What issues do you think are most important to students at the University of Brighton and how will you make sure they are heard at NUS Conference?
I am standing for election for a specific reason; a reason that will not impact most of you reading this.
I believe NUS Sections, NUS liberation groups, student union officers and student union equality network groups are already addressing some of the most important and outstanding issues relating to the student experience. So, although you may not see my manifesto as the most relevant to you, I hope you will support it.
I want to use this platform to raise awareness of care experienced people in education.
I do not believe there is enough support or campaigning around care experience in student unions. February saw Care Day, April is Care Experienced History Month and October sees National Care Leavers' Week. Have you seen student unions and NUS addressing these campaigns? In Scotland there is Care Experienced Week in October; Who Cares? Scotland, SMPs, charities and organisations including NUS Scotland and many Scottish student unions spend the week campaigning. In other parts of the United Kingdom, these weeks can pass without any acknowledgement from educational institutions.
I want the BSU to take a motion to conference with the following requests:
* The NUS campaign to take the age cap off the care leaver bursary.
* The NUS to support Who Cares? Scotland's Lifetime of Equality campaign - particularly around making care experience a protected characteristic (as this will ensure more accurate data about care leavers is collected and we could have a more significant picture of where care leavers are in education).
* The NUS and affiliated student unions request the Higher Education Statistics Agency update/review their definitions of careleaver in HE particularly around the coverage.
* The NUS and affiliated student unions actively promote National Care Leavers' Week, Care Experienced Week, and Estranged Students Solidarity Campaign Week.
* The NUS and affiliated student unions ensure that there is a designated point of contact (and officer or society) for care leavers in their union.
How will you communicate events from NUS Conference back to students at Brighton?
I will report back to the student union via the Brighton Students' Union website