We asked your FTO candidates how personal experiences have shaped their main goals

Candidates for the 2024/25 Students’ Union have been announced, and with voting opening on Tuesday 5th March, we interviewed your Activities Officer candidates to get to know them.

All candidates were asked what their main priority is, how their personal experiences have shaped their manifestos, and what sets them apart from their opponents.

You can read their manifestos here.

Jack Watson

Via @watson4activities on Instagram

Jack is the current Vice-President Sport for LUSU. Before his time in his current role is up, he has, or plans to have, re-created a more impactful Sports Committee, and introduced the Student Sport Access Fund. His main aims are to develop a Student Volunteer Recognition Programme, continue to develop Societies Committee and leagues, and expand the student leader training offered. He said, “I want to provide better systems of support and recognition for all student groups.”

Sky

via @sky.4activities on Instagram

Sky has been on the committees for LUAC, ULMS, and the LGTBQ+ forum, and says they know their way around different activities. Their main priorities are to improve university accountability, streamline different aspects of Roses, and develop societies’ funding, transport, and visibility.

Sky said that their number one priority is to implement an accountability system: “You’ll get heard, and action will happen.” This comes after their personal experiences in which they attempted to use the university systems and “had no visible results from them”.

George Collins

via @collins4activities on Instagram.

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George has served as the president and secretary of various societies and currently works with the LUSU events crew. His main priorities are to improve accessibility, improve the standards of support, and make the most of campus bars.

He says his number one priority is accessibility. “Much of my manifesto comes back to this core idea. Securing the society access fund enables financial accessibility, whilst my desire to implement help/training for execs with students with disabilities keeps activities accessible to all as well!”

George’s experiences as an exec member have shaped his manifesto: “Seeing the lack of support and subsequent impacts this has had to students here was incredibly concerning.” He says his “genuine drive to get things done and produce results” is what sets him apart from his opponents. ending with “I’m a competent individual who has met the challenges I’ve set myself in the past.”

Kyle Bailey

via @kyle4activities on Instagram

Kyle has previously been the Rugby League vice-captain and Fylde College pool captain. His main aims are to enhance communication with LUSU, ensure there are equal opportunities for everyone, and improve the running of inter-collegiate events.

Kyle’s number one priority is improving LUSU’s communication with sports and societies: “For a number of years multiple teams have struggled when trying to reach out to the student union, and societies and their exec members have a negative experience because of it… With the implementation of a new contact network for LUSU where anyone with the answer to a question can response, it will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of communication between the student union and societies!”

Kyle has fostered relationships with exec members around campus and believes this is what sets him apart from his opponents. “This can really help to inform decisions that will try to benefit all areas for both sports and societies, through understanding of what the current opinion on an issue might be.”

Thomas Porter

via @tom.p04 on Instagram

Thomas is a Media & Comms Officer for County JCR. His main aims are to provide in-person training on neurodiversity and inclusion, mental health awareness, and wellbeing for exec members, streamline the society affiliation process, provide an alumni donations fund platform, and increase LUSU taster events.

Tom has said that implementing in-person training for exec members of all societies is his number one priority. Drawing on his experiences of being on the County JCR has shaped his manifesto:“I have asked many people and societies about some of the key issues they face, and have used this feedback to shape my manifesto and key goals.”

He feels that his dedication and strive to get things done is what separates him from his opponents: “Whatever role I take on, I ensure I am as involved with everyone else as much as possible, and put as much time and effort as I can towards it.”

Voting opens on Tuesday 5th March at 10am.

Featured image via @watson4activities on Instagram, @tom.p04 on Instagram, @kyle4activities on Instagram, @sky.4activities on Instagram, and @collins4activities on Instagram.

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