Internal Interviews for jobs
• Guild
  officer Group Meeting
• Met with
  Hospitality and Accommodation Services
• Team away
  day training
• Hotdesking
• Represented
  students in university meetings
• Met with
  University misconduct and appeals department
• Discussed
  prayer room facilities
• Went to
  Senate
• Filmed
  housing Video
• Filmed a
  vlog
• Had a
  M.A.D focus group
• Met with
  the Vice Chancellor
• Sabbatical
  Officer meetings
• Met with
  the Director of Student Services
• Did some
  calendar tallying
• Spoke to
  some students
• Done a
  bite more of the Fresher’s Fest survey results collation
• Met with a Guild Council Motion proposer
• Took some
  people to London for that demo
• Equality
  and Diversity (staff) committee met
• Lots of
  stuff with the ARC

What do you aim to get done before
the Guild Council?

• Go to some
  Housing Roadshows
• Chair
  ResExec
• Some Door
  knocking
• Meetings
  about Quiet Space in the Guild
• Filming
  for Student Support Video
• Sabbs on
  the Sofa
• College
  board Meeting
• Review the
  Mental health Advisory service self assessment review
• Meet with
  the Graduate school
• Student
  Access & progress Committee

OK so I have kept fairly quiet about this, which in hindsight was probably the wrong choice but I wanted to make sure they were happening before I started telling the world.

SO WHAT IS WELFARE WEDNESDAY???

Well…

When you think about what affects your Welfare, what do you think about? I can’t answer that question for you but if the answer isn’t everything that you do and happens to you, then your answer wasn’t complete. Every little decision about how you get to university, what you have for lunch, when you sort out your bills etc can and will have an effect on you in some way. With many decisions having to be made while you’re at university this can become stressful, tiring and take a lot of your time. Welfare Wednesdays is here to help speed up the process of making these decisions by pinpointing you to the information you need to know. Each Welfare Wednesdays will be themed around a topic that corresponds to that time of year, helping to raise the issues when you need to know about them. What is the appropriate time of year for you isn’t always the same time as someone else, so as the weeks go past the information will be achieved onto the Welfare Wednesday landing page so you can access the information you need, when you need it.

As well as making sure you know the information when you need it, Welfare Wednesdays is also there to put a spot light on many of activities the Guild already does, to make it more apparent how they affect your wellbeing and how getting involved or listening to the message can make your time at university a happier one.

Hopefully looking forward Welfare Wednesdays will become more engaging, interesting and out there with activities and workshops for people to get involved with.

But for now have a look at the Welfare Wednesday’s page on the website; If you want to read it word for word please do. But I would suggest a more effective way of taking the information from the page in a shorter time period is to skim over the titles and read the sections most important to you.

THIS WEEK… 

So it’s all about making sure you have done what is need and know what to expect now that you’re living in private accommodation. The tiled areas this week are;

Council Tax Exemption

Bills

Housing Certificates

Bin Days

Safety Tips

General Rights and Responsibilities

 

So that is about it on that, for more information on Welfare Wednesdays please email;

WelfareWednesdays@guild.bham.ac.uk

or check out

www.guildofstudents.com/welfarewednesdays