Students Union Blog and Socials
As a volunteer content writer for the Students’ Union website and blog, I covered a lot of events and happenings on campus - the Lockdown Heroes blog was one of my favourites. This feature celebrated all the ways the Students’ Union came together to help and support students through the challenges of lockdown, with the goal of encouraging people to nominate themselves for the following year’s student officer roles. With a conversational tone, it combines storytelling, finished with a call to action. Scroll to the end to see two social media posts from different events during the year.
Lockdown heroes
It goes without saying, lockdown has made it a tough time to be a student in ways that are similar for all of us, but affect each of us uniquely. So many changes just hit us out of nowhere, and we had to adapt fast. Having to isolate has taken away the main things that make up the student experience - socialising, going to lectures, and hanging out on campus.
All that said, these challenges have forced the students union to be resourceful and innovative in ways we have never had to before - and our student officers came through and saved the day on multiple occasions throughout 2020. They pulled brand new solutions out of the bag in order to provide wellbeing support, financial assistance. So, give them a round of applause!
Here are just a few of the achievements our lockdown heroes made throughout 2020, and are still working on now…
COVID-19 Assistance Fund
When lockdown hit again with a bang, many Salford students were forced to leave their accommodation behind for a number of months. This means that hundreds were left owing rent for digs that they weren’t even using!
What’s the point in that?
That’s why the Union’s President, Temi, approached the folks in charge of the whole university, asking them to provide money to cover this rent for those affected by this unforeseen challenge.
If you don’t ask, you don’t get, right?
Temi asked, and she got!
Management readily agreed, going above and beyond to provide even more support, as restrictions clamped down even more tightly in the coming weeks.
The Rent Relief fund is making a huge difference to thousands of students right now, and is part of the wider COVID-19 Assistance Fund.
This fund includes the Salford Support Fund, which is for anybody who is experiencing unforeseen financial hardships whether that Is due to COVID-19, or any other personal circumstance, severe enough to make them consider leaving their course completely.
It also includes the International Support Fund, which is for any international student from anywhere in the world, who, similarly, are facing unforeseen financial challenges.
The Rent Relief Fund is now closed for applications, but if you believe you may be eligible for either the Salford Support Fund or the International Support Fund, you can still apply for both of them. Head over to the Student Hub for more information on how to apply.
Rafiki Isolation Support
The Union’s peer-to-peer support service, Rafiki, has stepped up throughout the COVID crisis to offer specific and focused pastoral support to any student who is self-isolating.
Since the start of term back in September, Rafiki has supported over 500 students. Their amazing team of volunteers has taken on extra responsibility to check in with students on an on-going basis, and are continuing this super-important work right now.
These guys really REALLY care.
To find out more about Rafiki and the great things they do, check this out…
International Buddy System
At the start of term, International students were allowed to travel to the UK on the condition that they had to self quarantine for two weeks before being able to go outside.
Thanks to the work of the Union’s officers, the university partnered with the Union to deliver a project that appoints ‘buddies’ to get in touch with each person in this situation, to do wellbeing checks, and to offer any practical or personal assistance that they would need during this isolation period.
Starting a new life in a brand new country can be overwhelming enough at the best of times, but a pandemic makes things even crazier!
Thankfully, care packages were delivered to everyone, containing foods and other essentials. Buddies were there to offer advice as needed. Known as ‘Team Quarantine’, this project filled a very real need, and made a huge difference in the lives of those it was able to help.
#EaseTheFees
The pandemic is far from over, and there is more work that needs to be done. Your Student Union’s Officer Team is beavering away right now on a brand new initiative - #EaseTheFees. Has a great ring to it, right?
They are enlisting Salford students to join them as they petition the UK government to reimburse a huge chunk of students’ tuition fees. A lot of the things that the fees pay for, including face to face teaching and the resources and facilities on campus, are not being provided right now, so students are experiencing a lower quality of teaching and learning than what they are paying for. All of us are aware of the hard work the teaching staff across all schools and departments have and are putting in to make the teaching experience as positive as possible for everyone.
We Need You!
If it wasn’t for our student Officer team, none of these great things would have been possible. It’s that time of year again, so nominations are open for our new team of Student Officers. If the difficult events of this year have been a struggle for you, the best way you can make a difference is by becoming a student officer. The position puts you in a unique position to advocate for the entire student body, liaising with the university’s leadership, and with the surrounding community.
If you have seen a need that you think needs addressing, we want to hear from you! All you need to know about nominating yourself can be found here!
If you know anyone who you think could be suitable, our Recommend a Friend system allows you to nominate them.
Simply fill out this form and we will get in touch with them.
SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS
Here’s an example of two captions I made for posts calling for nominations for the next year’s group of voluntary student officers.
