Hello everyone! If you would like to read more about me and see more details of my campaigns and experience then please read below!
I am Rhiannon-Breeze, a third-year Primary Ed student. I am running for the position of Vice President of Health Education Medicine and Social Care, and writing a manifesto almost feels like filling out a dating profile of why I want you to date me for the upcoming year! Or maybe a very distorted version of the bachelor. However, it is my job as a candidate to tell you why I would be a great fit, and why you should vote for me!
TOP THREE PRIORITIES;
1) CHILDCARE; Nursery on campus - Too often we hear "there used to be a nursery", and since seeing Amanda Campbell-White (VP for AHSS) campaign HARD for a bar, it left me wondering "why do we constantly have to compromise with the university? why not have everything we need on campus all at once?!". Students shouldn't have to choose between a bar, a student union space, and a nursery. A big proportion of the student cohort are parents, and we are lucky to have societies that help support these students through being a full-time student parent, plus sometimes holding down a part-time job elsewhere. It would be lovely if parents can bring their children onto campus, and education & childcare students can fulfil their placement requirements by volunteering at the university nursery - creating a better community right on campus. This will also allow parents to be able to stay on campus longer, being able to go to events with external speakers that will benefit them on their course, and even spend more time with friends to help mental wellbeing. I've seen what campaigning and protesting can do, so let's try again, shall we?
2) CO-CREATION; do students really know/understand what is going on behind the scenes? In those 'big' and 'important' meetings? Well, it's only right that you should. You can guarantee that these meetings do not even have a student present, which to me seems a little ridiculous. I will promote the on-going importance for transparency on campus, from the student AND staff recruitment process to the creation of modules and everything in between and beyond. This is a process that will be continuous and consistent, so you need to be kept in the loop with what will impact you. This also includes a consistent updating of canvas , modules, PowerPoints and assessments to be relevant to what you will be experiencing in the working world after you graduate. By being active on social media to attending networking events and running my own activities, I will do my best to reach you all from whatever place you choose. This also means being more proactive in the development of the bar and the deisgn of the drinks and food menu to be student-led, this is only one of the many areas I will be campaigning to involve students more and more.
3) CHOICE; It's no secret that each year the student cohort coming into the university will be vastly different from the last, with different wants and needs. New staff members will join with new visions, a whole new officer team with brand new ideas, and with unstable and fast-paced politics for higher education, who knows what will be next? So, for my third campaign, I am leaving that down to you. (don't be alarmed) All this means is that, instead of committing all my time to loads of stuff that (if I'm even elected) may not even be a priority for the majority of students, then I will leave a special space to be able to go out, listen and respond to what you need at the time. We are supposed to be student-facing, and I do not want to be bogged down with administration responsibilities because I just 'assumed' what would be important to you, before even having the opportunity to go out and speak to everyone.
* There is also CONTINUATION - however, this is not in MY top three priorities as the other Officers will also be continuing on previous Officer campaigns and therefore it will be a team effort! These top three are areas I can focus the majority of my own time on!
My experience;
- Currently in the third and final year of my degree so I'd like to think I've been around long enough to understand a bit about the inner workings of student life and university processes!
- Currently working as a Student Client Relationship Director, for a bespoke training company called Invisible Grail, whom I am the student representative to help build connections between universities and students across the country. My role in this position is to help brainstorm ideas for facilitating training sessions and proposing them to high-level university management to co-create better strategies and relationships with their student body. I meet with CEO's of Students' Union, staff from Learning and Teaching departments and Organisational Developers, meaning I already have experience talking to important staff members in the university who have final decisions in things that affect all students.
- I have been a Student Consultant on a national project for the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), helping with the planning, writing, and panel review process of a 5-page report for why the courses at our university deserve to be rated highly. In this, I took a very transparent approach and spoke honestly on where I felt the university could have done better; proving to both university staff and peers close to me that I have the confidence to stand up for what students are actually thinking, and can deliver this respectfully, in both a professional and assertive manner.
- I have worked with the Global Sustainability Institute by attending workshops and liaising with staff and students into finding out how to improve the sustainability and environmental impact the university has. It's close to home (home being the planet yo) to make sure we all do our best for the world.
- I have worked alongside Linda King (The Head of School for Science and Engineering) as a research assistant. Helping to develop strategies to increase attendance and overall course satisfaction by improving and implementing better ways to increase employability skills for students to feel prepared for graduation.
- I am also a Welcome Desk Representative in the Students Union, so if you feel as though you recognise my face, it might be from there - of which I hope I was able to help you and bring a smile to your day!
The personal stuff;
- I am a huge fan of baking, cake decorating and food in general, and I hope to incorporate this during my campaigning, and hopefully in my role as Officer, to help boost morale around campus.
- A huge believer in honesty - and not the 'political honesty' where its nothing of meaning, but deep honesty of thoughts, feeling, actions and reactions from my own experiences to the working of the university and how I will deal with this, with my team, with the whole student body in mind.
- I'm one of those lovers of the environment too obviously and will see what else can be done to make this campus a sustainable one!
- Kindness - Carrying on from previous officers in their on-going work to spread kindness and positive mental health around campus will be a huge focus for me! and if you've seen that classic opossum meme "you better be rooting, be tooting, by god be shooting, but most of all, be kind."
Thanks for reading! I hope I have proved myself worthy and you will vote for me as your Vice President of HEMS! <3
If you have any questions or want to get in contact, or even meet for a drink! - my email address is rh840@student.anglia.ac.uk