On these pages...
1: Student Activities & Development Officer
2: Diana Langford
3: Anson Li
4: Heather Walker

Diana Langford

Student Activities & Development Officer

VOTE RETURN OF THE S.A.D.O.
All I ask for is you to ‘JUDGE ME ON MY RESULTS’

CURRENTLY:

Student Activities and Development Officer (2005-2006)

WHY RE-ELECT DIANA?

I want Societies to have the recognition they deserve within our Students’ Union. There are over 2000 students involved in societies… Do you know the Hindu society hold ‘Diwali’ here annually? Do you know People and Planet organised a One World Fashion Show? Do you know Breakdancing perform most Wednesday nights? Do you know the IFCS (International Fellowship of Christian Students) are bringing 1000 people to celebrate ‘International Sunday’ here at the Union? Do you know the LGBT society are organising ‘LUST’ here at the Union? Do you know these societies even exist? Worryingly some of you are going to answer ‘no’ and that is what I intend to change.

HAVE I ACHIEVED LAST YEAR’S AIMS?

Increase the profile of societies
By creating a ‘Society Executive Committee’ it means the voice of societies are finally being heard. Provide better resources and administrative support to societies Through registration packs and budget proposal forms, societies have a much better structure than ever before. Now a student can walk in, enquire about a society, and have contact details within seconds!

Increase participation in volunteering
By forming partnerships with 3 local charities it has led to lots more students being involved in volunteering

Increase the funding for societies
The budget this year for societies is 5 times bigger than last year!

Increase the number of societies
New societies so far this year include: Art, Indo-boarding, Mature-Students, Power-kiting and School of Rock

SO WHAT ELSE HAVE I DONE?

• Created the first ever Society Executive Committee
• Created the first ever volunteering committee
• Organised the first ever Christmas Art and Crafts Day for disabled children
• Improved Refreshers Fayre from the traditional poor turn out to over 40 club and society stalls and performances.
• Currently organising the first ever VIP Award ceremony to show recognition to all students involved in student activities including: Societies, Course reps, Pugwash, PURE:fm, Halls reps, Volunteering and RAG.
• Organised the RAG pub crawl that raised £3000
• Currently organising the first ever Societies Carnival – its gonna be big!

IF RE-ELECTED I WILL:

• Have 16 months to campaign for the muchneeded increase in the society budget
• Increase the diversity of volunteering projects available to students
• Allocate budgets over the summer so societies will know in October what the Union are going to pay for
• Continue to improve communication between societies and the Union
• Raise the awareness of the ‘SID’ training sessions available to any student
• Continue with the hard work and great progress we have made so far this year as a sabbatical team

VOTE RETURN OF THE S.A.D.O.
All I ask for is you to ‘JUDGE ME ON MY RESULTS’

Word Associations

• Charity: case
• Volunteering: life-changing
• Development: essential
• FUN: house “it’s a whole lotta fun…!”
• Funding: we need more

Questions

1. What do you envisage the role of the SADO to be?

• To continue to develop societies until they are the recognised entity they deserve to be
• To provide students with volunteering opportunities that they will remember forever
• Give students back the recognition they deserve through the VIP Award

2. What experience do you have that might suit you to this role?
I’ve done it for a year!! I’ve learnt alot about what societies want from the Union and what it takes to achieve this. I’ve also learnt how to organise great volunteering opportunities and I now have the knowledge to go on and make next year even better!

3. This position becomes much easier with student participation. How do you plan on getting students involved in your ideas?
The best way to get students involved is by listening to them. Advice and ideas from this year’s committee’s will only lead to improvements for next year.

4. Why is volunteering important and why should students get involved?
A small effort from an individual can lead to life-long memories for others. Our Volunteering schemes give the students the opportunity to organise any volunteering project they want, whether its working with disabled children, to the elderly, to conservation projects.

5. Societies are also another huge part of this role. If you could invent your own society what would it be and why?
The Disney Society of course!! Then I wouldn’t have to bribe my friends to watch Disney films with me :)

6. What qualities do you have that make you the best Union SADO?

• The experience of doing the job for a year
• The passion to do good for others
• The perseverance to actually make things happen
• The willingness to listen and act upon ideas and suggestions

7. As a Sabbatical Officer, networking is essential and important; what is your best networking line?
Where have you been all my life?