Jane Constance shares her experience joining and being involved in activities with the Students' Union.
From music theatre and drama, to equestrian, swimming and trampolining; no matter what interests you, the SU has a whole range of activities, clubs, societies and events that you can be involved in. Entering this university, I discovered that there were a lot of volunteering opportunities in which all students are eligible. I am the chair of the Singing Society and the secretary of the Disabled Student’s Society, where working collaboratively is key!
Last year, as part of the Mauritian society I had the opportunity to lead a flag raising ceremony event at the occasion of the Mauritius Independence Day; this was a fabulous experience to plan the event and I even developed some organisation skills at the end.
A couple of days ago, alongside some singing society members, I launched a mental health awareness music video to support students during lockdown and remind them that, despite the current situation, they are not alone!
We had a fun time reuniting the singers, working on harmonies and editing the video. All the students put their heart and soul into the song! As the society's chair, I am proud that this video is touching so many people at the university and beyond.
Joining the Students' Union is a brilliant opportunity for any student at UCLan to have, with the chance to mix with other people from different backgrounds and make friends in the process.
With the chance to volunteer with UCLan, you will obtain a lot of skill sets which can be transferred into different jobs in your chosen career. A few types of skill sets that this award centres on are; problem solving/conflict management, team/self-directed work, leadership and professionalism.
On the SU website under volunteering opportunities, there are a list of events available for you to volunteer with; such as craft and food fair, zero waste or even secret garden volunteers. When signing up to the volunteering opportunity on the SU website, you are entitled to receive the Livesey Award when graduating; a volunteering certificate given by the SU, which you could include on your CV in the future.
If you enjoy public speaking or writing articles, you have the golden opportunity to get involved with Pulse Media, the university's media sector, with television, radio and even school’s newspaper. This will not just be an exciting opportunity to make friends, learn new skills in relation to the radio and tv sector but it will improve confidence and communication skills incredibly!
Each year in the middle of February, the SU organise elections which gives the opportunity to students to vote for new leaders who they wish will represent their views. It includes the full-time officers, student council reps, school presidents, and clubs/societies committee.
Nominating for a role within your student lead groups will be a memorable adventure as representing others is a way to develop yourself. The committee works together to develop the group and ensure members are having a great experience. You will also receive training to help you run your group as well as having access to support from the union activities staff team. There is so much to come and if you want to be part of the positive changes happening on campus, make sure you nominate yourself for a role!
The Students' Union is continually improving its resources for students. Recently, the team put in place an amazing project called RAG which stands for ‘Raising and Giving’. The main purpose is to help students to understand why fundraising is important today, for example, helping a disabled charity association or giving food to elderly in a care home that can help them live a happier life!
Overall, my experience of being part of the Students' Union family is fantastic; I learn so much every day, have obtained lifelong skills and amazing friendships! The non-judgmental, non-discriminatory and friendly attitude of the team makes the SU so wonderful and unique and I would strongly advise all students to make the most out of the opportunities; it’s so beneficial for your personal development and involvement in university with all the perks!
