Volunteering - Benefits All Round!

Recently I attended a seminar by the Clore Social Leadership Programme. 2011 Chlore Social Fellow Laura Hyde, has worked in the student movement for a number of years and reported on the “Strengths of the Student Movement and its Relationship with the Voluntary Sector”. 

Preparations for the tea party


It quickly became apparent to me that what I have known to be true since starting my job as RUSU President, is now being expressed quite eloquently in her report.

She writes: “Students’ Unions are amazing organisations doing some excellent work, having a significant impact on individuals and wider society – they just need to tell more people!”

A truer statement has never been uttered. RUSU (and by ‘RUSU’ I don’t just mean the five Student Officers and RUSU staff. I mean the thousands of students who are engaged in a huge number of ways) is an amazing organisation.
 

I could use this blog to describe in vast amounts of detail, exactly what is great about everything we do, such as our advice service, our commercial services, our brand new lettings agency and, of course, our representative function. However, I am going to talk about volunteering as this is very fitting to the findings of Laura’s report.

RUSU runs a wide variety of volunteering opportunities for students. These provide you with the opportunity to get to know the area you live in, acquire key transferable skills and fundamentally enhance your university experience, whilst supporting and benefiting the local community. It is always a great pleasure for the Student Officers to talk about students’ involvement in volunteering when we meet with members of the local community.

Here is an outline of just a few of the great volunteering activities that RUSU has been involved with recently:

• 708 students have signed up to receive a weekly volunteering newsletter updating them of new opportunities to build links with the community and develop personally. This is a 250% increase on the number of students signed up last year.
• An amazing £4,342.09 was raised by RAG (Raising and Giving) in the first 9 weeks of this term.
• 50 local elderly residents will be attending a Christmas tea party catered for by our Baking Society with decorations made by the Domestic Do It Yourself Society (RUDDIYS). Entertainment will also be provided by our very own Dance, Breakdance, Tap and Modern, Gospel, Music and Swing Dance Societies. This event is a great collaboration between volunteering and societies.
• An on campus a 'Uni Bike,' bike hire scheme has launched with five bikes already having been hired out and new ones being donated from the local community.
• The Baking Society have been cooking with the residents at the local 'Lakeside Care Home' every Wednesday afternoon during term.
• The Community Choir has succesfully performed three concerts since September and will be celebrating its first anniversary in February 2013.
• A Homework Club has been started at a local Primary school with an average of 10 children attending each week.

As you can see, RUSU is hugely benefitting the voluntary sector within Reading and the wider community and we encourage as many students as possible to take part in these and other exciting volunteering opportunities.

If you are looking to personally develop as well as make good friends and meet new people, please consider volunteering. We as a Students' Union will provide you with lots of support and you never know, you could even get to see yourself in the local press as has previously happened!

If you wish to find out more about the opportunities available, pop into the Student Activities Centre in the RUSU building.

James Fletcher
RUSU President

Sexual Health Awareness Week Review

Last week we held RUSU’s first ever ‘Let’s Talk Sex,’ Sexual Health Awareness Week.

Generally speaking, students have a lot of sex – but not always safely – and for that reason it is incredibly important to keep an active check on sexual health. Unfortunately going to a sexual health clinic remains a taboo and this is one of the main things RUSU is attempting to change!

In an effort to tackle this stigma, RUSU attempted to break the world record for the most sexual health screenings carried out in 24 hours - the aim being to encourage people to come en masse, hopefully highlighting how simple getting tested really is!  In addition to asking individuals to get involved, we also encouraged competition between committees of JCRs, sports teams and societies by offering free Summer Ball tickets to the committee who got the most people to come and get tested. The competition got pretty fierce but in the end it was cheerleading who won and got an amazing 39 people tested!

After 24 hours the grand total tested was 528 people, smashing Surrey Union's record of 460.

We were over the moon with this result! The nurses at the clinic were also incredibly impressed and very surprised! (They thought we'd only get 50!) I hope this campaign has demonstrated how simple testing really is and emphasised the importance of having regular check-ups – it is recommended to do so every 6 months. Tests can be picked up from the clinic or university medical practice at any time.

Other events in the week included a sex ed. class run by ‘Sexpression UK’, a screening of ‘Philadelphia’ hosted by LGBT who also spent the week raising money for National Aids Trust (NAT), along with the RAG and RUBaking societies selling world aids day ribbons and cakes! Collectively they raised around £250!

Finally, the campaign culminated in the ‘Safe Sex Ball’ held on World Aids Day. We had some excellent Moulin Rouge décor (including a giant windmill!) and some class performances from the likes of UniTrash and Fleur. We had a great time on the night and a near sell out during Week 8 suggests we didn’t do too badly.

Thanks to everyone who was involved in the success of this week, particularly the Student Officers and Ben (our LGBT Part-time Officer) who really deserves a huge portion of the credit for any successes. Lastly, thanks to every person who came to an event, who got tested and who packed out 3sixty for the Safe Sex Ball. I’m really proud of what we achieved in this campaign; hopefully it will help trigger a change in attitudes towards sexual health at our university!

Happy Week 9, work hard and play safe!

Sophie Davies

VP Welfare and Representation

RUSU and the NUS

This Wednesday we will see the National Union of Students (NUS) Demonstration in London. This demonstration was voted on at the NUS Annual Conference in April 2012 and comes with the slogan of ‘Educate, Employ, Empower’

Reading students were asked if they would like to commit RUSU time and resources in attending this Demo. The result was a ‘no’ and RUSU listened. RUSU will therefore not be attending the Demo, although that is not to say, that Reading students cannot go themselves. We will provide you with all the information that you need on this.

Aside from our attendance at the Demo, I thought that it was fitting that I use my blog to affirm how NUS and RUSU have an excellent working partnership.

Firstly, let’s begin with the Demo. Student Officers asked students how they felt about attendance for a variety of reasons, including resource allocation and to gauge whether students at Reading want their Student Officers to engage in activity more locally. The NUS, by its name and nature, is national. However, it supports Students’ Unions around the UK to engage with their universities and local authorities to better the lives of students locally. It is invaluable for this and the resources and one-to-one assistance that it provides is second to none. Student Officers at Reading believe that students need to be empowered when it comes to their education and employment. They will continue, as they would have before the Demo, to campaign on these three ideals. The fact that we will not physically attend the Demo, does not mean that its message is not relevant to Reading students. Of course it is and RUSU will fight on your behalf tirelessly.

We are also in the midst of NUS Delegate Elections. The NUS delegates are representatives of Reading students at the NUS Annual Conference. These individuals will be able to vote on national policy and elect the national officers who will lead the NUS for the coming year. I encourage every Reading student to vote in these elections. It is imperative that our delegates know what you want from your student movement so let them know by voting for them! X Factor fans will know how important it is to vote for something that you believe in, after this weekend’s shocker!

You can vote here (you will need to log in first). We have four delegates at Reading (this is calculated by the NUS based on our student numbers). One is reserved for the RUSU President (me!) ex officio and three are up for grabs by every other RUSU member (student and Student Officer alike).

You may wonder how RUSU gets all of its stock for Mojo's Bar, Café Mondial, 3sixty and Campus Central. Well, surprise surprise, it’s by way of the NUS! Well, NUS Services Ltd (NUSSL) to be precise. Individually, students’ unions do not have the purchasing power to negotiate good deals for students. NUSSL is a group of 300 students’ unions (so about 3.5 million members, give or take) so together it creates a company with huge purchasing power. NUSSL then negotiates on behalf of those millions of students to get us all a good deal. It doesn’t end at the edge of campus though as NUSSL is responsible for the NUS Extra Card. For as little as £12, you can save £523 on average in many high street retailers! Bargain! Last year, RUSU was the second biggest seller of NUS Extra Cards, so collectively Reading students saved approximately £3.8million! If you want a slice of that, you can get your card from the RUSU Reception while you wait.

As you can see, RUSU’s relationship with the NUS is one of true partnership. I believe RUSU is better for its affiliation to the NUS and even though RUSU won’t be there on Wednesday, as a student body we are totally committed to making sure that our futures are secure. We remind universities, local authorities and national governments across the country that, as integral parts of society, we need to be invested in; not only financially but as a part of society that will secure the future for the UK. As part of the NUS we can achieve this much better than we would be able to achieve alone. Celebrate our relationship with the NUS, I know I do!

James Fletcher
RUSU President

What's the R.U.S.H?

Reading University Student Housing

To some of you it may seem completely insane to even consider where you will be living or who you will be living with next year, but to others it may be something that is already on your mind.

To those of you moving into rented accommodation for the first time, the most important thing to remember is DON’T RUSH!

It’s essential that you give yourself time to find the right housemates and the right house and if you have concerns or questions about housing, they should be raised now rather than later.

RUSU has a team of Student Advisors who can help and give advice on any housing issues. Finding the right place to live is important and can seriously impact on your university experience.

Even at this early stage, discussions may have started amongst your friends and in your flats about who is going to live with whom. Please remember though that living with someone in halls can be very different to sharing a house. Currently you may not have to share communal spaces, you may have en-suites in halls and especially if you are catered, you may not have to deal with the whole piles of washing up /cleaning rota thing. You don’t have bills to consider or estate agents to deal with either. It really is worth considering who it is you are choosing to take up these new challenges with because once you sign that contract – that really is it.

Who?

This is not supposed to scare you at all but it is supposed to make you think.

Everyone is different and sometimes you can be the best of friends with someone but actually aren’t that compatible as housemates. Behind closed doors your best friend can be a lot messier than you realised, and despite best intentions, will always have a huge pile of washing up to do and be hoarding at least 4 of your mugs in their room. These things might seem irrelevant now, but can really begin to grate in such a confined environment.

Where?

It’s not just about who you live with, it’s where you live. Can you honestly say that having been here for a month, you know exactly where the best student area is? I can guarantee there is a huge split of opinion about which one is and the best thing to do, is take some time to go and find out for yourself! Use next term to look around as many houses as you can to get a feel for the options you have and for the areas you can choose from.

I know you may be thinking… but if I wait, won’t all the houses have gone?

No. Reading has more houses than students! Speaking from personal experience I have always waited until the Spring term to sign a contract. In my first year I signed in April, in second year it was February and in third year I signed a contract for my current house 2 days before moving into it in July! (I don’t recommend that last one –but you get the point!) I live and have always lived in a great student area and paid between £300 and £335 a month in rent. It takes me 7 minutes to get to campus.

In Week 7, RUSU is holding a series of Housing Talks. They will give you a ridiculous amount of useful information including all the things to be aware of when viewing a house (I always check the shower!), contracts, mould, bills, housemates, landlords, estate agents, inventories, etc., etc. We will also be running ‘Find a Housemate’ sessions beginning in Week 8.

 All we ask is that you attend these sessions and that you chill!

Times and dates of talks will be advertised on posters around the Students’ Union, on our website and via Facebook and Twitter closer to the time.

DON’T RUSH - WAIT UNTIL YOU KNOW ALL THE FACTS!

Sophie Davies
VP Welfare and Representation

The Reading Student Charter

Hello students,

Term has now started for everyone and it is time to settle down and get on with your degree.

In the run up, you may have been given a copy of The Reading Student Charter and may be wondering what it is and what it isn’t.

So here is a brief overview:

What it is…

•  It is a document that describes the mutual expectations that students have of the University and its staff, what the University and its staff have of the students and what we all expect of each other.
• It is a working document that will be reviewed in the Spring Term, so that we can be sure that it is working for you.
• It is something that you can have your say on. Any Student Officer will be happy to speak to you about it so they can feedback to make sure that it stays relevant to your expectations of the University.

What it isn’t…

• It is not a legally binding document.
• It is not a document that is used by staff to tell students what to do.
• It is not a document that can be used by students to tell staff how to do their job.

Sir David Bell ,Vice Chancellor of the University of Reading and I signed the document this week and then walked around the campus to talk to you about it and to work out what the document will mean to you.

The Student Officers will be asking you what you think about it throughout the year, so make sure you keep it up on your wall so that you are well aware of the mutual expectations that we all have for each other.

If you would like to pick up a copy of the Charter, they are available at the RUSU Reception. Alternatively you can access it online.

So if you have any questions about the document, do not hesitate to contact me.

See you around campus and good luck with the rest of term!

James FletcherRUSU President

R U Speaking Up?

I now officially declare the Course Rep elections OPEN!

Have you only just started at the University? Are you a Returning Student who wasn’t a Course Rep last year? Were you a Course Rep last year?

One thing every student has in common is the ability to represent their fellow students on their course!

Anyone can nominate themselves to be a Course Rep, whether you have been at the University for a matter of days, or you want to stand for re-election because you enjoyed being a Course Rep so much last year.

Course Reps are academic representatives who speak on behalf of their course year group. By keeping the lines of communication open, Course Reps are the first port of call for students. They canvas for suggestions as to how their course can be improved, any problems the students are having, things that are working really well and feedback on their experience generally.

The main requirement for a Course Reps is for them to be representative of their peers! This then feeds into their presence at the School or Department’s Student Staff Liaison Committees, the Course Rep Conventions and Student’s Union democracy meetings. Course Reps are expected to attend each of these meetings once a term, which is not a big ask for a 10 week term.

The benefits of being a Course Rep are huge and extend far beyond a gleaming CV! Many Reps have brought about large changes to their course and shaped the educational experience for future students. The role gives a voice to those who need speaking up for and can influence decisions that directly affect the course for which you are paying.

If you are a first year then you may need to register on the website first but all it takes is a few minutes to nominate yourself.

NOMINATIONS CLOSE FRIDAY 12TH OCTOBER

Kara SwiftVice-President Academic Affairs

#DEMO2012

This is your chance to debate!

What is our education worth in 2012?

What should your Students’ Union, your University, the  National Union of Students (NUS) and the Government be doing to ensure that your education and future is the best it can be?

At the NUS’ Annual conference this year, they voted to hold another National demonstration in London on November 21^st 2012. The NUS believes that you should march to highlight to the government the risk that they are putting your future in. With rising youth unemployment, increasing levels of student debt and the removal of grants,the NUS think that the government is letting a generation down.

At the last demonstration in 2010, RUSU took over 500 students spending £8,000 to fight against the cuts and rise in tuition fees. Reading students had a great impact on the march, but we didn’t achieve our aims.

So here are the questions you need to be considering:

•  Is the Demo what we should be spending our money on?
• Should we be supporting a march when there are no government plans that it can affect?
• Should we support a march which last time damaged the reputation of students?
• Should we be spending money and time when we may do betterand be more effective, lobbying the University to improve your education on your campus?

We think this decision is so important that it needs to be decided by YOU!

We will be holding a debate on October 16^th at 6.00pm in Cafe Mondial followed by an online referendum.

If you want  to hear more or be on the debate panel? Email Ceri Jones, VP Democracy and Campaigns

So… the choice is yours!

WILL WE MARCH?