Life

Life

Being a student has the potential to change your life in so many ways. However, that doesn’t always mean that UCLan students have 100% of their time to dedicate to student life. Many of our students are juggling being a student, working and supporting their families. It’s crucial to us students feel like, and know, we’re here to support with all aspects of their student life.

The three key areas of focus for Student Life are:

  • Increase student benefits
  • Support part-time work
  • Reduce stress and struggles

Our Advice Service is a key cog in our support system for students. We have experienced, friendly and dedicated Advisors who go above and beyond for students in need. We also understand the important part preventative campaigns can play in reaching students before life gets difficult. The more we can do to support the lives of our students and bring a sense of relief –the more time students get to focus on their studies and make the most of their student experience.

By 2024 75% of students will describe themselves as members of the Union and be able to identify two membership benefits

  • 2023 Result – 50%
  • 2022 Result – 44%

By 2024 75% of students will agree that the Union supports students to help find part-time work at university

  • 2023 Result – 60%
  • 2022 Result – 56%

By 2024 75% of Union advice and support services users would recommend the Union advice service to others

  • 2023 Result – 94%
  • 2022 Result – 91%

Changemaking Campaigning

We have led several visible and innovative campaigns this year including our Men’s Mental Health campaign to break the stigma of men talking about mental health and suicide. As well as the second iteration of our successful ‘This is Me’ campaign, to encourage more students to disclose their disabilities to the institution early on in their studies. This campaign has consistently increased this number since launching a few years ago. We must not forget the cost-of-living Monopoly style board that was our VP Education’s inspired idea to bring our cost-of-living and value for money campaigning work to life!

Man Down

Providing Part-Time Work

We employed 60 student staff this year paying out £163,000 in student staff wages. We will be looking to boost this number further next year as we maintain our commitment to social enterprise and embedding student staff across the rest of the organisation. We are committed to offering more part-time roles for students across our organisation in more areas than ever before in the next year, not just in our outlets but as part of our core workstreams. We recognise that we have an important part to play in offering roles that support students’ ability to generate income and build new skills and experience that they can translate into wider future career goals.

Photo of Staff member along with part time students
Picture of the front of the Advice Centre

Putting the social back into Social Enterprise

We RAISED THE BAR in Social Enterprise this year - almost quite literally, as we re-opened our licensed trading space for the first time since September 2020. It wasn’t without its challenges, but we got through the year - served some fantastic food and drink, engaged with loads more students through the space and sowed the seeds for future prosperity in this area. Due to the increase in trading operations, we were also able to employ more of our members and, across all Social Enterprise - we paid £70k into the pockets of our student staff, a significant increase on what we have been able to do post-pandemic to this point.

Photo of student with big idea campaign

24

Big Ideas were submitted to create change with 662 votes cast on them

Mental Health First Aiders

3

Members of staff are now qualified Mental Health First Aiders to support students and staff in the Union

Photos of students accepting certificate

1120

nominations were received in total across our Union Awards, Golden Roses and Sports Ball

Photos of students sat on steps outside SU

1

Brand new Student Activator role at the Burnley Campus to help us engage more students in activities

 

Monthly Dropin Sessions

The VP Education developed work on academic integrity and educating students about what it means, what support services are available and some top tips for avoiding falling foul of academic misconduct.

Photo of previous VP education
Photo of student interviewing mascot

Student Social Media

For the first time ever, we employed students to work directly on and with our social media channels. Social media is everchanging and to remain relevant, we decided to bring in two Social Media Assistants to support the Communications Team. Working with all Union departments to create content – we’ve seen an increase in followers, engagement and pushing students through to our website.

Moves App

We have continued to work with the University Sport team to launch the Moves+ app, the Moves+ app seeks to enhance the wellbeing of students and staff through incentivising movement. Since its launch in March ,1452 users have signed up to the app and between them have run or cycled 40,000 miles, swam 580km, and walked over 56 million steps!

Photo of students

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