NUSU Elections: Meet the Welfare and Equality Officer candidates

With a well-known name and some fabulous video footage, we have rounded up the candidates running for Welfare and Equality Officer and made it just that little bit easier to choose who you’re going to vote for.

Welfare and Equality is a serious issue at any campus, so its important you get your vote right. From more vegetarian food on campus to a new and improved S.H.A.G week here are the three candidates hoping to win your vote:

Sarah Craggs

Studies: Marketing and Management

The fresh face of welfare

Sarah’s manifesto in five points:

• More interaction from sports clubs and societies to give free classes, which will in turn benefit those societies through increased membership. Healthier food options and more vegetarian and vegan food on campus.
• More communication within the SU to promote campaigns through societies and committees.
• Additional support networks to shorten the enquiry time on mental and physical health issues.
• General life support and ‘life-skill’ seminars with cooking tips, budget ideas and housing advice.
• More awareness within societies, with great inclusion of groups, including international students, LGBT+ and disabilities.

Sarah says:

“I’m aware it can be really hard to balance a good social and academic time whilst at University, and as Welfare officer I would do more to help students with this. My main campaign focuses on mental and general health”.

Saffron Kershaw-Mee

Studies: Combined Honours

Saffron’s manifesto in five points:

• Work on International student inclusion through coffee mornings at INTO and an International Film & Food Fest.
• Focusing on the feeling of inclusion for ALL students – LGBTQIA* students, BAME students, students with mental health difficulties, disabled students, students of faith and mature students.
• Compulsory training for all pastoral staff within Uni on issues of mental illness and understanding potential absence, and recognition of the multiplicity of genders.
• Campus wide awareness on sexual consent through timetabled workshops and free ‘zine’ for all freshers.
• A new and improved S.H.A.G week with more prizes, more condoms, more testing, LGBTQIA* inclusion and advice and services on relationships.

Saffron is already making waves in Newcastle, and just this week was voted Newcastle’s most influential person.

Saffron says:

“I am a passionate, approachable, and dedicated campaigner and would embrace the opportunity to be able to work on representation validation and stellar campaigns for students on a full-time basis!”

Andrew Lister

Studies: Pharmacology

Andrew’s manifesto in five points:

• I’ve already made massive changes this year so imagine what I could do if welfare and equality was my full time job.
• I want to improve mental health training for personal tutors, and specific support for LGBT+, BAME and postgraduate are examples of this.
• I want to combat sexual violence, the use of sexual safety training sessions and increased support for victims are a part of this.
• I aim to improve accessibility by introducing things like yellow paper at printers for dyslexic students and fighting to make ReCap compulsory for all lectures.
• I want to help all students de-stress by introducing more puppy days, cat café vouchers, and a chill out space in the Robinson Library.

Andrew says:

“I’d love the role because I enjoy helping people; since my own experience with mental illness led me to struggle so much that I had to leave my first university, I’ve dedicated everything I have to making sure that other students aren’t left to suffer their own issues without help.”

Click here to cast your vote.