Hi, I'm Jack McGuinness, a 3rd year student studying Marketing (PR and Advertising) and the current LGBTQ+ Officer for the Union. During my placement at the University of Derby, I was working in the Student Engagement and Enhancement team, providing insight into and researching student experience and how to improve it. One of the first points I assisted with was providing student insight into the changes made to the bus timetables, leading to an updated timetable which made busses more frequent.
During this time, I was also part of a collaboration from the University, the Union and the County Council about student safety on nights out, walking around with Russ Lewis (Head of Student Engagement) and Beth Bextram (the then VP Activities) to find out the various mechanisms in place to safegaurd students on nights out. More information about this can be found here; https://www.derbyunion.co.uk/news/article/6040/Vice-President-Activities-Student-Safety-Night-Walk/ (please note the department went through a restructuring and my position was renamed from Student Insight Placement to Student Engagement and Enhancement placement).
In my 3rd year I've continued to work with the Head of Student Engagement on student safety and have brought up additional points on student wellbeing, also listening to the wellbeing department's mechanisms and how they have been affected by COVID-19.
Because of these experiences and more, my manifesto points are;
Aims
- Continue to work with the University and the County Council on student safety, during nights and during the day, providing recommendations to the safety council board on what could be improved.
- Improve the sense of community at the University by allowing officer's and vps to take up positions on society committees, ensuring that societies don't come dormant, whilst also Managing society wellbeing officers to provide support to students at a closer level
- Streamline paths to student wellbeing, so as to decrease the time in which students have assistance and academic plans in place for their course
- Ease post university anxiety by managing and developing student led brands and services, improving engagement and providing students with experience and references that assist in the development of their career
- Promote recognition of disabilities, both visible and non-visible, so those with them feel recognised and those who don't have disabilities are aware of what to do and what not to do. This will be done by working with the University and the County Council, optimising campaigns that have been promoted throughout COVID-19
- Research into how to and implement methods lower barriers to involvement with University and Union activites, events and societies, promoting inclusion and accessibility
- Optimise student's Union and University memberships, promoting recognition for academic assistance, Legal Advice, peer assisted learning, financial advice, housing advice/landlord disputes etc.
More about me
Before becoming the LGBTQ+ Officer for the Union, I had been volunteering as the academic rep for 2 years, being the method for students to voice their complaints, approvals and ideas for improvement. Because of this work, Adobe Creative Liscenses were offered to those studying Marketing.
I've also been heavily involved with volunteering outside of University, raising money for charities like Special Effect and Help for Heroes, and providing technical assistance for the Nene Valley Rotar Club, making sure that audio visual systems keep running for events.
During the COVID-19 Pandemic, I continued to volunteer with the Nene Valley Rotary Club but in a different capacity, becoming a Foodbank Delivery Driver, providing food to those in need.
Part of my remit as Student Engagement and Enhancement Placement revolved around helping new and returning students find their way around each campus, as a welcome hero (the people in the pink t-shirts and hoodies) and providing assistance as to where to find information around enrolement and student finance. My time on placemeent also saw me helping foreign students coming to the UK as part of the University's airport pickup scheme, helping them with enrolement information and finance as well.
I hope all of the information above shows how I would be able to help yourself and those around you.