Who am I?
I am Jayraj Samtani (Jay), I am a third-year Business Management student, and I am running to be your Welfare and Communities Officer. I am requesting you to vote for me and give me the mandate to represent you.
What do I want to achieve?
A union that works for all students
- In order to represent all the UEL students, the SU needs to engage more broadly with people from across the student body, especially with groups who are often underrepresented, such as mature students, postgraduates, international students and students with dependents. I want SU to be the first place the students think of when they have a problem. The SU urgently needs to become the organization our students desperately need. I will ensure that the SU is able to provide the level and quality of support our students need. I will work to expand the Advice Service so we can provide students with proper support around a range of issues.
- I will ensure that all three campuses represented equally. I will spend time at all campuses in order to engage with all students.
Encourage more support groups
- Support groups are great for students to emphasize with others and share experiences. I will ensure that there are more support groups available for students where students can feel they belong and supported.
- I will launch initiatives to help students quit smoking.
Provide a clear, friendly presence during welcome week
- Starting university can be daunting, so it is vital that new students are aware of the support available at UELSU. I would hold a stall with information on the SU and student advice and wellbeing during welcome week. I would put on student-run, workshops, coffee morning and chilled nights with board games and movies during this first week, and throughout the academic year.
Mental health awareness
I want to promote and run a mental health campaign throughout the year to minimize the stigma that surrounds mental health whilst encouraging students to speak out and use the existing services that UEL provides.
- Mental Health Charter: I will work closely with the University to ensure the University adopts the Mental Health Charter and implements it in the prescribed manner so our students and staff can benefit from its provisions.
- More counselling sessions.
- Make sure the Wellbeing Service at UEL is functioning effectively, it is adequately staffed and well resourced.
- Increase counselling sessions from current 6 to 10.
- Hire more counsellors so the waiting period would be reduced for our students who are struggling with many challenges but are unable to see counsellors in time.
- Students who go through the wellbeing service and disclose financial hardship would be automatically considered for the hardships fund.
Open door policy
I want to set up an open-door policy where there is a designated amount of drop-in time at each campus. This drop-in session would be on top of bookable appointments and would be for students to talk to me if they would like to chat about their concerns or to get problems off their chest. I want to take up the opportunity to be the students' voice.
Community engagement
- Engage with the communities, hold events at UEL and invite the local community and celebrate our achievements and diversity.
- Increase our relationship with local schools and colleges, launch initiatives through which UEL students can mentor students from our local community.
- Increase relationship with local politicians and the Council so we can effectively raise the concerns of our students.
Improve student experiences
- Improve students’ experiences by providing equal opportunities for all. This would be done by ensuring that all students are fully aware of the opportunities that are available to them.
- Continue to develop and support student welfare. This year the SU have worked really hard to support the welfare of our students, and this is something that I deem vitally important and something that I would like to carry forward.