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

Click here to view all  current policies passed by Students' Council 2023 / 2024

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

 

 

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  • 58 score
    58 Voters

    UCLAN to support Care Leavers and Care Experienced Students by expressing an interest in signing the NNECL Quality Mark

    Expired

      The university should put forward an expression of interest in signing up to the “National Network for Care Leavers (NNECL,)” quality charter mark. This is not a one-off charter mark which should encourage the university to consistently uphold their commitments to students. The framework will cover the entire student lifecycle from outreach to graduation and onwards. This is especially important for UCLAN as a widening participation university. 

       

      The university will be asked to provide evidence from 7 key areas: 

      “Before your students join you.” 

      “Your admissions process,”

      “Your students wellbeing”

      “Continuous improvement”

      “Culture and Leadership”

      “Collaboration and Partnership”

      “Your students' success” 

       

      We know the university signed the DFE’s Care Leaver’s Covenant which shows they have commitment to Care Leavers; I would like that commitment to be shown to all Care Experienced Students. This Charter mark is recommended by UCAS, which is why despite the cost many universities have already signed it to publicly show their commitment to Care Experienced students. 

      Being Care Experienced is an intersectional identity. We know that one of the Union’s big focusses this year is mental health. The evidence that UCLAN is looking after the Mental health of Care leavers is extremely important as students from a Care background are 168% more likely to have a mental health condition than their peers without a care background. 76% of them say that access to mental health support influences their decision in which university they choose. 

      Only 23% of students are open about their care experience so it is important that the university expresses that there is support there without students having to relive their traumatic experiences. It is important that we feel heard which is why it is important that the university signs this mark to show that they are willing to make continuous improvement and have future plans. It is also important that someone with professional experience related to the care experience reviews the institutional culture and leadership to see if the university is an environment suitable for students with a care experienced background to thrive, not just survive. If it is not, then there is someone professional to advise to the university on the appropriate action to take. 

      As a care experienced student, I know what it feels like to feel alone and unsupported at university, I do not want this to be the case for other students. Everyone has an equal right to education. Given that 3 in five care experienced students received no support whilst applying to higher education, higher education institutions should be asking themselves why the dropout rate if care experienced students is 5.6% higher than non-care experienced students. We worked hard to get it here and we deserve safe, supported, and comfortable enough to stay. 

      Even though we often need more support, it is important to remember that we are here for the same reason as everyone else. 71% of Care experienced students said they were most looking forward to studying a subject they love at university. 

    Terry Jacobsen
    9:17am on 11 Nov 23 This is an excellent big idea and ties into the ethos that UCLan supports students to create a supportive, inclusive, and diverse learning environment. You certainly have my vote!
    Jozef Greatorex
    2:38pm on 14 Nov 23 You've got my unwavering support Jodie, this is a really important cause that is absolutely necessary at a university that prides itself on inclusion.
    Muhmina Hussain
    10:10am on 16 Nov 23 Yes so true and I am definitely in support of this!

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