Welfare Officer
Tel: 0115 846 8772 Email: suwelfare@nottingham.ac.uk
To know what i'm doing - read my blog!
My name is Jenny Smith and I am the Welfare Officer for 2007-8. A large part of my job involves representing the interests and needs of students to the university (as well as on a national scale) in areas of welfare.
My time is shared between promoting awareness of and mounting campaigns on welfare issues specific to students. This covers a wide range of topics from student housing to sexual and mental health, to crime reduction and the provision of the late night safety bus.
University can be a really difficult time for many students. You are all likely to know someone who has a mental health problem. You will all know someone who has been a victim of crime. You will all know someone who is in real financial difficulties. The trouble is, you won't necessarily be aware that the person you know is having to deal with these issues. Welfare campaigns are a good way of promoting awareness and giving out information on sensitive issues.
Campaigns
- For details of campaigns that we have run this year, or are planning on running, please click here. There are also details on this campaigns page about how to complain about taxis (if you are overcharged, for example); how to report if there is poor lighting on campus (let me know!); what smartwatering is and how to get it... The list goes on and on!
If there are any campaigns you think I should be running then please let me know!
Support
- The University Counselling Service offers support to many students in the form of individual therapy sessions and group sessions. Examples of topics covered are: anxiety, depression, eating disorders, self harm, alcohol and drug problems, loss and bereavement and panic attacks. www.nottingham.ac.uk/counselling
- The Student Advice & Representation Centre is a walk-in, drop-in, no-appointment service with trained professional staff who deal with student matters such as housing, money, education, employment and legal issues, and also from this September offer a hate incident reporting service: the Student Advice & representation page
- The University Chaplains are a further branch of support and are happy to listen to students from any faith or background (religious or not). www.nottingham.ac.uk/chaplains
- I will be chairing a Welfare Exec of students to help me with projects and campaigns. Please get in touch with me if you would like to find out more about this or stand for the 2007-8 committee: We currently have one space vacant specifically for a first year student rep!
Each first year hall of residence on and off campus will have at least one Welfare Rep who sits on the JCR committee (or residential associations committee). They will have been given listening skills training and educated on a number of student welfare issues. They will also keep details of organisations relating to specific issues as well as a knowledge of help available within the university. Some Union groups also provide Welfare Reps, and there is also an elected student who volunteers as a Reps Liason officer - working with all the welfare reps.
Whilst I am not a trained counsellor, I am willing to listen to any worries you might have, and point you in the right direction of where to get help. I can be found in the Student Advice & Representation Centre, Portland Building. If you wish to see me, please could you make an appointment in the Admin Department, Portland Building.
My reports to Students' Union Council:
- 1st Council: Welfare Officer Report (including manifesto pledges) and Welfare Committee Report
- 2nd Council: Welfare Officer Report and Welfare Committee Report
- 3rd Council: Welfare Officer Report and Welfare Committee Report and Student Services Committee report (1 due a term, to the final Council).
- 4th Council Report: Welfare Officer Report and Welfare Committee Report and manifesto pledges (submitted to 1st Council of each term)
- 5th Council Report: Welfare Officer & Committee Report (new format, all included in one!) and Student Services Report (1 due a term).
- 6th Council Report: Welfare Officer & Committee Report and manifesto pledges (submitted to 1st Council of each term)
- 7th Council Reprts: Welfare Officer & Committee Report and Student Services Report (1due a term)
The next Union Council is next academic year...
For more information & updates on what i'm doing, please read my blog! Click here and select "Welfare Officer"!
*** The Welfare Exec and I have written a letter to the Primary Care Trust in Nottingham about the level of STI testing available at Cripps - indicating that we believe there should be permanent funding for STI testing at Cripps, and that is should be available to all students: not restricted to those under 25.. Please feel free to read a copy of this letter here ***
University of Nottingham Students' Union
Portland Building, University Park , Nottingham NG7 2RD
Tel: + 44 (0)115 846 8800 Fax: + 44 (0)115 846 8801
© 2005 University of Nottingham Students' Union