Vote Basra 1: Leadership that Listens, Action that Counts! - Building Bridges, Breaking Barriers!
Manifesto
As a candidate for student representative, I stand with a shared vision and a commitment to serve my fellow students with integrity, dedication, and passion. I believe in the power of unity, empathy, and proactive leadership to create a thriving and inclusive school faculty. Through collaboration and advocacy, I aspire to address the needs and concerns of every student, ensuring that their voices are heard and respected. My manifesto outlines my key principles, goals, and strategies to foster positive change and elevate the student experience at our campus.
Student Empowerment:
I am well aware that there can be a certain disregard for the Students’ Union and Council by many students; what I intend to do is to encourage more students to become active and involved, and this can only be done by direct engagement.
We must Establish regular open student forums where students can voice their opinions, ideas, and concerns in a safe and respectful environment without judgement. These can be difficult to organise, so walk-in clinics can be set up in a room in the student union to ensure frequent direct engagement between the union and the students it purports to represent.
Student forums and clinics can be daunting for some. Therefore, more resources should be put towards gathering students' opinions anonymously. Some may already be in place, but not many are using it. More needs to be done.
We must advocate for student representation on decision-making committees to ensure that policies and initiatives reflect the needs and interests of the student body. Recent Students’ Union referendums have shown the student body to be increasingly apathetic towards the SU and its policy. We must ensure higher turnouts; the very meaning of democracy is “people power.” In this circumstance, it’s the students; we cannot call ourselves a democracy if only a minority votes in these referendums and elections; we must incentivise these people by showing them what the SU can do for them and their student lives. That means helping a student’s everyday life and studying by whatever means possible rather than jumping on the populist bandwagon, the newest political trend.
Academic Excellence:
Work closely with teachers and administrators to promote academic support. When starting in your respective course, it is always difficult to adapt to the different essay styles or assignment formats. More has to be done to help incoming and current students adapt to this as easily and as quickly as possible to ensure they are prepared for their assessments, allowing them to be successful in the months and years to come.
This can be done through study groups, tutoring sessions, and academic workshops to provide additional assistance to students in need. Moreover, we need to advocate for a diverse and inclusive curriculum that reflects the perspectives and experiences of all students to show that we are an inclusive school and a cold house for no one.
Mental Health and Well-being:
Launch awareness campaigns and workshops to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health issues and promote self-care practices. The stress of assignments and coursework deadlines can be too much to bear. The best way to deal with this is to give plenty of notice for assignments weeks in advance, as it allows that extra time for students to work on it.
Moreover, advocating for increased access to mental health resources, including counselling services, support groups, and wellness activities, may be necessary. At the heart of it all, the SU is there for our students, so we must strive to do what is best for them.
Together, we have the power to make a difference and shape the future of our school for the better. By prioritising student empowerment, academic excellence, mental health and well-being, and student engagement, we can create a supportive and inclusive environment where every student has the opportunity to thrive. I humbly ask for your support and trust as we embark on this journey together, united in our commitment to serving the needs of our fellow students and building a brighter future.