VISION 2012

AREA PLANS

Activities

• Work with the Democracy and Representation team to develop ways of linking representation and activities.
• Develop a staff culture where views and opinions of students, often ‘gathered' informally, are passed onto to relevant representatives and/or students are advised of the appropriate channels through which to raise issues.
• Contribute to 3 yearly review of Officer roles.

Central Services

• Promote the communications strategy for representation by including material on departmental notice boards taking advantage of the information given by the effective voice group.
• Include in induction training a section on the Students' Union's representation objectives.
• Ensure that staff can contribute to developing departmental strategies to better engage (provide better services/facilities/experiences) with students within own areas or in general Students' Union environment.

Children's Services

• Build on ‘outstanding' judgement with parent partnerships (all sections).
• Develop Nursery Committee, increase number of student parents and effectiveness of the committee and work with the Welfare Officer to ensure the needs of student parents are considered by the University and the Students' Union.
• Develop a ‘baby - sitting circle' particularly for international student parents. (nursery & international crèche).

Commercial

• Engage students in the decision making processes of the Commercial Department via regular contact with Commercial Services Committee, E&E groups and Student Officers etc.
• Provide an opportunity for the representation ‘team' to attend quarterly meeting & update both ways on how we can be mutually supportive.
• Include training about representation within our induction package.

Democracy & Representation

• Review our representative structures at all levels to ensure they are clear, representative, easily accessible and reflect the forefront of thinking with the student movement.
• Improve communication and co-ordination between Students' Union Officers, student reps and staff on representation issues, through improved induction and support, regular meetings, joint working and sharing of objectives.
• Effectively develop the role of the Democracy & Representation Department to deal directly with academic departments and faculties to ensure representation across the university and develop lasting relationships.

Entertainment

• Continue the current commercial and peer support for community development committees.
• Brief managers and staff on different roles within the Students' Union.
• Continue to support community and society representatives with training and information on how to run events, alongside marketing and activities team.

Marketing

• Agree how the department works with new combined links and councillors.
• Communications – develop communication plan as part of the internal and external communication strategy.
• Improved online representation possibilities eg) online petition, they work for you.com style pages.

Resources

• Increase awareness of areas of representation and actions via the Internal Communications plan.
• Student Officers are properly prepared in relation to finance, HR and IT issues for meetings (both internal and external including University.
• Student Officer training in finance, HR and IT issues is properly implemented at the right time and with the right content. Feed into the wider review being undertaken.

Student Advice Centre

• Include Student Advice Centre (SAC) in Representation Communications Strategy – work jointly with Marketing and Director of Membership Involvement to produce publicity about SAC role in representation. Targeted promotion of Students' Union representation to university staff and other key stakeholders. Include staff section on website.
• SAC advisers to be involved in providing briefings for Student Officers, committees and student groups.
• Work with new democracy / representation post to improve SAC awareness amongst Departmental Councillors and other students who work with the Students' Union. Work more closely with committees.