Welfare and Liberation Forum

8/2/16

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  1. Welcome from the Chair
  2. Actions from Previous Forum
  3. Report from the Campaigns Officer(including Hate Crime Campaign Plan)
  4. Discussion
  5. Body Positive (Chloe)

Date of next meeting: Tuesday 12th April 2016

Welfare and Liberation Forum Report
Lucy Haigh

Stressed Out Students (SOS) – We ran a mini SOS campaign in January for a week. I worked with LIS to ensure we could get a spot in the library for 3 days to hand out the SOS packs and worked with the Healthy University Co-ordinator to get the freebies. The campaign was a huge success to say there was little budget spent on it and we even had students in the library coming down to get packs which was a fantastic improvement. The relaxation sessions were attended but not as well as I hoped, hopefully running them in the library with more advertising will help in April/May. I’ve already started to make plans for the next SOS campaign in a couple of months and took some student feedback for ideas from January. Hopefully there will be a lot more activities and freebies on offer with collaboration with Tasmia on the information going out around educational issues.

Medical Centre – Most recently the SU have had some big wins with the medical centre and I am keeping my eye on the changes to make sure everything promised is actually happening. I have had a few issues with pre-bookable appointments but have queried this with the practice manager. These were the following wins:

From Saturday 6th February the Medical Centre will be open Sat mornings for 1/3 pre-bookable appointments, 1/3 day before appointments and 1/3 emergency/walk-ins.

Pre-bookable appointments are available through the week (1/4 a day).

From 1st July the Practice will be reviewing its core hours and I have suggested extended hours where possible in the evening. They are taking this suggestion forward.

A text service is hopefully going to be introduced so students can easily cancel appointments (this is a huge issue!) it will be much easier to reply to the text with cancel than call in.

Statements of fact for Disabled Student Allowance will now cost £2.

DR’s Notes are now £10 which is the same cost as 5 years ago.

We have also invited Lorna from Practice Manager in for regular meetings throughout the year and to join the student support and wellbeing group. I am also running a campaign with Student Support to educate students around what they need to go to the medical centre for and what they can get over the counter; and around cancelling appointments.

DSA and Mental Health – Within the student support and wellbeing group we have put forward a proposal to the university to provide band 1 and band 2 support for disabled students. Two options have been proposed by the group; both options include the university funding the support but one highlights students acting as the support and being paid for it (training will be provided); the other is using a service that suggests required helpers within the local area and paying for them to come in.

We are also in the process of writing our UUK response and I have been involved in answering one of the recommendations based on students’ union involvement in strategy and decision making around issues concerning mental health for students. That is being submitted to the university on February 17th.

BME Careers Event – Alongside Tasmia Salim, I have been organising a BME networking event for students. With the BME attainment gap compared to white students being so large, we thought putting on an event that motivated and inspired students might help decrease the gap. Careers have been speaking to BME alumni from different professions to cover as many schools as possible. The event is set up for networking not as a jobs fair.

Hunting Ground – I’ve been organising the Hunting Ground event with Chloe Knowles and Megan Todd in conjunction with the #SayNO campaign. The film will show on Wednesday 24th February from 2pm-5pm. We have a guest speaker question and answer session organised to follow the screening so that the event is relevant to Lancashire and the UK. We will hopefully have someone from LGBT Lancashire there, Men Against Violence, Trust House, the police and an MP.

Planning Green Week – judge bursaries I have been working alongside Emma Bartlet and Facilities Management (FM) to organise Green Week. We have been working on the week since November and in December I was a part of panel judging the student entries for the bursaries. We’ve managed to put in more events and interactive activities rather than static stalls because it’s important each year we have new attractions for returning students. I also did some student consultation about what students would like to see this year and that has fed into the plans.

Improvements to the Registering Scheme – I’ve produced a proposal for the Accommodation Office which highlights some areas of the scheme that can be improved. The main proposal points are around the registration scheme but other areas focus on 6 month accommodation contracts for first years and flexible accommodation for nursing students for example. This paper will be submitted W/C 8th February.

Listening to pitches from housing companies – Recently myself and the Advice and Representation Centre have invited in companies that offer a student housing review system similar to TripAdvisor. We have heard from Student View and Housing Hand so far and we are hearing from Move’m in the next couple of months. We intend to have a system in place for the end of this academic year so that students can review their accommodation before they move out ready for the following year.

Written papers – I have written 2 papers over the past month for Gender Neutral Toilets and Microwaves and Hot Water Taps. By the forum they will have been submitted to the relevant university committees. The reports have come from student consultation around both matters.

We have already had some progress with a hot water tap which will be installed in the library shortly but the report outlines these facilities dotted around campus rather than in just one space.

Hate Crime Campaign Plan – Lisa from Advice and I have been attending the Hate Crime meetings with the police and third party reporting centres from across Lancashire. The meeting is to discuss how we can all improve the reporting centres by sharing good practice and working with the area officers. We have currently put together a campaign plan for the rest of this year and into next highlighting. Our primary aim is to raise awareness of hate crime and what it is; our second aim is to get students reporting it. You can see a copy of the plan within the agenda points.

Multi-faith centre – The Union has produced a multi-faith centre report based on the findings from the survey in December. The report has been submitted to the masterplan committee and will influence the design of the new facilities.

Hate Crime Campaign Plan

Campaign: To make students feel safe and supported in Preston whilst increasing awareness of The Advice and Representation Centre as a Third Party Reporting Centre

Campaign Objectives:

  • To increase reporting for all areas of Hate Crime and Incident
  • To train all SAC Members in issues around Hate Crime/Incidents along with information about referral to Advice and Rep. To create a night life project rating system
  • To train all Council Liberation Reps and 50% of other Council Members in issues around Hate Crime/Incidents along with information about referral to Advice and Rep. To create a night life project rating system
  • To train members of 20 SU Clubs and Societies in issues around Hate Crime/Incidents along with information about referral to Advice and Rep.
  • To participate in UCLan Hate Crime Conference-May 16-including Officer to address Conference and Trained ARC Adviser on hand to speak to anyone with concerns
  • Increase awareness and therefore referrals to TPRC amongst UCLAN staff in Schools and Services

Has Policy been passed at Council on this campaign?

Previously a policy has been passed, however this was more than 3 years ago so should be due for review

Who do we need to involve in the campaign to make it happen?

Officers: Lucy Haigh, any other SAC, other members of Council including Liberation Council Reps

Staff: Matt Webber, Martin Dodd, Lisa Watson, Lorri Miller, Amanda Pattinson, Marketing

External: Ian Mills Corporate Development Chief Inspector-responsible for TPRC Liaison Group,

PC Stuart Ruckledge and PC Aieysha Bana

Sana Chari-UCLan Events Co-ordinator Responsible for Hate Crime conference

True Vision

Gai Murphy – Pro-Vice Chancellor for Student Experience

Activities / Team members responsible / Progress / Actions / By when
Information to be added to SU Website / Martin Dodd / Feb 16
Hate Crime training/awareness for staff to be introduced / Campaigns Officer/University HR/Gai Murphy
Plan to be discussed at Welfare and Liberation Forum / Campaigns Officer / Feb 2016
Produce online anonymous reporting form / Campaigns Officer/Martin Dodd / Replicate the #SayNO reporting form to allow student to report hate crime anonymously / March 2016
Training of SAC/ Council Members / Lisa Watson / Provide training about the Hate Crime Reporting Centre and / April 2016
Regular Social Media Posts about the conference/ Hate Crime Reporting Centre / Campaigns Officer / In the lead up to the Hate Crime conference using social media to raise the profile of the reporting centre on campus / May 2016
Participation in Hate Crime Conference / Campaigns Officer/ All ARC staff / Campaigns Officer to speak at the conference about the work we do and the hate crime reporting centre / May 2016
Training of Clubs and Societies Members / Lisa Watson/Police/Campaigns Officer/Lorri Millar/Amanda Pattinson/Activities Officer / June 2016
Welfare Lead in Societies training / Lorri Millar/Activities Officer/Campaigns Officer / Training up students to signpost on welfare issues including hate crime / June 2016
Awareness events around campus / Campaigns Officer/Liberation Reps / September 2016 onwards
Targeted Communications / ARC staff/UCLan Marketing/Keara Lynch / September 2016 onwards
Voluntary Hall Representatives – ‘Campus Culture’ / ARC Staff/Campaigns Officer / Recruiting students to champion UCLan Students’ Union Campaigns in their halls of residence. Voluntary positions / September 2016
Attend Hate Crime Liaison Meetings / Campaigns Officer/ARC representative / Ongoing
Regular monitoring of reports / Lisa Watson / Ongoing