Your Big Ideas

Your Big Ideas

Do you have an Idea about how to make the Students’ Union, University or the wider community better for students?

Your Big Ideas are a great way to make meaningful change on campus. Submit your Idea online and share with your friends and course mates. If your Big Idea achieves 50 or more votes in favour after 28 days, it will be taken forward; either to an appropriate meeting such as Students’ Council or by meeting with the appropriate person(s) to help make your idea a reality. If a Big Idea gets approval at Students’ Council, it will become Students’ Union policy and we will work with you on making it happen!

To submit an Idea or vote on any of the current Big Ideas below, you must be logged in using your UCLan student login. Once logged in, the option to submit will appear and to vote, just click the thumbs up or down button - depending on your opinion! 

Previous Big Ideas-turned reality have included free period provisions on campus, an extension to the academic calendar and free disability screening.

Anyone can submit a Big Idea. It’s an easy way to change the lives of students!

Big Ideas Top Tips

  1. Identify the issue you want to solve.
  2. Do your research and talk to others. Staff and Elected Officers can help you prepare to launch or promote your Big Idea.
  3. Plan what you think should be done to solve the issue and decide how you'll know when it’s fixed.
  4. Submit a Big Idea! Go change Students’ lives.

 

Need some help submitting Your Big Idea? Follow the steps on our how-to video here

Got a question? Get in touch at yourunion@uclan.ac.uk.

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  • 74 score
    82 Voters

    Mandatory consent courses for sports and societies members

    Submitted 2 years ago by Sarah Hill
    Expired
      1comment

      According to The Student Room, 62% of all students, and recent graduates have experienced some sort of sexual violence at university. 

      Only 5 major UK universities hold mandatory classes based on teaching students on consent and currently UCLan isn’t one of them. 

      As a figure of the sports community at UCLAN it’s clear to see that many individuals have been subjected to indirect sexual harassment. Often this is under the premise of what is known as “lad culture” occurring during club socials on a weekly basis off-campus, predominately in bars and nightclubs. 

      It is my understanding that sports and society members are representatives of the university as both individuals and as a team even whilst they are not on campus. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the university and the SU to educate and raise awareness amongst all members on the nature and extent of sexual consent/harassment.  

      I throughly suggest that at as a minimum all committee members of clubs must participate in a mandatory training/awareness course at the start of the academic year. However, it would be desirable that all members would take part in the training also. 

      My belief is that with the implementation of these courses throughout sports and societies it would ensure that simple phrases such as “I didn’t  know” or “I didn’t meant to” can’t be used as a reasonable excuse when discussing the boundaries of consent. 

      In line with recent events I feel as though it is important to make a change and focus on the prevention of sexual misconduct. 

      Prevention is always better than rehabilitation. 

      Please find addition information below:

      https://www.womensaid.org.uk/what-we-do/training/cpd-courses/addressing-sexual-assault-campus/

    Christopher Davies
    3:21am on 27 Jan 22 I do not agree that it should be mandatory for all members to attend this sort of training. It would be acceptable to offer it as a recommended course especially for students who may not feel comfortable with their knowledge and the sensitivity surrounding the topic. Some students will be learning complex human interactions for the first time and variables such as alcohol will undoubtedly complicate things. Some mistakes are best avoided through training if offered but some students are clearly capable of avoiding improper behaviour. Additionally, a number of students, especially mature ones who have decided to take up a degree with a history of working and the experience gained from life will know full well how to behave appropriately within society and this is sort of training may disenfranchise them. It may also stem to normalize the perception that you are guilty of improper behaviour until you can prove otherwise contrary to the standards established in a free and liberal democracy like the UK. Even the stigma attached with voicing an objection can be perceived as hostile and make a person a target of reputational destruction through gossip and innuendo which is commonly referred to as toxic femininity and toxic feminine behaviour. This is a common phenomenon that can be observed in social media. https://studybreaks.com/thoughts/toxic-femininity/. As a mature student, I do not feel that I can participate in activities enough already due to the stigma of being older and by mandating training upon a person that is clearly made designed to treat grown and well-behaved adults in a way that suggests they are in need of training wheels is exclusionary at best and direct discrimination at worst (based on age and sex).

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