Welfare Officer - 2021

Abdul-Rahim is my name. I have a strong conviction that, welfare should be the heart of everything we do as a union. The physical and mental well-being of the great students of the University of Portsmouth is exceedingly important to me. It given the chance to prove myself as a Welfare Officer, would not only help me attain experience but will be very valuable in future and would also give my fellow students the support needed. As students, we do not often have a well-functioning and welfare support system at mind until we need it. It is very important that a system is kept in place to support every student when the need arises. Life on and off campus can be very stressful especially in this trying time of Covid. Most students across the country are complaining about how their support services has let student down and I Abdul-Rahim strive to make campus a warm place to be, whether a student needs these supports or not. Welfare is an essential service that needs more effort to ensure that students wants are heard and a supportive environment where every student can learn. I would love to expand the peer supporting system which will give an equal chance to all student to reach out to like-minded student. I will work hand-in-hand with local community partners, NHS particularly to create the aware of students on supports that are readily available to them during this pandemic. I would also want to host events that will focus on the wellbeing students. I aspire that no student ever needs to seek for support and that activities are not mistaken. But if they do, I would make certainly a system of active individuals to help with every barrier. Covid is real. Stay safe. This too shall pass

A 24/7 BUS SERVICE will not only help students on nights out, it will also help students access critical University services, help us to socialise during the weekend, and provide safe travel in a city that isn’t always safe. An ELECTED BAME OFFICER would help non-white students to have a voice at the top of the Union. Up to 30% of students are from a minority ethnic background, and their needs and priorities need to be reflected in the leadership of the Union. FREE drug testing kits, contraception, and sanitary products should be a given at any University. Promoting safe sex and safe drug use are essential to making sure students have a safe and enjoyable time at University, while free sanitary products will help students fulfil basic biological needs at no extra cost. ON TOP OF THIS I PLEDGE: - To CREATE an action plan to prevent sexual assault between students and review the current complaints process. - To CAMPAIGN on behalf of students with learning difficulties, such as AD(H)D and Dyslexia, who are often not recognised by the University. - To LOBBY the University to maintain online-only learning, increase student Bursaries, and I will PUBLICLY PROVIDE University COVID statistics, until the Pandemic is over. This year has been exceptionally challenging for students, and I promise to do my best to speak up for student’s needs, prioritise the voices of the vulnerable, and to listen to minorities and act in their best interests. Stay safe.

My approach as Welfare and Communities Officer is to assess the Universities provisions and identify any areas for improvement. Especially, as people’s needs, and experiences have changed so much in the last year. Currently, I feel that there could be more resources (or advertising) for: • Technology addiction • Unhealthy relationships with sex and porn • Safeguarding of international students • Loneliness • Safely experimenting with drugs and accessing help if you feel it’s needed • Processing information that does not fit the mainstream narrative • Overcoming the desire to fit in • Healing from childhood trauma and bullying • Finding balance in your life I have lived an unconventional and (thus far) very successful life, during the many highs and lows of living my truth I have built up a thorough library of experiences which will enable me to best serve the UoP student community. I have taken the lead on several successful change management projects during my career in the Research and Innovation Department at our local hospital. My approach is always based on well-rounded logic and compassion for all involved. My ambition in life is to help bring about positive and impactful change by empowering people to reach their full potential so that we can be the architects of our own futures and break free from the social constraints that we have inherited. A vote for me is a vote for trust loyalty and respect. I will fight for your rights, I will make sure your voice is heard, I will gather all the facts and encourage others to act on them. I will work my hardest to make sure you are safe, happy and confident whilst at university and I plan to provide you with the tools to build upon this happiness and confidence for the rest of your life!

My beloved friends, Vote is your legitimate right. I believe the manifesto should not be just words. what we are saying must have to be a concern. I'm participating in this election not because of getting the privilege from the University because of providing the privilege and love to all of you. The services are associated with the university welfare and wellbeing I will Inform you before you need them. Your university's welfare assistance is my concern. certainly, we are all building a wealthy community than before. Kind Regards Name: Ashik Mahmud Student ID: UP2042941 International Business and Management. Faculty of Business and Law. Mail: up2042941@myport.ac.uk

Progressively over the last year, the pandemic has caused student morale to decline, leaving students feeling isolated and trapped within their education. As your nominated Welfare officer, I wish to put a system in place that will prioritise students’ mental health and safety. To do this I will create an app, which will be available to all students. Its sole purpose will be to guide and assist students in need, from students who are feeling down to individuals who need advice with housing situations and financial advice. The app will compose of several different segments, ranging from 1 to 1 counselling, a buddying system which will allow students suffering from loneliness to chat amongst others who are also struggling. The app will also help with staying informed on relevant topics as the app will include an up to date blog, with popular articles available too, alongside upcoming events within the university, housing and financial advice and easy access to your personal timetable etc.

With my app I hope to break down uncertainty prior to arriving at university for first years and while the app will hold valuable information it cannot be a physical helping hand which is why I will enforce ‘helpers’ around campus for the first two weeks of university to guide venerable students to their classes and provide general assistance.

Student safety around campus at night is also a top priority of mine therefore I wish to allocate security around Guildhall walk to ensure the safety of our students and propose a university funded transport system which I believe to be essential in assisting students getting as close by to their housing as possible which will reduce crime and therefore increase student safety.

For the past year, I have acted as Welfare Executive for sports and recreation, supporting sports societies with the challenges faced throughout the pandemic. In the coming months, we will be resuming 'normal' life. We will face many welfare issues, such as safety on nights out, with most first years having some of their first nights out at university and many other students feeling anxious returning to packed clubs. For this I will work on spreading night out safety awareness, particularly within halls of residence. As well as nights out, societies will be back to playing sport. Working with the sport executives for year ahead to delve deeper into the mental health implications of taking a year out of sports, with both a decrease in physical ability and the negative thoughts that come alongside this and how, as a team, we can work to reduce these. Due to unforeseen circumstances over the past year, many students have not been able to work to their full potential. This, in turn, may lead to a higher number of resit students, some of which will only take a couple of units. Working with Careers and Wellbeing I would look at how to aid students, not only with their mental health but ensuring they're getting the most out of their time, bettering their grades and looking for other opportunities to improve their CVs. I will work with Wellbeing and the Union to adapt their services more specifically to address issues that are faced by both the BAME and LGBTQ+ communities, whether this presents in their home life, course, relationships, or daily life. I will actively encourage these communities into participating in a range of societies as well as encouraging said societies to participate in wellbeing initiatives such as pride month and black history month.

Voting for No Suitable Candidate (NSC) means that you are dissatisfied with the choice of actual candidates for the position of Welfare Officer. 

UPSU believes that our voters should have the choice to make a positive vote, even if you don’t agree with  any of the candidates in the election. This means that even those candidates who are standing unopposed for a post still need to convince you that they are the best candidate.

My name is Angela Onyetema-Anene, a Project Management Postgraduate student, and also an overseas Lawyer. This means that, I have always been in the business of representing and fighting for the welfare of the people. Opportunities as this, to serving the people convinces me I may never stop to ensure a better welfare for the people, which undoubtedly gives me an end joy that I could do something to help man kind. I have earlier been awarded a leadership certificate by the Nigerian Council of Legal Education, Abuja, as the most promising and diligent leader 2014, and the Nigerian Secretary Young Lawyers Forum, Asaba 2016-2018. Therefore having been in the University of Portsmouth for roughly 6 months, I can assure you that I know what challenges many of us student's are battling with and I am willing to work towards proferring valuable solutions. Hence, I have built my manifesto on the following to serve you: 1. To fight and create employability opportunity for all graduating students not minding your background. 2. To take seriously every complaints concerning discrimination and other similar matters, and finally to often create a meeting event wherein student's can meet and make new friends, I can assure you that with the advent of covid-19, our styles of interaction and social lives have been affected. Therefore, With the above, permit me to serve you to enable us recover all that Covid-19 has robbed us with.