Irene, your Vice President Education, updates you on what she got up to in Octobe
October has flown by, filled with a whirlwind of activity aimed at enhancing your university experience. Here’s my recap of the highlights from this month:
Mental Health Initiatives
The month kicked off with an enriching opportunity in which I attended a Mental Health Champions Training programme, organised in collaboration with the NHS, Citizens UK, and South London Listens. This training equipped me with valuable skills to better support individuals facing mental health challenges. Further, this training also aligns perfectly with mine and VP Welfare, Adam Fewster’s, Wellbeing Wednesday initiative, which focuses on promoting mental wellness through various activities.
As a result of this training and previous community organising training delivered through Citizens UK, we proudly became a BeWell Organisation; these organisations serve as safe spaces within the community where individuals can seek support when feeling low or isolated. The three core functions of a BeWell Organisation include:
Wellbeing Wednesday Highlights:
In line with our mental health efforts, I collaborated with various university departments to enrich our Wellbeing Wednesday initiative. This month featured a special guest speaker, Criscia Walker, who is a life coach and mental health advocate. Our discussion focused on Criscia’s experiences living with bipolar disorder and our shared belief that success is achievable regardless of mental health diagnoses.
Recruitment Efforts:
Much of my time this month has been dedicated to recruitment. We reviewed countless applications and conducted interviews for several positions, including School Representatives and Receptionists. The process was competitive, but if you’re still looking to get involved with the RSU, I recommend that you consider becoming a Subject Area Representative. This voluntary role is a fantastic way to represent your peers while honing your transferable skills—potentially paving the way for future opportunities 😉
Career Development Week:
This month also saw the successful execution of our Part-Time Jobs and Student Support Fair, organised in collaboration with the Student Futures team. If you missed it, don’t worry! Career Development Week is coming up from November 4th to 8th, offering numerous opportunities to enhance your employability, network, navigate your career prospects and refine your CV and LinkedIn skills.
EAL Partnership Update:
On another front, I’ve been working diligently on establishing an EAL Support Partnership with the university. As a result, we are launching a pilot scheme where select students from the BA Education Practice course will assist international foundation year students on the English for Academic Practice course. This initiative aims to improve learning outcomes for those students while fulfilling the placement requirements of our education students. While there is still a need to address the broader need for English language support, I am hoping for a successful outcome of the pilot placement which in turn will result in a larger scale English support scheme for our large international student community.
In the meantime, I’ve compiled some free resources to assist students needing English language support:
Presidents Committee Meeting:
Lastly, we held our first Presidents Committee meeting this month. This gathering allows college presidents to collaborate with RSU sabbatical officers on ongoing projects and student-submitted ideas. If you have suggestions or initiatives you’d like to see implemented at Roehampton, make sure to Submit an Idea!
As we move forward into November, I’m excited about the upcoming events and initiatives designed to support your university journey. Stay tuned for more updates! 😊
Reads of the Month:
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How Does That Make You Feel – Joshua Fletcher
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It’s Not About How Good You Are, It’s How Good You Want to Be – Paul Arden