Community Officer Blog

6WS Glow Up: Say Hello to Woodland Lounge!

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 14:01:28 Z

Hey y’all! Izzy & Helen here to update you on all things ~~6 West South~~ Woodland Lounge!

Following Izzy’s Top 10 on Accessibility for Neurodiverse Students, we’re so happy to announce this project has officially begun. Over the next few weeks, 6WS will be transforming into the new Woodland Lounge, a neuroinclusive study lounge made for calm study and restoration.

Having listened to student feedback, we advocated for this space to be somewhere all students can come to unwind and relax. A chill space for you to simply exist.

So… What is changing?

To make it a space for all students, Woodland Lounge has been designed with accessibility at the forefront. We worked closely with Campus Services and Keren MacLennan from Centre for Applied Autism Research (CAAR), using research carried out by University of Bath Psychology students* to ensure neuroinclusivity. Our amazing Disability Action Group (DAG) also got involved, helping ensure the space is inclusive and accessible.

Key improvements include:

Making the west side accessible entrance the main entry point, improving access for everyone.

Creating comfortable, flexible spaces for study and relaxation with thoughtful sensory design.

Installing adjustable lighting, enhanced noise absorption and cosy, supportive seating.

Adding amenities such as hot and cold-water facilities to support longer stays and student wellbeing.

This work truly emphasises the power of student voice in creating positive, lasting change with the University! So much went into this, and we can’t wait for you to see it. Stay tuned for more!

Signing off (with love),

Izzy & Helen xoxo

*This Research (Student sensory experiences on campus) is credited to:

Davies, E., Hodgson, E., Javas, R., Chiu, C., Moscuzza, N., Mudit., Shamir, A., Agozzino, S., Charles, M., & MacLennan, K.

PG Role Gets an International Glow-Up!

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 10:25:42 Z

Hey everyone!

It’s Izzy and Sanya — your favourite tall-and-short officer duo!

We’ve got some exciting news to share!

Our roles sometimes overlap, and one of those areas is supporting international students.
Traditionally, this sat with the Community Officer, but since the Postgraduate (PG) role was introduced, we’ve recognised that most of our PG community are international. Their needs, from support to wellbeing are shaped by that experience, so this has naturally become a shared responsibility between us.

This part of the role covers casework and, just as importantly, advocating for a better international student experience: more support, more activities, and stronger wellbeing initiatives. But we know there’s always more to do.

So here’s the big update: starting with the next SU Officer elections (26/27), the PG Officer role will officially become Postgraduate & International Officer. This means the PG Officer will take the lead on international student representation, covering all PGTs, PGRs, and international undergrads too.

Why are we doing this?

To make sure international students know exactly who to go to for support.
To strengthen how we advocate at a university level.
To encourage closer collaboration between PG and the Community Officer — with the PG Officer leading on international initiatives, while still working together on issues like housing, cost of living, and mental wellbeing.

We hope this change helps our international students feel even more supported, represented, and celebrated here at Bath.

Signing off, Izzy & Sanya

This week a hot new Community Officer enters the Villa…

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 15:24:53 +0100

This week a hot new Community Officer enters the Villa...

Unseen (Handover) Bits

Sadly 5 Officers have been dumped from the island, but their time here will not be forgotten.

We are incredibly lucky for the wisdom and memories made with the elder officers from my experience of being shot by “Izzy’s mum” (Jiji) at our Lazer Tag social to the countless strategy and handover meetings. I’m so grateful for Benji’s advice and support along the way and lucky for him he has me for the whole year to keep bothering him with questions.

After the first two sunny handover weeks at Bath it is safe to say I’m still nodding my head in clueless agreement at all the acronyms the SU and University love to create for any meeting or board that exists. However, I have learnt so much already and it has been such a massive pleasure meeting the amazing people that work here, who have so much passion and care for our students and their experience at Bath.

I’d like to couple up with this SU because…

Several people have asked me why I went for this position. The first thing I usually think of is difference. Making a positive difference has always been a professional aspiration for me and that is what I aim to achieve in this role.

I am committed to realizing as many of my manifesto points as I can. Some of my main passions this year that I am focusing on include:

Enhancing and developing Quiet Spaces and overall Sensory Experiences on Campus
Promoting and improving Night Time Safety
Increasing the availability of Free Period Products on Campus
Promoting Student Engagement through Student Voice and Campaigning
Enhancing Mental Wellbeing and Self-Help Activities/strategies
Diversifying the Food Options to reflect that of the student body

I have already been developing several of these projects and cannot wait for you all to see the progress that will be made from the Fittest Officer team to date (Heard on the grapevine).

Ughh Can I pull you for a chat?...

After a week of bothering you all on the parade I hope you haven’t been too icked out. If you would like to contact me about any issues or ideas, please feel free to as I am always keen to listen.

Drop me an email, book a meeting with me, find me at 1 East 3.21 or probably at Score.

Tomorrow Night…

What projects and developments are coming up? Will I ever make it to final year? Will Helen ever stop quacking? So many valid questions? Find out next blog

Signing off,

Izzy Downer²

Low Sensory Hours 101

Fri, 18 Oct 2024 14:01:14 +0100

Hey everyone, it's Benji your community officer here back with another update. I hope everyone's settling in and getting back into the swing of things and are not getting too bogged down with illnesses (happens to the best of us half the team fell last week).

Ever since coming into this role I have been going through my manifesto and fulfilling as many pledges as I can. This week I am super excited to announce the introduction of low-sensory hours in commercial outlets here at the University!

What are low sensory hours?

Low sensory hours are specific hours where ambient noise (music, stacking of shelves, till registers) are kept to minimum and lights are dimmed in order to decrease the stimulation.

Why the need?

Many students may experience sensory differences, including sensory sensitivity or overload when there are many sensory factors in the environment. This is why low sensory is an amazing way of making the campus more accessible and inclusive.

Where can they be found?

Lime tree (end closest to Bus stop) - 15:00 to 17:00 on Monday to Friday during term time.

The Market - 19:00 to 20:00, Monday to Friday, and 12:00 to 13:00 on Sunday during term time.

Fresh - 20:00 to 21:00, Monday to Friday, 11:00 to 12:00 on Saturday, 10:00 to 11:00 on Sunday during term time.

It is great to see the University be open to these inclusive suggestions and I will further push throughout the year for low sensory hours in shops to include midday times however this is an amazing step in the right direction. I would also like to encourage all students to respect these times and not cause unnecessary noise during these hours out of respect for your fellow students. This is still a work in progress so please any feedback or comments would be greatly appreciated and can be sent to SUCommunity@bath.ac.uk.

Lots of love,

Benji x

U2 Bus Update

Sat, 21 Sep 2024 10:27:33 +0100

Hey guys it's your favourite Bus Enthusiast here to talk about exciting upcoming changes for the U2 bus that will hopefully increase both speed and capacity. Since coming into the post just shy of 3 months ago I have been working on my manifesto points to improve the student experience here at Bath.

So, without waffling I will get straight to the point. As I'm sure all of those who live around the area of Oldfield know in the mornings there are usually huge queues waiting for the bus near Brougham Hayes leading all the way up to the school entrance and beyond. This usually means that all stops within Oldfield get skipped. In addition to this, there have been concerns from the Hayesfield girl's school that the long lines are forcing students onto the road.

In order to combat this issue first bus U2 busses will not be entering Oldfield from 08-10:00 but instead, they will be circling around back up to campus from ST James cemetery. This change will not only mean less queues but faster busses and a faster loading on and off time of the busses leading to a more efficient system for all students.

Of course, I would like to emphasise that this is not a permanent change meaning if for whatever reason the change does not work it can revert back to its original state.

I would also like to encourage all students to submit their feedback both positive and negative to first bus themselves using the link below.

https://www.firstbus.co.uk/help-support/complaints-feedback/send-complaint-or-feedback

If there are any immediate concerns, please dont hesitate to contact me as I am in contact with first bus and keeping them posted on what students think of the changes. I am personally excited for the change and hope that we are a step closer to improving the busses around Bath. I look forward to meeting everyone new and returning and cant wait for freshers week to begin.

First Time in Blackpool

Wed, 01 May 2024 10:41:49 +0100

As a Community Officer at SU, attending the recent Liberation Conference was an invaluable experience that broadened my understanding of diversity issues and advocacy in higher education. Prior to the conference, my goals were clear: to gain insight into various diversity and support issues, engage in meaningful discussions, and network with representatives from across the UK.

During the "True Trans Liberation" session, the focus was on advocating for fair treatment and opportunities for trans students. Hearing personal stories from individuals with lived experiences was both emotional and enlightening. However, the prominence of the controversial Cass report stirred deep concern among attendees, highlighting the urgent need for more inclusive policies and healthcare access for trans individuals.

While discussions primarily revolved around the broader political climate rather than the specific proposal, the session provided valuable insights into the challenges faced by trans students. Topics such as access to medical care and gender reassignment surgeries underscored the need for swifter action and support within educational institutions.

In the "Voter Registration" session, strategies for increasing student engagement in politics were explored. Although some information felt familiar due to prior engagements with NUS initiatives, the brainstorming activities sparked innovative ideas for encouraging voter participation on campus. Role-playing exercises, such as interacting with local MPs, offered practical insights into effective advocacy techniques.

Throughout the conference, I had the opportunity to connect with diverse delegates, including NUS representatives and SU officers from other institutions. These interactions not only enriched my conference experience but also fostered valuable networking opportunities for future collaborations and support.

Reflecting on the conference, I appreciated the chance to delve into issues beyond my immediate scope of work and engage in meaningful discussions. The experience bolstered my confidence in asking challenging questions and advocating for broader student welfare issues. For future delegates, my advice is simple: embrace every opportunity to learn, connect, and contribute—it's through these collective efforts that meaningful change is achieved.

Friends in High Places

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 11:02:47 Z

Hi everyone!

So sorry for being MIA over the last couple of weeks on this platform- I have been doing so much and have been all over the place (quite literally) but I can’t wait to tell you guys about some of the amazing experiences and opportunities I’ve had over the last couple of weeks!

I most definitely need to start with the biggest one of them all- my trip to the UK Parliament in London! Jiji, our SU president, and I had the chance to attend an APPG (all-party parliamentary group) meeting last week where we talked about everything related to student housing. Issues such as the poor quality, lack of accessibility and extremely high prices came up and were discussed. We had some very amazing SU officers from universities all over the UK shared their horrible experiences living in student housing. Although a lot of the stories were nothing short of heartbreaking, they painted a very real (and sad) picture of the current housing situation. The feedback that was given by different SU representatives throughout the UK was collected and passed onto the housing minister- which will hopefully lead to a noticeable change in the sector.

The experience of our parliament visit was made a lot more special by having the Community Officer from 2017, Ben Palmer, who now works in the parliament, give us a tour around the building. He gave us some background information about the history of the parliament and even got us into the House of Commons so that we were able to watch a debate in real life! It was such a surreal experience, and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to get to do!

(Jiji and I at the housing conference)

Another super exciting thing that I got to attend was a civic reception at the Major’s parlour, specifically for international members and citizens of Bath. I had a couple of students from the international exec as well as from the university come along with me. We also had students from Kingswood School and from the Bath community attend. I had the chance to speak to a lot of them about their personal experiences of being an international person in Bath which was super interesting and relatable in multiple ways! We also got to look at a couple of interesting artifacts that they had in the major’s parlour, such as a coin from Napoleon III and the peppercorns that were given by the university to the council as payment for the rent for the land we have the university buildings on!

(Me and some amazing international students with the major of Bath).

Finally, in case you haven’t seen it yet- Officer Elections are happening at the moment! Polling is open now close Thursday afternoon- we have a lot of amazing candidates running and I have no idea who is going to win, but it is definitely going to be a close competition! Super excited to see everyone campaigning on the parade. Don't forget to vote and have your say about who is going to represent you next year!

Don’t forget to vote next week- your voice counts!

Talk to you guys soon

LOL (lots of love)

Hanna

Should I do a masters...?

Thu, 25 Jan 2024 09:40:04 Z

Hey guys!

I have had quite a busy last couple of days (well since I wrote my last blog post) and I am so excited to tell you about it all!

A real highlight, and quite an obvious one, is getting to speak at one of the winter graduation ceremonies in the Abbey! I know I have done other graduation speeches before as well but it never stops being special. The Abbey is just so beautiful and the atmosphere is amazing! It makes me so proud (and a little jealous) to watch everyone get their degrees. It was actually especially motivating to see so many masters and doctorate degrees being given out this time around- made me seriously consider doing another course (probably not a doctorate just yet but potentially a masters?)

I have also had quite a few meetings over the last couple of days regarding the Top 10 points. I am mainly leading on the early arrival one for international students. The discussions are going so well- we have even set up a separate group of people whom I can work together with in order to come up with a set of programmes for the new students! We are thinking about a range of different activities, from helping them to open a bank account to pub quizzes and socials. I think it is going to be beneficial for so many people, especially those that have never been to the UK before.

A really exciting thing that happened this week is having therapy dogs come to campus! It was such a busy event and was so nice! As someone that’s not doing exams at the moment, I still feel so much less stressed after being able to pet some dogs for an hour, so I hope that those of you with exams feel a little bit better too! My favourite is the great Dane that comes to all the dog therapies and dog walks! He is such a sweet and gentle boy despite being the biggest dog I have ever seen in my life! I can’t even begin to imagine how much his owner has to feed him though…

I hope you guys are doing okay and managing all the exams and coursework! If you have finished- congratulations! If not yet- you’ve got this! Only a couple of days to go!

Good luck for the next couple of days to everyone and enjoy your ISB!

LOL (lots of love)

Hanna

Back at it Again

Fri, 12 Jan 2024 15:34:28 Z

Hey everyone!

Happy New Year!! (when is it the right time to stop saying that?) Although I don't have too much to report on, I thought I would just put together a quick blog post to give you some updates from my first full week back to work after the holidays.

I headed home to Budapest to see my family over Christmas and while it was so lovely to have a (much needed) break, I really missed my SU Officer team! I don’t think I realised quite how much until I returned to the office, but seeing them again after 3 weeks apart has definitely been the highlight of my week so far. However, the Christmas markets, chimney cakes and glasses of mulled wine did make the time go by a lot faster.

Other than catching up with the other officers, I have mainly just been trying to get back into the day-to-day hustle of the SU life! I’ve been getting back to emails and scheduling meetings to make sure that Semester 2 gets of to the best possible start. I wish I had more eciting news to report about, but with it being revision week and a lot of people still being away on holiday, things are slightly slower than usual.

Also just wanted to wish you all a massive good luck for all your revision and exams! I know returning to revision after a break can feel like a mental marathon, so remember to be kind to yourself and take breaks. Spend some time relaxing with friends and make sure that you get outside for a walk! You’ve got this- and don't forget, you have ISB to look forward to!

I’ll catch up with you properly in the next few weeks when I’ve got a bit more to share,

LOL (lots of love),

Hanna

Also here is a super cute picture of Doug and I in Christmas mode... but I think he pulled off his festive outfit better than I did mine... not that I'm salty about it or anything :D

Goodbye 2023

Fri, 15 Dec 2023 11:19:54 Z

I can’t believe the day has come – my second to last day before the Christmas holidays. I would lie if I said I am not SUUPPEEERRR excited! But it is also so crazy to think how quickly we reached this point in the year. We have been in our roles for over 6 months now, which means we are pretty much half way through our sabbatical year! This is also going to be my final blog post in 2023 which is just mindblowing…!

Let’s do a quick recap of what went down in the last 2 weeks, as it has been really busy.

We had both Snowball and Masquerade ball in the same week- both of them a great success! I attended Masquerade Ball with some of the other officers and then Snowball with the Squash Club. I had so much fun at both the events and had a lovely 48 hours of sleep over the weekend after being hungover for a lot of the week!

(Us at the Guildhall!)

We also had some visitors over the weekend! Some of the SU officers from Exeter university as well as Plymouth Marjon came to spend their Saturday with us! We took them on a little tour around Bath and the extremely busy Christmas Market and then took them up to university and showed them around places like the Edge, the Student Centre and of course the Plug and the Tub. It was so fun to play tour guide for a day, it really makes you realize how beautiful Bath is, especially this time of the year.

Finally, another cool thing that I want to tell you guys about is the radio interview I did on Wednesday and the BBC article that was written about mine and Jas’s speech at council! So as you all know we went to local council and gave a speech about the condition of student housing in bath- and the event got picked up by a couple of media outlets! If you are interested in reading the article, click on the following link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crgprrywkp3o

I was also asked by Hits Radio to give an interview about the things that we talked about- I think it should be coming out on Monday! I am so grateful for the opportunity to speak about such an important issue that affect almost a third of Bath’s residents!

Anyways, this is my recap of the last couple of weeks before the holidays! I will be out of the office starting this Friday as I will be flying home for Christmas (wohoo)! However I am already looking forward to the new year and everything I know the officer team will achieve during the second half of our term! I wish all of you an amazing winter break and a very happy new year- and see you in 2024!

LOL (lots of love)

Hanna

Me and the Council

Tue, 05 Dec 2023 14:02:25 Z

Hi everyone!

I’m Hanna, your Community Officer. I just wanted to tell you about a really exciting event that I attended last week, along with Bath Spa SU President Jaz and Bath Spa Welfare Rep Laura. We headed to the B&NES council meeting at the Guildhall, where one of the first items on the agenda was a section where locals are welcomed to come and discuss any issues they have.

Eight locals stood to discuss various topics, before Jaz and I took the stand to speak about the quality and price of student housing in Bath, specifically regarding private housing. Some of the key points and issues that we highlighted was the amount of mould that is often found in student housing, houses being cold and drafty, high rent prices and bills and the effects these different factors can have on the mental and physical wellbeing of students. We also discussed how this can have an ongoing impact on their academic performance.

Although we were both nervous to begin with, we felt that our speech was well received and we got a number of great questions and comments, some of which centred around asking for more details about the duty of care of the university for student housing and what the average rent price students pay nowadays. I thought that having these questions was a really good sign that we were being listened to, and reinforced our belief that this is a relevant issue that those who sit on the council don’t necessarily know the full extent of.

After our speech, we had the chance to speak to some local residents, who gave us some useful tips about different housing organisations and their living situations.

I am so pleased that we had the chance to speak at this event (even though it was a little nerve wracking!) as I feel we had a chance to make a real impact and have the voices of the student body heard.

This even got picked up by BBC news. View the BBC write-up.

I’ll keep you up to date with any other events I attend and let you know if there are any updates on the current housing situation!

Speak soon,

Hanna

Breakfast at Tiffa.... I mean at the Woodlands

Thu, 23 Nov 2023 11:41:01 Z

Hi everyone!

Long time no talk! I admit, I did miss my bi-weekly blog last week… things got so busy and it just kept getting pushed to the bottom of the pile… but anyways, I am back to update you on things that have been going on!

I had my first VC breakfast with most members of my D&S Exec as well as the three Norwood Hall Reps from last year. It was so nice- it was hosted in the Woodlands (a very fancy building) and we got free breakfast… what more can you ask for?! We had a lovely chat with the Vice Chancellor and with everyone that was able to attend. I thought it was such an amazing opportunity to be able to thank these student leaders for all their hard work and dedication.

We also hosted our first international forum last week! We had just under 30 international students attending, coming for a chat (and free lunch) and to answer some of our questions that we asked them about their student experience. The topics we covered were things like what they would like to see during the winter holidays (if they are staying in Bath), if they know where to go for help if they are having trouble with finding accommodation for the coming year and if they are satisfied with advice on graduate jobs and placements. Personally, I thought that we had a lot of very valuable conversations, and I am already excited to start planning the next forum!

Finally, an exciting event coming our way is the local council meeting next week. I will be attending with Jiji (our SU president) who will be giving a speech demanding a better standard and better affordability of student housing in Bath. We are asking students to send over pictures of mould they have in their house which we can present during the speech- so if your house has any mould, shoot me an email at sucommunity @bath.ac.uk with some photos of it! It would be really helpful for us to be able to make our case!

Anyways, this is going to be it for now! I will speak to you guys soon,

Best,

Hanna

Ps.: Peep us in our D&S hoodies after our first exec meeting:

And after our first VC breakfast:

Me, the Quiz Master

Thu, 26 Oct 2023 11:35:56 +0100

Hey everyone!

Welcome back to the blog! The weeks fly by so fast I am not even sure where I last left off! Also, it is just so crazy that it is almost November… Halloween and Christmas are fast approaching! The year is just really flying by!

So let me think what I have done over the last couple of weeks… I have spent quite a lot of time at Dartmouth Avenue (10/10 would recommend by the way, a great study space, they have free tea and coffee and even table tennis tables!). I had a few SCP meetings (Student Community Partnership) and got to talk to some of the Bath Spa officers, representatives from Norland College and Bath College as well as even Roman City Reps! We discussed issues such as the ongoing housing crisis, personal safety, and parking permits. It is great to see how people and representatives from all these different institutions and areas come together to tackle the issues that affect all of us locally.

We have also had a lot of elections come to an end over the last couple of days. We have hall reps elected for the different student halls and they are receiving training on what their role involves. We also have a chair for Summit (pretty much our university council) and a chair for our Democratic Procedures Team. I am so excited about the students that have been appointed with these roles, it is going to be so great to be working with them throughout the year.

I also went to watch the Anniversary Rugby game, and for those of you that didn’t make it due to the horrible, horrible weather (or for any other reason)- I am happy to report that Bath beat Cardiff MET! Although I barely understand the rules of rugby and can barely follow the game, I am soooo proud of our rugby team for winning! I was way too invested in the game as it was going on haha!

Finally, another fun opportunity I had last week was getting to host the Plug Quiz Tuesday evening! I am terrible at pub quizzes so it was great not to have to stress about having to answer questions and just read them out loud, chat to people, get free pints… what more could I want! The regular host is back now but if she ever needs another day off, you guys now I will be the first one to volunteer to step in for her! :D

Oh and before I forget- also had t chance to go and watch the 9 to 5 musical presented by BUSMS at the Edge and to say I was blown away is an understatement… it was just simply amazing, I have no other way of saying it! I will definitely be a regular at the musicals from now on!

Anyways, I think this is it for now, I will be checking in with you guys in a few days again! Don’t forget to dress warm in the meantime!

Hanna

Us at the Rugby:

At the 9 to 5 musical:

Me az the quiz master at the Plug Quiz:

Aaaaannnddd Breathe

Fri, 13 Oct 2023 10:06:00 +0100

Long time no talk!

It feels like it has been ages since I have written a blog article. I don’t even know where to start…

I guess the main thing is that we have officially survived Freshers Week (wohoooo)! It was such a fun week (more like week and a half including move in weekend) but man was it tiring! It was really amazing to meet so many new students and to be able to catch up with old ones! All the Arena nights were so fun as well, especially Toga night! I loved wearing my dark blue toga, especially because when I was a fresher I didn’t wear one- so this was my time to make up for it! The FWEMs did such an amazing job and worked so hard the whole of Freshers Week- they definitely deserve all the praise they get! I am so proud to be able to call them my friends.

We also had our first international Tea and Talk event which went really well! We had over 50 people attending from so many countries around the world like Costa Rica, Kazakhstan and the US! Everyone was super friendly and had an amazing time making new connections and friends which is exactly the point of the event. Our next one is just around the corner as well, on October 20 so if you haven’t signed up yet- I would definitely recommend that you do!

We also went door knocking with the SCP (Student Community Partnership) last week, which was both very intimidating and fun. I found it really scary at the beginning to go up to strangers’ doors and knock and talk to them about things like how to get a parking permit, who to complain to if they have issues with their landlord or their house, or about how to get a parking permit. But everybody that opened the door ended up being super friendly and was happy to engage with us, which was such a nice surprise! I am actually really excited to be able to do it again!

Anyways, I think this is it for now! I will be running the Bath Half this Sunday, so might see some of you guys around there! Wish me luck (I am a bit scared in case you can’t tell haha)!

Talk to you guys later!

Hanna

Sweat and tears… actually no, just sweat

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 10:38:41 +0100

Hi guys!

I hope you have had a lovely week and have somehow managed to survive the last couple of days of unexpected heat! I do enjoy summer and the warm weather but sitting in the boiling office is strangely not as fun as it sounds. Anyways, I am sure I will be complaining about the weather as soon as it starts raining again so mother nature just doesn’t have a chance to do right by me.

Just wanted to hop on here to update you about a couple of things that have happened over the last 2 or so weeks. I have started meeting with a lot of future students that will be beginning their studies in a couple of weeks. Afterall Freshers Week is only 9 days away (well move-in weekend is at least) which is just crazy! How has time flown by so quickly! I am both excited and terrified at the same time, I am just not great with anticipation! I know already it is going to be so much fun- getting to help out the FWEMs and being able to take part in the training of the Freshers Captains is going to be both so exciting and strange- as someone that has been a captain twice herself, it will be strange to be on the other side of the lecture hall.

I have also had the opportunity to hold a couple of talks for some students that will be joining us very shortly. It is just so excited to hear about what clubs and societies they are planning on joining, what they are excited for during Freshers Week and what they are worried about. Makes me almost miss being a fresher (only almost though haha). Me and the other officers are already planning a trip to the fabric shop to get our togas for the final arena night which just can’t come soon enough!

We have also officially finalised and sent out our Top 10 list to the university. Just as a memory refresher- the top 10 is a list that we, the officers, comply over the summer and it includes things that we want to achieve and changes we want to see at the university. We were quite nervous about it as we were getting close to the finish line and had some little panic moments when we suddenly wanted to make some last-minute changes but with all the amazing staff support that we got we managed to finalise it! So that’s one big thing we can tick off the list!

We also held an Open Day on Saturday (in the middle of the heat wave) which went really successfully I think. Apart from me sweating through all layers of the SU Stash while having 2 fans simultaneously blow on me, I had the chance to talk to so many prospective students and their parents and tell them about all the different things the SU has to offer. I think the day went really well but I will be taking it as a personal offence if any of the kids I talked to don’t put Bath as their firm choice later on this year. But like no pressure of course…

Anyways, I think this is going to be it for now, I will write an update again once we have survived Freshers Week (or should I say *if* we survive it…). Anyways, wish me luck everyone, I will need it!

Talk to you guys soon!

Hanna

PS.: Us at the climate action awards after getting our climate pledge pins :D

Let's show 'em why they call me Mr. Worldwide

Mon, 04 Sep 2023 10:32:33 +0100

Hey guys! ??

I have so many interesting things to tell you about from the last couple of days! We have been travelling and went to Dartmouth Avenue, UWE Bristol and even Exeter! It has been so exciting to be able to go to look at other universities and SUs and meet and talk to so many other officers from different cities! Last week we were in Bristol and I was able to have some really good discussions with some of the Bristol, Plymouth, Exeter and Bath Spa Officers about what they are working on, what their biggest struggles are and how they are approaching solving these. I have been able to collect some really useful information and ideas from them regarding the cost of living crisis, safety and different sustainability projects, that we will hopefully be able to utilise and recreate during the next couple of months!

Then yesterday we were in Exeter where we had another conference and talked about some issues that we as an SU find really important as well. We focused on topics such as how and who to talk to when you want to make a change, the cap on working hours for international students with a student visa, international student bursaries and getting students to register to vote! We realised that the other officer teams agreed with a lot of what we had to say, and we shared ideas about how to go about solving these issues. We also took a stroll around the university campus of Exeter and not going to lie, it is pretttyyyy nice (not jealous at all…).

We also met up with Bath Spa at Dartmouth Avenue last week to talk about the SCP (Student Community Partnership) ad we were told about what it is for, how both students and locals can benefit from it and how we, as officers, can be a part of it as well. It was really interesting to hear about these things as we are always striving towards the integration of the student community into the local community.

Jiji and I also filmed an International Q and A live on the SU Instagram where we answered a lot of your questions about being an international student in the UK, what to bring, what to buy and how to prepare for the experience! We actually had so much fun doing it! If you are interested in watching it, it has been posted on the Instagram account as a permanent post as well so feel free to look it up if you have some questions about being an international student in Bath!

Here are a couple of group pics of us being in Bristol and Bath with the other officers<3

Talk to you guys soon!

LOL (lots of love)

Who let the Dogs Out?!?!?

Thu, 17 Aug 2023 09:22:00 +0100

Hey guys!

Can’t believe it is already time for another update. It is crazy that we have been in our positions for over 2 months now, time is really just flying by (obviously we are just having TOO much fun…)! Anyways, here are a couple of things that are worth mentioning from the last couple of days. Enjoy??

The creation of the SU Top 10, which is a list of 10 things that the SU, as an organization, wants to focus on during the upcoming year. Is in its final stages. Some of the other officers and I have put a lot of effort and energy into fighting for making the international student experience better at our university. We have brought our concerns to the university’s senior management team, so hopefully the ball will start rolling very soon! Just as an example, a couple of things that we want to work on include things like accommodation bursaries for international students, an international buddy system and putting more effort and resources into cultural celebrations throughout the year! As an international student myself, I am REALLY passionate about these things and can’t wait to see things change for the better! So, fingers crossed everything keeps moving in the right direction!

We have also spent some time in front of the camera during the last few days. We are recording things for our student leaders, such as informational videos about the PAL scheme the SU has running as well as videos for Freshers’ Week 2023 and things to help the new students that are coming to Bath prepare for their life as a university student. The FWEMs (Freshers’ Week Event Managers) are also doing an amazing job at communicating with the soon to be freshers, and I am sure many of them can’t wait for September to finally arrive!

Another exciting piece of news that I MUST share with you guys is that we had therapy dogs come to campus last week. Our amazing and wonderful Postgraduate Officer, Jura. Organized the whole event and we filled the Edge with dogs for 2 hours, which we got to pet, play with, and even show YouTube videos to (seriously, one of the dogs LOVED watching videos of cats on the phone, it was amazing). Anyways, it was that day that I decided that I LOVE MY JOB (seriously though, best day ever, thank you Jura <3!). Finally, another happy piece of news, which isn’t specifically related to the SU, but feel like I still need to share- the Lionesses are playing in the World Cup final on Saturday, so don’t forget to tune in and support them.

I will attach a couple of adorable pictures of the therapy dog session below my post so that you guys can get a feel of what went down in case you could not make it.

Other than that, I will be back with more news in a couple of days again. Some exciting things should be happening before the long weekend, so I will most definitely have things to talk about (and can’t wait to do so :D)!

Talk to you guys soon,

Hanna

Finance, Roehampton and Puppies

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 12:57:00 +0100

Hey guys!

How has everyone been? This is just another quick update from me and about what I’ve been up to the last couple of days!

We have been setting up meetings to start working on our priority list for the year and I am taking the lead in projects such as improving the access to the nursery on campus and decodifying IMCs to make them more accessible to students. Another big focus (which I have talked about in my manifesto) is improving the mental health services that the university has to offer. The process of this has already begun as well, which is just really exciting!

We have also had a couple more induction and introduction sessions as a part of our extended handover (there is loadssss to know about this job, it’s insane) which have been very interesting and informative. We met with campus services, had some quizzes and presentations about the societies and faith and cultural groups that we have as well as learned about what the finance office does (and how we work together with them… scary stuff).

I also had the opportunity to chair a few meetings which I really enjoyed doing! I volunteered to chair a couple of weekly Kickstart meetings which are rather low pressure and more informal, so it is a great way to get into the whole thing and learn what to do! I also got the chance to chair Leadership, which was slightly more formal, but I had a lot of help which made it a really good experience for me! These opportunities have been so useful for me to help to build my confidence (plus it forces you to really pay attention in the meeting which is always a plus haha).

We also just got back from the Lead and Change conference we attended at Roehampton University! It was such a great opportunity to learn some important skills that we will be useful for us during our time as officers, as well as to meet all the other SU SABs from different universities from across the UK! The connections we built over the last couple of days will definitely come handy at some point!

Peep us in London post-conference (and after I managed to bump heads with a puppy on the tube haha):

Anyways, this will be it for now, I will keep you guys updated about whatever comes in the future!

Best,

Hanna

New Blog, Who Dis?

Thu, 27 Jul 2023 14:41:38 +0100

Hey guys!

Just another quick introduction- I am Hanna, our new Community Officer. I started in my role about a month and a half ago (time really does fly by) and thought I would update you on what I’ve been up to during the last couple of weeks.

About 6 weeks ago, so mid-June, we started a 2 week long handover period, where the old officers taught us there is everything to know about this job (haha I wish 2 weeks would have been long enough to learn everything… so let’s say they gave us a crash course). I had such an amazing time working with Blake, who did so many great things during their term of being an officer. It was very inspiring but also made me realize that I have BIG BIG shoes to fill. Once they left me alone at the end of the handover period, I felt like I was all on my own… but boy was I wrong!

Working with the other officers has been such an amazing experience and makes me so excited for the upcoming year! They are all wonderful, talented and motivated people, who are really passionate about what they do! I have full faith in us and that we will be able to make a real difference to change things for the better, working as a team!

One of the main highlights of the last month and a bit was not only graduating but getting to speak at my own graduation as a representative of the SU! It wasn’t just a great experience for me, but a really special one for my parents as well! (I am convinced that I managed to make my dad cry while I was doing my speech… but he would obviously never admit that).

Getting started on working on our priorities for the year as well as on the SU Top 10 has been super inspiring too. It makes you realise how much work there is still to be done. It is very exciting to get to learn more about the different issues that affected me during the studies, and coming up with plans to make sure that you guys and future students won’t have to deal with them anymore. There is just so much more going on behind the scenes than I have ever realised- may that be male mental health, sustainability, IMCs and more!

Seeing all the things that are in the making, from Freshers Week 2023 to Movember, I can tell that the next academic year is going to be a really special one, not just for us Officers, but for you guys as well.

This was me checking in, talk to you guys in a few weeks again!

Take care!

Hanna

Community Officer Update: Week 4

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 12:20:52 +0100

I survived the heatwave! Congratulations to all those who graduated, and to continuing students who received results this week!

A few of us on the Officer Team started off the week in UWE (University of West England) for a networking event with other Sabbatical Officers in the South West. I really enjoyed talking to so many passionate officers and learning about their ambitions for the year ahead!

Over the last couple of weeks, I've started to have conversations with Students' Union (SU) staff about the role and operation of Liberation Network and Diversity and Support (D&S) Exec. Before becoming Community Officer, my involvement with The SU was mostly within these areas, and so it's really exciting to be able to steer their direction and address some of the challenges my fellow committee members faced in the last year. If you have any thoughts in this area (or any other!), please feel free to send me an email. I look forward to being able to share more details when plans are a bit more developed.

A big part of this week has been attending graduations. In each ceremony (excluding those with an honorary graduate), the SU Officer Team were invited to give a speech to celebrate and thank each cohort of graduates. I feel hugely privileged to have been able to speak at some of the graduations, and it was lovely to have acknowledgment from the university of the hugely important role the Students Union has within student experience.

I had some lovely meetings this week as well! I met with Rose Stephenson, who is the Policy and Projects Manager at the university; we had a great chat about some of the projects we will be working together on this year, and it was really interesting to learn a bit more about the role of policy within our institution. I also met with Liz Kearton, Deputy Director of Student Support (previously Student Services), and it was exciting to talk about preventive and community based mental health support.

All in all, it's been a pretty tiring week and I'll certainly be sleeping a lot over the weekend! I'm definitely looking forward to next week, and am sure to be energised by the events of this week when I'm back on Monday.

Bye for now!

Blake x

*Graduation photo taken by the University photographer - Nic Delves-Broughton

Links in plaintext:

Liberation Network - https://www.thesubath.com/voice/liberation/liberation-network/

D&S Exec - https://www.thesubath.com/diversity-support/exec/

My Email – sucommunity@bath.ac.uk

Graduations page - https://www.bath.ac.uk/topics/award-ceremonies/