Posted on Tue 08 Sep 2015 at 14:49 by
Matthew Humberstone
Each SU Officer has 2 or 3 personal goals - big things they want to work on over the year. Here are my 3 personal goals for the year and a 10 point summary of the main things I'm aiming to do - let me know your thoughts and any ideas of other things I could do to achieve these goals!
1) To improve relationships between students and permanent residents by getting students more actively involved in the local community:
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Improve the Student Community Group through communication, empowerment and encouraging cross-collaboration
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Develop more local community events and one-off volunteering opportunities in partnership with residents’ associations
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Improve the provision of ongoing volunteering
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Encourage more fundraising events to occur off-campus to tap into the pockets of tourists and permanent residents
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Encourage student groups to work with similar groups in town
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Provide better resources for student groups to link with charities/local organisations
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Encourage halls to get more involved in benefitting the local community
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Encourage more collaboration with Bath Spa SU, Bath City College SU and the Council
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Improve the image of students through local media
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Support the university in running a Community Open Day
2) To improve mental health advice and support:
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Set up a Mental Health Diversity and Support Group
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Clarify and support the role of Student Minds as student-led mental health support
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Introduce an Inner Child Day full of childish activities
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Provide opportunities for students to take part in activities for good mental health
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Promote benefits of joining student groups utilising personal tutors etc.
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Embed Stress Free Campus into the role of the SU Community Officer and expand provision
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Encourage the university to put wellbeing tips into its messages about exams
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Run activities and campaigns to shake off the stigma of mental health
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Introduce intermediate support for students ‘left in the cold’ waiting for their first/next counselling session
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Investigate specific postgraduate issues and action upon them
3) To make the housing experience less stressful:
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Introduce landlord/letting agent awards
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Introduce a rating system for rental properties
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Publicise the non-rent costs of using letting agents
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(Re)introduce a housing accreditation scheme for Bath
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Run a ‘Rate My Mould’ campaign to highlight poor standards
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Inform students of what they can do to improve the standard of their house
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Introduce tenant forums to consult students on their issues and what would be helpful
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Introduce a 6 month housing form/system
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Create a top tips handbook/factsheets so advice is easily digestible
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Introduce a Know Your Rights Quiz
Please remember that whilst I will be working towards achieving these goals, if there's something else you think I should be focusing on, whether a big issue or a minor annoyance, you can always email me: sucommunity@bath.ac.uk