I’m a student at UWS who was recommended to run for Student Union Chair; I’m incredibly passionate about working with the educational departments to help improve the experiences of students. As an Autistic student doing Performance year 3. I’ve always had to face adversity to accomplish things that most take for granted in education – I want to make it easier for someone else, so they don’t suffer what I had to, to get where I am.

For an assessment, I had to create a forum theatre performance in the space of a month – I chose, to work on issues for the academic mentors within the university to help the disabled student by helping the staff. Within 2weeks I was working with a Sabbatical officer, an Advice worker, 2 Equality diversity inclusion staff, Access to disability, and sorting meetings to gain as much knowledge to build a performance, which I was hosting for 4people from the Disability board including 2 Disability team leaders: While doing these meetings I had created a script, directed a dismantlable performance and was educating 5 other students on the UWS disability sector.  In a month I created a performance to help Academic mentors and disabled students – where I held a meeting with students, DTL, and held a Q&A. Through this experience, I learned how to traverse student union connections, formulate online meetings, and work connections professionally while keeping a good relationship.

In Edinburgh/Fife College I worked as an individual student sorting meetings to try to adjust and tailor the departments to each individual disabled student. Through these experiences, I gained the ability to structure meetings with high figures within education to help the student and keep people accountable while maintaining a good work environment.

If I won, this election and became Union Chair

1. I’d like to work with each area of the department have meetings to better understand and learn how to work as an ensemble to better help students.
2. I want to be approachable to students and be able to help them with as many issues as possible, know who to assign who to.
3. Work with note-takers to better understand format systems and academia to better adapt the departments to advertise what they do for students.
4. Make sure the legacies left behind by previous union members are kept or raised for the next generation which is coming in to fill those shoes.

It’s hard to encapsulate the appreciation – HOPE, I can do as good of a job and be educated by such wonderful individuals. The type of people, who would help any student who comes to them with such a short window, be so open, and share so much information is inspiring.

Election dates: Open 7^th March – closes 10^th March

Vote email: www.uwsunion.org.uk/vote