Weekly Report: Week 3

In my weekly blogs i try to keep you updated with all that i have done (both big and small) over the last seven days.

I've really enjoyed this week. Training in Leeds was excellent and i feel empowered to run campaigns on behalf os students here knowing that the issues we face are also faced nationally. I'm also getting genuinely excited about Welcome Week, some of the plans are absolutely brilliant.

This week i:

Became a champion! This year the Guild has put itself up for the Students' Union Evaluation Initiative (SUEI). This means that by the end of this term we will end up with a rating (bronze, silver, gold etc). If any of you have been to Leeds you will know how annoying it is to see their Union putting posters all over the place claiming how they are the only Gold rated-union in the country. Tom Guise and i put ourselves forward to become 'SUEI champions'to lead the charge to get Birmingham accredited!

Had my official photo taken. Here it is. *Sigh*
. Went to Leeds for a three day training course led by Unipol, a key voice in the student housing sector. This was a fantastic course that taught me an incredible amount about national trends, contract law, community forums and much more besides. It was also interesting to meet other community officers from across the country. Currently there are not that many at all (less than ten sabbatical officers), but many unions are planning to incorporate one now that community issues are rising up the political and social agenda.

Visited the Muirhead Tower. It still may not look pretty from the outside but it is incredible on the inside. Check out this photo. Starbucks baby!
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Began what is certain to be a tough but extremely worthwhile process of evaluating the democratic structures of the Guild. We aim to represent students on a huge number of levels here (RAs, Guild Council, Student Reps, Liberation Associations, the Officer Team etc) but i think everyone will admit that they currently fail to work as well as they could do. Keep your eyes peeled over the next few months we will be involving as many of you as possible and listening to your views of how we could change our democratic structures for the better!

Sat on various meetings of the Welcome Week Coordination Group (of which i am the lead VP) to work out all aspects of how to make this year's Welcome Week the best yet! I've seen drafts of the Welcome Booklet, discussed moving in days and made detailed plans of how to make sure that every student is aware of their sabbatical officers and they role they play in helping students to settle in. Some plans include welcome talks, drop in sessions, stalls in halls and playing a role in induction lectures.