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National President

Overview of work: Main Priorities

At last year’s National Conference we recognised that by standing for something better than the

status quo, we would rise to the challenge of forging a better deal for students and young people.

That’s why we chose to prioritise campaigning for a New Deal for the Next Generation and use the

General Election this year to win for students both locally and nationally.

In setting out our New Deal for the Next Generation we are clear that students are not driven by a

single issue, but that there are many important issues across the themes of education, work and

community that matter to students in making their lives, and the lives of others, better – making

change happen across the country and in their local communities. But we also understood that we

need to make sure that students’ voices are too powerful to ignore – both at the general election but

afterwards too. That’s why we have released our New Deal for the Next Generation manifesto but

also launched an extensive campaign supporting students and students’ unions to register students

and young people to vote – making sure that all our 7 million members are the political force we

know we can be at the ballot box in 2015.

This year we have also continued to take huge steps forward to build a more inclusive movement

and society – leading by example and showing that leadership is more than just shouting louder

than everybody else. Last year we made a commitment to empowering students and connecting our

student communities with wider society – we’ve made this a central part of our campaigning for a

New Deal and by working alongside our allies in the trade union movement too students and

students’ unions have won change at a national level.

We have moved forward as a stronger movement, standing for policies we know will change society

for the better and beginning to forge a better deal for students and young people across the

country.

New Deal for the Next Generation

In the run up to the general election we have launched our New Deal for the Next Generation

manifesto and we have already won commitments from major political parties to take up aspects of

the manifesto across education, work and community as manifesto commitments ahead of the

election. I have focused our work on the general election hub and supporting students’ unions to use

resources and tools to build their own general election strategies – enabling students and students’

unions to work in partnership with their local communities. This has enabled us together to pressure

politicians locally and nationally to forge a new deal for their local area, and commit to working to

secure real change for the next generation.

I have also launched a series of Days of Action running from January until the General Election – on

each of our key themes starting with education and culminating in a day of action on political reform

Author: Toni Pearce

Date Produced: 15/02/2015

Committees: NEC

Action: Approve

and accountability. But we aren’t only winning commitments for a New Deal post the election– this

year together with the hard work of students and students’ unions we won a commitment for

postgraduate loans and stopped cuts to DSA and students’ unions and local community organisers

are making real change happen in local communities across the country, building lasting

relationships.

Voter Registration

We know that to be heard at the general election we have to overcome some big challenges. With

the government’s cynical move to change the voting registration system we have fought back hard,

launching an extensive campaign to maximise voter registration and encourage students and young

people to go out in May and get their voices heard. We have launched the #GenerationVote

campaign which has had national reach and supported students’ unions and students with the

resources to go out and make students a force too powerful to ignore.

Women in Leadership

We have again taken huge steps forward for our movement this year – making ourselves more

inclusive and more relevant than ever before. We held our biggest Women in Leadership conference

yet – an inspiring event supporting women to lead in all aspects of life and the ‘I Will lead the way’

programme has begun its roll out to the Black Students campaign and work is already underway

with both the LGBT and Disabled Students campaigns. Our ground-breaking research on Lad Culture

received national coverage – putting the issue firmly on the agenda.

Main Priorities Progress (what has been achieved since Conference 2014)

New Deal for the

Next Generation

New Deal for Education

Roadmap for Free Education launched

Won a commitment for a government-backed postgraduate loans

scheme

Won a u-turn from the government on cuts to the Disabled

Students Allowance

Forced an apology from Student Loans Company on use of an

internal debt collection service

Day of Action ‘#JanuaryEducationSales’ launching general

election campaigning

9 commitments from 3 political parties;

o We want government to phase out tuition fees and

restore public funding to universities. (Green Party)

o We’re calling for a new postgraduate funding system that

removes the financial barriers to study and puts the

diverse needs of students first. (Liberal Democrats)

o We want government to protect and improve the Disabled

Students Allowance. (Labour, Green Party)

o We want political parties to recognise that not every

learner needs to look the same and to restore AS levels,

resits and modular learning. (Labour)

New Deal for Work

Launched the Commission on the Future of Work in May and

collected evidence from wide range of organisations and students

including two oral evidence sessions in Parliament with report

findings released in March 2015

Supported the TUC march ‘Britain Needs a Pay Rise’ on 18th

October

1 commitment from 1 political party;

o We want the next government to guarantee paid work or

training for every person aged 16–24 who is out of work,

matched to their skills and interests. (Labour)

New Deal for Community

Day of Action on youth issues including Sex and Relationships

Education and Statutory Youth Services

9 commitments from 4 political parties;

o We are calling on political parties to repeal the Lobbying

Act and to strengthen protections for citizens who want to

engage in peaceful protest so that nobody ever has to be

afraid of speaking up. (Labour)

o We want political parties to commit to making proper

provisions for elected representatives to be kicked out of

office when the people who put them there believe they

have not lived up to their promises. (Conservatives and

Liberal Democrats in part)

o We want political parties to show they care what young

people think by committing to lowering the voting age to

16. (Labour, Liberal Democrats, Green Party)

o We want schools and colleges to be required by law to

provide adequate citizenship and sex and relationships

education. (Labour)

o We want the next government to reverse the NHS Bill, go

back to the drawing board, and ensure that we have a

National Health Service that is public, accountable and fit

for purpose for the next century and beyond. (Labour,

Green Party)

o We want government to scrap letting agent fees so that

students are clear on the costs of renting from the

beginning, and are able to spread their costs across the

year. (Labour)

o We want political parties to put an end to playing politics

with our world-leading education system and scrap the

use of arbitrary net migration targets. (Labour, Liberal

Democrats, Green Party)

General Election

General Election Hub General Election Hub launched to students’ unions

Hub supporting students’ unions to create a general election

strategy, develop their own new deal, choose constituencies,

priorities, strategy and tactics

Second stage of hub launched as resource for students, enables

them to get information they need about the general election,

their local constituency seats and to register to vote

Student hub launched to over half a million students through the

NUS Extra and NUS Apprentice Extra cards as well as those who

have taken action on nus.org.uk

Voter Registration 50 students’ unions entered the National Voter Registration Day

competition – allocating £11,000 to 30 students’ unions.

#GenerationVote campaign launched with students’ unions and

working with Bite The Ballot

Over 300 #GenerationVote resource packs distrubted to

students’ unions and actions for National Voter Registration Day.

NUS on course to be one of the biggest referrers to national

register to vote website

Lobbying Act NUS launched guidance to students’ unions and commissioned

lawyers to interpret guidance on ‘Lobbying Act’ from Electoral

Commission and Charity Commission obligations.

NUS undertaken work to register with Electoral Commission as

an organisation that intends to carry out ‘regulated’ campaign

activities under the ‘Lobbying Act’

Worked as part of the Commission on Civil Society and

Democratic Engagement to win concessions on the Lobbying Bill

to stop certain parts of the Act from taking effect.

Women in

Leadership

Women in Leadership

Conference

Women in Leadership Conference held in December

Particular emphasis on intersectionality and black women in

leadership.

I will… I will… programme developed to roll out across liberation

campaigns and Black leadership hub launched.

Aspiring Women Leaders programmed launched with 49 coaches

and coachees.

Tackling Lad Culture

Research launched with extensive press coverage and putting

NUS and students’ unions work on the agenda.

Research of over 2,000 students commissioned and released

2. Overview of work: Other successes and achievements

Speaker’s Commission

on Digital Democracy

Report into role of technology in democratic reform and

engagement launched in January 2015

Tax dodging alliance Joined with ActionAid, Christian Aid, Oxfam, Global Poverty

Project and other partners to support campaign for tax dodging

bill to be implemented following 2015 election

Swaziland Political

prisoners

Alongside ACTSA and the TUC, wrote a joint letter to the foreign

secretary demanding the release of political prisoners in

Swaziland including the Secretary General of the Swaziland

Youth Congress and prominent student activist; Maxwell Dlamini.

NUS Democracy and

transparency

Re-launch of NUS Connect including ‘Shape Our Work’ hub on

new website with improved accessibility.

Highly Trusted Status Worked with the sector to ensure protection of students affected

by the removal of Highly Trusted Status from several institutions

and the suspension of status from others and supported local

students’ unions advice services in this work

APPG Launched an All-party Parliamentary Group for Students

Membership and external engagement

HEFCE Board Meeting 04/12/2014

Women in Leadership Conference 05/12/2014

APPG on Students Reception 08/12/2014

NUS Services Board 10/12/2014

Meeting with Dr Vince Cable 10/12/2014

Digital Democracy Meeting 11/12/2014

Meeting with Greg Clark @ HQ 12/12/2014

Meeting with Michelle Russell from Charity Commission 12/12/2014

NUS UK Board Meeting 16/12/2014

Meeting with NHSF 17/12/2014

Meeting with Nicola Dandridge UUK 18/12/2014

Keynote Speech at FOSIS on GE and Muslim Student Engagement 21/12/2014

Speech at the Launch of IAG 'A Careers Service for Future Success' in Parliament

Leadership Network Residential 13-14/01/2015

Meeting with Baroness Lister 19/01/2015

Digital Democracy Report Launch 21/01/2015

Endsleigh Board Meeting 22-23/01/2015

A New Deal for Students: Redesigning the student experience 28/01/2015

HEFCE Board Meeting 02/02/2015

Meeting with Sam Gyimah 02/02/2015

Digital Democracy Launch Hull 04/02/2015

HEFCE Annual Conference 04/02/2015

Bath Women in Leadership Conference 07/02/2015

Strategic Conversation 10-11/2/201515

CCSU Conference 12/02/2015

MP Grills (Falmouth) 13/02/2015

Meeting with Unite 18/02/2015

AELP 2020 Vision Conference and Debate 19/02/2015

Trilateral Meeting 20/02/2015

Meeting with Ed Milband 24/02/2014

NUS Services Board 25/02/2015

TUC Leading Change - Final Module 26-27/02/2015

2015 Election Hustings for Higher Education 02/03/2015

UCEA Conference 03/03/2015

Vice-President Further Education

1. Overview of work: Main Priorities


#SavetheAS This campaign continues in the build up to the General Election, with the

reversal of the de-coupling of the AS level forming one of the New Deal

asks. We held a #SavetheAS campaign day on A level results day in

August and lobbied the Government to reverse the policy decision. The

schools Minister replied to our letters but shows no sign of halting the

reforms.

Student Financial

Support

A costed EMA proposal is part of our New Deal general election asks. We

also hosted a day of action in November on EMA, raising awareness and

encouraging students’ unions to campaign on their campuses.

IAG In January, together with UNISON and the TUC, we launched our joint

asks on careers information, advice and guidance. The event was hosted

in Parliament by Alex Cunningham MP and included speeches from Rt

Hon Liam Byrne MP, Shadow Minister for Universities, Science and Skills,

General Secretary of UNISON Dave Prentis and Toni Pearce. With

UNISON and TUC we are calling for a universal careers service delivering

impartial information, advice and guidance for all students and workers,

regardless of age. We also published a pamphlet entitled ‘When IAG

grow up’ with pieces from sector professionals and academics.

National Society of

Apprentices

The new committee has been elected and last year over 3000

apprentices took part in a nationwide travel survey. The results of this

were published in September alongside member events across the

country. These events have helped set the society’s priorities, with a

focus on apprentice pay, financial support, teaching and learning and

working towards a kite mark for excellent apprenticeships.

Apprentice inequality

expose

We are in the process of writing an evidence based report on the

financial situation of apprentices and hope to have it published in March.

Author: Joe Vinson


Committees: NEC

Action: Approve

2. Overview of work: Mandates from Zone Policy

Work carried out Mandate from National Conference

Re-established quarterly KIT meetings with

Deputy director for FE at Ofsted. Input into

consultation on new inspection framework

highlighting the need for further student

involvement in inspection and education.

Project proposal for increasing engagement

with Learner View submitted. Increased

profile and engagement with BIS, ETF, AoC

and others to develop national narrative of

student-led learner voice systems. Project

proposal for sector-wide “future of Learner

Voice” commission in to ETF. Strategy to

increase Learner engagement in teaching &

learning and quality improvement in place.

NUS involvement in steering groups for

sector partner projects on teaching &

learning, such as Jisc FE Digital Student

project. Work continues through National

Society of Apprentices and employers to

develop learner voice strategies for

apprentices. Embedded 14-15 year old

representation issue into SU2034 project.

Challenge of the Learner Voice: Conference 2014,

Resolves 1-8

Conducted research with OCR assessment

board in to the reforms to Level 3

qualifications. This addressed issues of the

marginalization of certain subjects and the

impact on student choice. Launched a

#SavetheAS campaign with a day of action

and lobbied the government.

Put together a student commission on IAG

and included their findings in a pamphlet on

IAG entitled ‘When IAG grow up’. In January

we launched our IAG asks jointly with TUC

and UNISON in Parliament.

Qualifications and Progression: Conference 2014,

Resolves 1-8

We have established a relationship with UCAS

Progress, the expanding application system

for post- 16 and further education courses.

Through this relationship we are supporting

UCAS to reach out to more FE students and

improve the information and advice they

provide.

Qualification and Assessment Reform: Conference

2013: Conference 2013, Resolves 1-6

We are continuing to work with the Office for

the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) to

advance the cause of an independent

complaints adjudicator for FE students. We

have recently had meetings with both the

Department for Business, Innovation and

Further Education in the Tertiary Sector:

Conference 2013, Resolves 1-4

Skills (BIS) and the Skills Funding Agency

(SFA) to discuss our proposals.

We won the campaign to persuade the

Government to scrap 24+ advanced learning

loans for apprenticeships. We will be

continuing to call for the policy to be

scrapped completely and campaign against

any expansion.

Qualification and Assessment Reform: Conference

2013, Resolves 1-6

Free Education: Conference 2012, Resolves 1-6

Through the FE Choices project NUS has

been able in influence the delivery of the

SFA’s Learner Satisfaction Survey, reducing

the turnaround time of satisfaction data for

students’ union and college.

Barriers to Participation: Conference 2013,

Resolves 1-11

NUS has established a partnership with the

Prisoners’ Education Trust to lobby the

government to recognise and value Learner

Voice in the Criminal Justice System (CJS),

and to research the educational opportunities

and experience of its current learners.

Offender Learning: Conference 2012, Resolves 1-5

The first independent conference of the

network of Learner Voice Practitioners took

place in August 2014.

Student Voice: Conference 2011, Resolves 1-6

We campaigned with the AOC and students’

unions to ensure the free school meals

programme was extended to students who

are aged 16-18 and studying in FE colleges.

Keeping Colleges in Check: Conference 2012,

Resolves 1-5

We held a day of action called

#sweptoffmyFE on Valentine’s Day. This was

intended to raise the profile of FE and give

students’ unions an opportunity to express

why they value FE. We had over 240 tweets

of support from students’ unions and sector

bodies.

A costed EMA proposal is part of our New

Deal general election asks. We also hosted a

day of action in November on EMA, raising

awareness and encouraging students’ unions

to campaign on their campuses.

We have piloted FE Leaders with LLDD

learners (learners with learning difficulties

and/ or disabilities) at Derwen College with

great success. We’re now looking for a venue

and are hoping that a national training event

will take place at the end of March this year.

We’re aiming for 20 delegates.

The Learner Rep Hub has launched and in its

first 2 months 253 people registered and

over 2400 pages have been viewed. We’re

going to be looking at adding more resources

ourselves soon and looking at how we

develop the site in the coming months.

The #keepFEteachersqualified campaign was

launched at the Lead and Change 2 training

event. The campaign involved a blog, a

national survey, a lobby your MP online tool

and work with the Institute for Learning

(IFL). The blog was published in an IFL

thought pamphlet alongside articles from

leading sector individuals. A letter was also

sent to the Parliamentary Scrutiny

Committee for Secondary Legislation on FE

teacher qualifications. Since this the Labour

party have pledged to reverse the policy, if

elected in 2015.

We have re-designed and extended the

Student Governor Support Programme, with

the help of a new staff member. This

programme is currently being piloted in a

group of colleges before being launched to all

colleges in March 2015.

Vice President (Higher Education)

Priorities Radical Education The response from the education sector to this work has been very positive, and educators

are increasingly looking to NUS and students’ unions to steer the narrative on what student driven educational change could and should look like. We have been approached by learning designers in institutions who are interested in NUS’ work on student-led learning and wish to work with their unions on reshaping curricula. The foundations have been laid for some really incredible work going on in students’ unions and we will begin to see these projects deliver results by May 2015.

Inclusive Education I have launched two, soon-to-be three, benchmarking tools on different aspects on teaching and learning (learning resources, academic support and personal development) which support students’ unions and institutions to look at how to ensure that their education spaces are inclusive of all students. The tools bring to life the principles outlined in Radical Interventions in Teaching and Learning, and allow students’ unions to challenge their institutions’ exclusive practice in an evidence-based way.

General Election HE Funding, Postgrad Funding Right to independent redress and appeal

As part of our work around the general election we have been looking at the future of higher education funding. Since the last meeting of the NEC I have met and lobbied several politicians on the issue and sat on a panel discussing ‘the future of undergraduate tuition fees’ with David Willetts where we had a very interesting debate about free education. The Autumn statement was given on the day of the last NEC meeting in which the Chancellor announced the introduction of a Postgraduate taught loans scheme to be introduced in 2016. This is great news and a big win for Students’ Unions and NUS. There is still a lot of work to be done, in particular with regards to the age limit of 30. WE have been lobbying all political parties and have lobbied Vince Cable and Liam Byrne on the issue. There is an amendment that has passed through the Parliament that means (if the bill passes through Parliament) every institution that was in receipt of public funds (through the Student Loans Company)would have to sign up to the Office for Independent Adjudicator (OIA) meaning students would have access to independent redress and appeals. We are still waiting for this bill to pass as people keep adding stuff to it.

Student Protections We are beginning to look holistically at what rights and protections students are entitled to and looking at where we can work to articulate student rights as things they are entitled to under law and where we need to be helping Students’ Unions to create change locally. After an interesting intervention by Which looking at institutions that they say could be considered to be acting outwith the law in regards to major course changes, we are producing briefings for Students’ Unions on how they can approach this with their institutions.

Other achievements of my Zone/Section/Campaign/Nation (select one) National Course Rep conference We ran two national course rep conference each attended by over 120 delegates. They

were very successful and there was some really good feedback. We talked about how to create change outside of meetings and covered some of the basic partnership principles around Feedback and assessment among many other things.

Quality Assessment We have been attending the meetings of the Quality Assessment Steering Group and have produced a response to the consultation. We will continue to engage with the group.

SUs local We ran education streams at the SUs local events to talk about CMA guidance, Access Agreements among other great sessions.

Author: Megan Dunn


Committees: NEC

Action: Approve/Discuss/Note

Report

Access We produced this year’s Access Agreement guidance to help SUs get the most from their access agreements.

Complaints and Appeals WE launched alongside partners including the OIA the Good Practice Framework for institutions dealing with complaints and appeals which should hopefully make it much

easier for students to navigate their way through institutions procedures and gives SUs something to compare their institutions too.

Attendance at events/meetings and actions taken or agreed TSEP steering group Sat on the TSEP steering group and agreed their new work plan and projects which look

very exciting.

UCU conference Spoke on the General election campaign and NUS education policy and sat on a very interesting panel.

UUK student experience conference

Gave a key note and sat on a panel about the ‘student experience’, spoke about lots of things including the importance of recognising that there isn’t a singular ‘stdent

experience’, rather lots of students with different experiences and that institutions shouldn’t homogenise their students.

HEFCE learning gains conference

Sat on a panel and talked about the dangers of simply measuring HE through future employment etc instead of looking at the development of students in the things they care about.

Quality Assessment Review Group

Fed into the review questions and talked lots about the role of private providers and for profits and whether the standard for entry to the sector is high enough.

Political Studies Association Conference

Spoke at the event.

BIS meeeting Toni and I went to meet Vince Cable and talked to him about right to protest, FE complaints and appeals, apprentice minimum wage amongst other things.

QAA Board I had to step down at this meeting because I have a conflict of interest because of the QA review group. I am replaced for the remainder of the review by the wonderful Grace Burton, who is on NEC and also already a member of the QAA Student Advisory Board.

Access Summit I spoke about Access in a key note, but I mostly talked about retention, the role SUs play and how they get no credit. But also the importance of ensuring peple feel part of an inclusive community and the work institutions should be doing on that.

Westminster Higher Education Forum

Spoke on a panel about all things Undergraduate funding. It was interesting.

OIA Board Talking about the potential growth in the OIA remit and how they ensure a smooth, clear and timely process through the OIA.

Membership Engagement Strategic conversation Ran two sessions on Student protections.

Liverpool Opened the joint Liverpool Hope SU and Liverpool Guild course rep conference and ran two sessions.

Reading Spoke on a panel debate around the concept on whether students should be considered consumers

Lincoln Went to visit Lincoln for national voter registration day which was very exciting

Sheffield Hallam Opened their course rep conference and ran a session with their wonderful president and welfare officer.

Liverpool John Moores Ran a session on the GE at their course rep conference

SUs Local Went to SUs local and ran sessions to help link people up that were working on similar ideas as well as session on the CMA, Access etc

National course rep conference 2 national rep conference

Media engagement and external relations BBC news channel Spoke about potential changes to HE funding

Radio 5 live Talked about potential changes to HE funding

Newsnight Talked about potential changes to HE funding

Declaration of gifts, hospitality and interests OIA I had Christmas dinner with the OIA as a Board member

Vice-President Society and Citizenship

Priorities Main Priorities Progress (what have you achieved since the last NEC)

Youth services We have established a huge network of partners willing to back the campaign including

ten of the biggest youth organisations in the uk and different unions. Partnering with the

youth organisations massively amplifies our voice and is a strong message to

government from across the youth sector. It also allows us to engage and utilise their

networks of young people increasing our ability to link SUs up with local youth groups

and young people.

Iv spoke at countless events all over the UK promoting the value of youth services and

gaining support for the campaign.

We have 136 signatures on our EDM currently the second highest signed in the country

this year. we have campaign packs to send to SUs, youth and community groups and

any one else who will support us. These packs will contain loads of different tactics both

local and national with actions that can be taken on by individuals and groups.

Work on research with demonstrates the threads youth work has into areas such as

liberation, widening participation and social mobility to engage more people into the

campaign.

Building up support from different sectors such as criminal and justice, health and

education.

Mobilise and politicises young people with this political issue as a platform for getting

involved in the GE.

Utalising our campaign network and partners To continue to apply pressure to current

MPs but also political party candidates and gain their support for the campaign.

Continuing to work with elected officers in the British youth council to engage their

members.

Encourage as many unions to to choose the youth service issues as their priority

campaign.

Met with green party to get their commitment to a statutory based youth service.

Met with MP Tristam Hunt (shadow education secretary) to get responsibility for youth

work moved from the

cabinate office to the department t of education.

Author: Piers Telemacque


Committees: NEC

Action: Approve/Discuss/Note (Delete as appropriate)

Visiting all the institutions where youth and community development course is delivered

(youth work degree) and working with those students

and officers to build a network of local campaigners

who can engage local young people and youth

organizations in the local and national actions.

Voter regristration Continue to work with SUs and relevant organisations to push the voter registration

agenda. I want to provide support for them to make it as accessible and relevant as

possible and sharing best practise and linking them up with relevant organisations and

local electoral registration departments in local councils, because they have time, money

and staff to get our students registered so lets work together more effectively.

working with the political strategy unit to identify the unions which sit on the 197 swing

seats to ensure that we use our membership to swing the election our way.

Working with SUs where MPs broke the pledges to take appropriate action against them

and ensure they are held to account for their actions.

Provide support and encourage as many SUs to organise hustings debates on the lead up

to the election on campuses.

Ill also utilise the networks I have established via the youth service campaign to help those organisations engage their members and young people in political activity and get them signed up to vote.

Other achievements of my Zone/Section/Campaign/Nation (select one) Achievement Progress (what have you achieved since the last NEC)

Helped organised the black lives matters tour and ferguson demos.

Co organised a demo about boris cuts to youth services.

Key Performance Indicators Event/Meeting Outcomes and/or actions taken or agreed on

Our early day motion is the second highest signed in the uk at 137

Shows massive cross party support from the campaign and helps us to apply more pressure particularly to the labour party to commit.

Attendance at events/meetings and actions taken or agreed Event/Meeting Outcomes and/or actions taken or agreed on

Met with Tristan hunt (shadow education secretary) about youth services.

He seems to support the move to the department of education from the cabinet office.

Did a debate at Eton college.

Spoke at liberation panel event in Bristol.

Helped to organised the anti Marine Le Pen demo at oxford union.

Plans before the next meeting Action/Work area What I hope to achieve

Youth services. Visiting all the institutions that deliver youth and community development degree and do campaigns planning and training with their students.

Membership Engagement Member Union Purpose and anything to report on

Lancaster Doing general election training with the officers and organised a general election streering committee.

Canterbury college Helping out with voter regristration day

Bristol union Speaking at a debate.

Briminham

Newcastle Edinburough. Bradford college and uni.

Media engagement and external relations Member Union Purpose and anything to report on

A few local radio shows

Bbc program

Declaration of gifts, hospitality and interests Declaration Further comment

Vice-President Union Development


SU34 Policy: From 1994 to 2034: the next generation of the student

movement

Our movement has achieved so much in the last 20 years, in spite of

increasing regulation and market forces. The future is uncertain and

the limits of our usual models are being tested, but students’ unions

must continue to be a force for the common good in society.

We’ve worked to highlight the changing nature of students’ unions –

who we work for, why we exist and how we use our collective power.

The Big Conversation, a major strand of work within the project, has

collected submissions from Vice Chancellors, Principals and other

leaders in society - from the chief executive of UCAS to

representatives from faith organisations. Around 50 students’ unions

have also submitted reports to the project, as well as a range of

perspectives gathered from a course of interviews and workshops at

15 NUS events this year. The Big Conversation uses these to explore

what contribution our movement makes to education and society, and

how much of that is understood beyond our organisations.

To secure a stronger movement for the next 20 years and advance

our values in society we will need to be innovative and committed to

our beliefs in the power of collective, progressive student-led change.

NUS has also been challenging students’ unions to do things

differently, with monthly briefings on topics like city-wide

collaboration and students’ union charters, ‘think pieces’ from the

Strategic Support Unit and learnings from student movements around

the world including Québec, Hong Kong and Swaziland.

The Union Development Zone Motion to NUS National Conference

affirms our commitment to the common good in society and starts to

prepare students’ unions to be able to deliver it.

Membership Commission

We launched the commission to provide NUS and students’ unions

with advice on the value, structure and distribution of the costs and

benefits of participating in NUS as a member. Participation is not only

about funding an organisation, but being part of a collective of

organisations that pools its costs and achieves mutual benefits in

common and this is the basis upon which we will take this work

forward.

95 different students’ unions participated in an in depth survey and

workshop discussions. After 6 months of research, report published in

February 2015, after that it’s for students’ unions and NUS to decided

how to take forward.

Recommendations include consistently applied affiliation fee as a % of

block grant, stronger tests of member value and democratic events

free to attend.

Author: Raechel Mattey


Committees: NEC

Action: Approve

National Society of Apprentices (NSoA)

This year the NSoA has gone from strength to strength- with 150 providers signed up and 150,000 apprentices. We’ve delivering the

first regional democratic events over 5 locations- Liverpool, Doncaster, Birmingham, Bristol, London. The events were aimed at electing the first leadership team and engaging apprentices in shaping policy for this year- 15 apprentices were elected to lead the NSoA and 5 policy areas were agreed. We’ve supported apprentices throughout wider work in NUS, developing the first ever Apprentice stream at FE leaders, apprentices attending women in leadership conference and

attending the Student APPG- as well as ensuring the nations Apprentice work is supported. Finally, have a joint event with the TUC in March during Apprentice week which we expect high attendance and our largest gathering of apprentices yet.

New members So far in 2014/15, we have acquired 9 new member students’ unions,

including Aston University, Regents University and the Royal

Agricultural University

Officer Development Review/ Training

Review conducted into our summer ODP program, we engaged

approximately 225 stakeholders. Conversations were facilitated

through a series of 13 individual interviews, 6 webinars, 5 focus

groups and two surveys (for staff/for officers) sent to all ODP 2014

participants.

Work being undertaken to deliver the recommendations over 18mnth

period to revamp the training offer that include an all year round

development offer for officers, in house training guidance, core

materials and development of summer courses.

We also launched an online training platform and held 31 webinars

between Jan-Dec 14, supporting our commitment to make it easier to

get involved and train staff and officers easier.

Quality Mark 99 unions have signed up to take part in the Quality Mark, only 1 has

gone through the entire award, with other unions booking in audits

and implementing policy.

2. Overview of work: Mandates from Zone Policy

Work carried out Mandate from National Conference

Impact of the student movement

Policy: Empowering Active Students (2014)

We have been supporting students’ unions to improve our reporting and

measurement of we’ve changed lives and shaped society. Our work with the

New Economics Foundation has produced a language and method for attributing

students’ union activities to the social impact they create.

9 students’ unions took part in the pilot, putting the metric into action, and 40

students’ unions have been introduced to the lessons learned from it. It’s tough

and takes investment, but together we will get better at this. We will be more

effective, more engaging, able to justify funding and better equipped to drive

change if we keep doing this work, alongside other third sector organisations

grappling with the same problems.

Democracy Policy: Empowering Active Students (2014) After completing a democracy commission with 10 students unions (2013-2014) this year we have continued to support development of democratic structures- through individual diagnostic support. Average election turnout in 2014 was 19.05%. Average number of candidates standing for sabbatical elections in 2014 was 27- both an increase on previous years. This year we will be launching the democracy commission part 2 pulling together information on success stories in

democratic innovation- some noticeable changes include the introduction of participatory budgeting.

Regional partnerships- SU Local

Policy: Regional Partnerships (2014) With a clear mandate from unions about supporting regional collaboration, this year we have supported regional collaboration in a number of ways. From developing a policy briefing about currently partnerships across cities to working

closely with unions who wanted to develop cross city general election strategies. The most noticeable being the development of SU local events- these were

developed to stop one day events national events that are expensive to travel to. Two rounds of SU local have been delivered in 12 locations with over 600 delegates attending- there was a focus on building strong regional networks across the events.

Student Opportunities (work with societies,

sports, media, volunteering)

Policy: The next opportunity (2014)/ Connecting Networks of student communities (2014)

- Produced report with UUK on barrier to student opportunities and developed an evaluative tool for unions to support student groups.

- Developed an online leadership development program for part time officers, chairs and captains in unions- due to be launched in June.

- Continued support of National student fundraising association, including conference support and committee support.

- Student volunteering week partnership, over 100 SU’s signed up - Media, ongoing discussions with BUCS, SRA, NASTA and SPA to see where

we can collaborate and support - Guidance with NUJ on supporting student media to be launched in April

- Developing guidance on adventure trips to support SU’s and fundraising groups make informed decisions about safety and values

- Deliver monthly webinars on topics selected by SU’s

Mentoring/ Women in

Leadership/ Development

work (some projects are

joint responsibility with

relevant liberation

officers)

Policy: Nationwide officer mentoring (2013)

- Women in leadership conference- 260 delegates attending, which is 130 more

delegates than last year and includes 5 apprentices.

- Aspiring Women Leaders Course 35 women signed up for the course which is an increase of 5 from last year

- Expansion of the I will lead the way coaching scheme to black students, with

view to extend to other liberation groups in the coming months

-Launch of Race Matters report, research of black staff in students unions and

recommendations to support unions create a more diverse staff team

NUS Services Activity

NUS Extra NUS Extra has shown consistent growth and we are exploring how we can

further support SU’s to sell the card. NUS extra sales have generated over

£2.3m in commissions for our member unions through and up to the end of

November, we have already given back £2,081,304. Focus for this year include:

introduction of a targeted renewals strategy, Growing NUS extra in schools, FE,

Apprentice extra in the nations, Increasing strategic partnerships, Integrating

NUS extra into NUS Local, Improving monitoring and evaluation of sales

initiatives.

Union Cloud We now have 49 sites live on UnionCloud - our national digital platform that

provides users with a ‘Union in a box’ website and membership management

system. Our current reach is 756,000 students which is good progress

considering we’re only in year two of full platform launch. We continue to

enhance the system having recently launched an intuitive set of “drag and drop”

analytical tools that do not require any technical expertise and can provide

invaluable insight into student behaviours.

NUS Connect We re-launched Connect - our Union-facing internet site – improving navigation,

putting our democracy front and center and enhancing our editorial content.

Vice President (Welfare) – NUS Welfare Zone

Priorities

Area of work Progress

Ready to Rent We have launched our Ready to Rent hub for students’ unions to access and use to roll out on their campuses and have engaged with over 60 students’ unions to enable this to happen. We have now begun discussions to look at sustainability and development of this project for the future.

Rent Freedom Day We partnered with Generation Rent and other housing organisations to run Rent Freedom Day – which was putting housing issues at the forefront in the run up to the General Election.

End Revenge Evictions We have worked with Shelter to submit evidence on revenge evictions to call for policy to put poor practise to an end

Influencing London Plan (London only)

We have continued to work on our long term project of influencing the London Plan to ensure affordability requirements are placed on private accommodation providers. We expect to see some big success in this area and hope to see results soon.

Private providers (HE only) Have worked with students’ unions where there is a private accommodation provider presence on their campus to create a network where issues and problems can be shared and create a bigger sense of lobbying at a top level – hoping to expand on this work further.

National Casework Reporting Project (HE only)

From our ‘Case to Campaign’ pilot project this year we are collating statistics from advice centres using AdvicePro to formulate a national report on issues faced by students.

University Mental Health Day (HE only)

We have worked with Student Minds to do some work on University Mental Health Day (18th February)

Mental Health guidelines in HE (HE only)

We worked with MWBHE (Mental Wellbeing in HE) to write guidelines in conjunction with UUK on mental health for universities – the first time guidelines have been published since 2000. We launched the guidelines on 13th February and I gave a key note speech to staff across student services in universities to open the day.

‘Stuff’ SRE in FE project (FE only)

Continue to work with pilot sites alongside Brook in implementation of the ‘Stuff’ project and held a workshop at zone conference for FE unions to learn about the project

Local Public Services Have formulated a project that assist students’ unions in understanding how to influence local decision makers when it comes to key areas of work such as housing, health and transport

Other work of the Welfare Zone Area of work Progress (what have you achieved since the last NEC)

Alcohol Impact (HE only; England and Wales only)

Have continued to work with pilot institutions on Alcohol Impact scheme and have started to collate monitoring and evaluation information to assess impact of project. Now looking for ways to sustain project for next and subsequent years and roll out on more campuses

UCAS and student accommodation

We have been expressing concerns to UCAS about their intent to launch a project that promotes student accommodation to applicants through UCAS. Whilst on the surface this is a good idea, we are concerned at the inclusion of private providers and what this might mean for that industry in terms of advertising. We are aiming to meet with soon to discuss this further.

Sex and Relationships Education

We launched some polling results of student views on SRE which gained extensive media coverage (and even got publicised by Dr Christian – swoon) and forced the Department of

Author: Colum McGuire

Date Produced: 16th February (from 17th November)

Committees: NEC

Action: Approve/Discuss/Note

Report

Education to attempt to defend its position on SRE. Since then the Select Committee report has been published recommending statutory SRE in primary and secondary schools.

Counter Terrorism Bill Published a statement objecting to Counter Terrorism Bill and worked with students’ unions to formulate and submit responses to its consultation

Access to Learning Fund (HE only; England only)

We’re continuing to formulate guidelines to students’ unions on the new world of hardship funding in England after the changes to Access to Learning Fund. We’re also trying to monitor the situation in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales which present equal challenges in terms of the student hardship funds landscape.

Student finance overpayments Secured discretion from SLC to continue to fund students who have been allocated funds through error relating to previous study to continue to receive funding where as appropriate and needed

SXT We have worked with SXT – a platform that aims to give people access to accurate and up to date information about sexual health services and have made accessible from the NUS website to encourage students to use it

Student finance information (HE only)

Published the annual Student Support and Benefits Handbook with CPAG and distributed copies to students’ unions

Care leavers Working with NUS Scotlands Women’s Officer to develop some work on how we engage care leavers in the student movement better and how NUS can provide better support to lobby for a more inclusive student experience

World Interfaith Week Put together resources for World Interfaith Week and published stuff on NUS website to encourage more interfaith collaboration on campuses

De-regulation Bill We supported an amendment to the De-Regulation Bill that sought to tackle the issue of private hire taxis being outsourced without passengers knowledge or consent

Student safety online We have contributed to a guide with NSPCC on cyber bullying for young people on understanding of online behaviours

Attendance at events/meetings of note Event/Meeting Date Details

ComRes SRE (sex and relationships education) polling launch

17th November Spoke at a parliament reception on launch on external findings on young people’s attitude towards sex and relationships education

Derby Course Rep Conference 19th November Attended and spoke at Derby Course Rep Conference

Policy Development Convention 2nd December

National Codes Conference 4th December Spoke at National Codes Conference for accommodation providers

Healthy FE event 5th December Addressed Healthy FE event on wellbeing for learners in FE

APPG (All Party Parliamentary Group) on Students

8th December

NUSSL Board 10th December Appointed as Vice Chair

BD Dinner 16th December Attended parliament dinner with sector bodies and MPs involved in sexual health and wider general health

Meeting with NHSF (National Hindu Student Forum)

17th December Met with President of NHSF to discuss closer working together and how NUS support students of Hindu faith

TDS (Tenancy Deposit Scheme) Charitable Foundation board meeting

13th January

FE Zone Committee 15th January

External Interfaith Organisations 16th January Meeting with Interfaith stakeholders external to student movement

My Birthday 18th January It was rather good.

Welfare Zone Committee conference call 19th January

APPG on Fuel Poverty 27th January Attended APPG on Fuel Poverty and gave presentation on energy issues faced by students in the private rented sector.

SLC (Student Loans Company) stakeholder board

28th January

Cass and Claredare annual reception 29th January Attended annual reception by a social housing provider for students

National Student Faith & Belief groups stakeholder day

30th January

Meeting with Student Minds 2nd Feb

Rent Freedom Day 4th Feb Unfortunately couldn’t attend personally

Alcohol Impact board 5th Feb

AMOSSHE (The Student Services Organisation)

6th Feb Gave a key note on issues facing students on wellbeing

MWBHE (Mental Wellbeing in HE) and UUK conference on mental health

13th Feb Gave key note speech launching new mental health guidlelines, ran joint session with Student Minds on

peer led mental health programmes and contributed to panel discussions

Membership Engagement Member Union Date Purpose and anything to report on

FE Leaders, FEstival 25th, 26th, 27th November

Queen Mary SU 12th December

Roehampton SU 16th December

Strategic Conversation 10th/11th February

Media engagement and external relations Media outlet Date Purpose and anything to report on

BBC Radio 28th January Did national and local interviews for BBC on launch of SRE research

Independent ‘I’ 29th January SRE research launch

Edinburgh Evening News 29th January SRE research launch

Tes.co.uk 29th January SRE research launch

Yahoo 29th January SRE research launch

Guardian 29th January SRE research launch

Pink News 29th January SRE research launch

Cosmopolitan 2nd February SRE research launch

Daily Mail 5th February SRE research launch

Cosmopolitan 6th February Follow up on SRE research launch after Labour proposals

BBC3 – ‘The Idiots Guide to Politics’ 11th February Appeared in documentary on young people and politics

Declaration of gifts, hospitality and interests

Declaration Further comment

Westminster Higher Education Forum student wellbeing event

Was due to be giving a key note speech at wellbeing event in March but made the decision to withdraw on account of the fact Smart Pig (pay day lender aimed at students) were also invited to contribute. Was later joined by Paul Bloomfield MP and Les Ebdom (Head of Office for Fair Access) in withdrawing from the event.

Truffle Oil At the Cass and Claredale reception I was given a gift of Truffle Oil, but I don’t really

know what this is. I’ve heard its good on salad, but if anyone has any other ideas or clarification please let me know.

Black Students’ Officer


Equality in education -Chapter on attainment and Black Ambassador scheme published in Runnymede Trust report -Planning ‘Too Black: surviving whiteness in the academy’ conference at Birmingham University -Supporting the ‘Why is my curriculum white?’ campaign

Anti-racism and anti-fascism -Co-hosted Ferguson solidarity tour UK alongside families and friends campaigns of those killed in police custody, flyering for, speaking at and chairing various events on the tour -Co-organised die-in in solidarity with Eric Garner at Westfield -Provided arrestee support for demonstrators arrested at Westfield demo -Birmingham police monitoring project planning meeting -Demonstrated at/outside G4S office with Ferguson activists -Protested at Oxford Union over invite to Marine Le Pen -Helped organise demonstration outside Home Office alongside International students’ campaign -Supported students at Birmingham university in dealing with racist graffiti on campus -Planning ARAF conference

Black representation -Hosted Black Students’ Winter Conference -Hosted BSC regional network meetings -Muslims Sabbs training -Planning conferences for Black International students

-Worked with groups on building opposition to the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act, released statement through NUS -Working with the International students’ campaign to challenge the racist and xenophobic Right to Rent scheme introduced in the West Midlands

Other achievements of my Campaign Achievement Progress (what have you achieved since the last NEC)


Ferguson solidarity tour planning meetings

Developed plans for future collaborations with United Families and Friends Campaign and Ferguson activists including parallel actions and speaker events

Ferguson solidarity tour Spoke at/chaired meetings on the tour– Brixton, Tottenham, Goldsmith’s, King’s College, Birmingham

Meeting on Counter Terrorism and Security Bill/Act (IHRC)

Worked out long-term plans for dealing with CTSB and challenging the counter-terrorism agenda more comprehensively

UCL and Birmingham University Attended London & South/Midlands regional BSC meetings, planned out priorities for Black students in those regions

New CCCS event Spoke at event on Free speech and Islamophobia in Birmingham


Author: Malia Bouattia


Committees: NEC

Action:

Report

Black Sabbs network Hold a successful inaugural meeting of the network and collectively work on plans and long-term objectives for the network

Operation Black Representation Support many Black officers get elected into their unions

Conferences Attending relevant Liberation, Sections and Nations conferences and meet with Black students active within them.

Begin planning out Black International students and Black Women’s conferences

Palestine solidarity Support efforts to mark Israeli Apartheid Week on campuses

Police monitoring Successfully launch Birmingham police monitoring project


Sheffield Spoke at Women in leadership event

Sheffield Hallam Spoke at launch event of BME students’ committee

Sheffield Hallam Spoke at Liberation conference

Bristol Spoke at ‘Black students/White campus’ event

UCL Spoke at ‘Am I an extremist’ event on the Counter-terrorism and Security Bill

University of the Arts Spoke at ‘Pale Male and Stale’ event

Coleg Gwent Represented BSC at Diversity roadshow

Various PhD students Interviewed for research


Guardian Interview for segment on Charlie Hebdo and Islamophobia


Chocolates From University of the Arts for speaking at ‘Pale Male and Stale’ event

National Women’s Officer

Priorities

Main Priorities Progress

Tackling Lad Culture The submission deadline for the Lad Culture Audit has passed. We’ve had about 55 institutions attempt to submit information. We’re currently looking though applications and policies and setting up committees to pick pilot unions and create guidance ready for women’s conference.

Student Women’s Activist

Network

We had our second round of regional forums where we focused on policy

making for women conference. As a result we smashed the record for submitted policies. Yay! Women students appreciated seeing the women’s committee on campus, doing grass roots outreach stuff and said they wanted to see more of this kind of activity from the whole of NUS.

Carers I met with Carers Trust to finalise things for the launch of the toolkits for HE and FE institutions to support Carers in education. We’ve also been allocated

space and time within the part-time student’s section conference to discuss support for students with caring responsibilities and how we’re going to create a student parents and carers part-time officer in NUS structures.

I Heart Consent We completed the Autumn pilots and now are moving to work with the second half of the pilots and activity has been largely positive so far. Working towards developing a report in time for women’s conference. We got Short Listed for

the UK Sexual Health Awards! Me and Colum will be attending the ceremony in the first week of march and looking snazzy.

Other achievements of my Campaign

Achievement Progress

I Heart Consent We’ve seen many students’ unions successful run consent workshops as part of their wider campaigns against lad culture and sexual harassment such as York St Johns and Bath Students’ Union.

End Domestic Violence

Youth Council.

NUS & EDV Toolkit on Eliminating Domestic Violence toolkit was used at Our

Bodies, Our Future: E17 Sex and Relationship Ed Conference.

EVAW Legal Briefing A new legal briefing has been published by EVAW base on NUS Research which challenges vice-chancellors to check their policy & practice. This piece of work

is going to be really crucial to the lad culture strategy in terms of creating guidance for good policy. The student activist toolkit which has been created for students to lobby VC’s and MP’s has been really successful.

Author: Susuana Antubam


Committees: NEC & National Women’s Campaign Committee

Action: Note

Report

Attendance at events/meetings and actions taken or agreed

Event/Meeting Outcomes and/or actions taken or agreed on

Women in Leadership Conference

Went really well. The shift in creating a more intersectional learning environment about women at work and the impact of sexism and lad culture meant that attendees found the workshops and their events useful and productive.

FTO Women’s Officer

Winter wonderland

Invited all the full time women’s officer to NUS HQ to talk about issues and

then had a great social and Winter Wonderland because self-care is a political act. We even had a feminist secret Santa which was great.

NUS – USI Women’s Conference

Had a brilliant day and spoke on a women in leadership pane with my fellow wonderful nations women’s officers.

Carers Trust Finalised toolkit launch plans.

End Violence Against Women Coalition

Met to discuss updates on legal briefing and general women’s sector campaigns to do with women’s services.

MSD Women’s Health Meeting.

Presented NUS SRE Research.

Plans before the next meeting

Action/Work area What I hope to achieve

Lad Culture To pick pilot unions.

Network Review impact and logistical issues.

Carers To Launch the HE Support Toolkit

Sex Work Plan on next steps the Swansea researchers and S.W.O.U

Students for Choice Have completed toolkit on pro-choice student unions.

Membership Engagement

Member Union Purpose and anything to report on

Canterbury College Delivered I Heart Consent Workshop

Kings College London SU Delivered I Heart Consent Workshop Facilitator Training

Cambridge University Delivered a Intersectionality 101 for their Women’s Officer Conference

Lancaster University Delivered I Heart Consent Workshop Facilitator Training

LSE Students’ Union Delivered I Heart Consent Workshop

Aberdeen University Co-ran Black Women in Leadership Workshop

UCA Farnham Did a speech at their AGM

Oxford University Panel speaker at Ant-Violence Valentine’s Day Conference

Media engagement and external relations

Member Union Purpose and anything to report on

London Live They followed me around to see what I do.

Gaurdian Gave a quote on what I think about Bystander Intervention programmes

Vice Lad Culture

Declaration of gifts, hospitality and interests

Declaration Further comment

Nope Nope

Robbiie Young – LGBT Officer (Open place)


Trans Student Conference Held in February – Very good feedback from event

LGBT History month All Of Feb, I have been traveling the UK visiting

General Election 15 1st Planned day of action is the 26th Feb

LGBT Conference Getting people registered and finalising details – to be held in March.

Other achievements of my Achievement

Progress (what have you achieved since the last NEC)

NUS USI LGBT Conference I attended the NUS USI LGBT conference in Belfast

NUS Wales LGBT Conference I am attending to speak to LGBT students in the nations and help with conference



Activist Training Day Milton Keynes launched the Activist training Programme

National Student Pride I am attending to help get LGBT students registered to vote in this year’s general election and also to hold a stall to talk about politically active LGBT societies


LGBT Conference Have a successful and well engaged LGBT conference

General Election 15 Getting students registered to vote and engage with our General Election manifesto


Aberdeen Student Association Met with LGBT Officer about building activism and LGBT history month

Robert Gordon Association Met with LGBT Officer about building activism and LGBT history month

Edinburgh Association Met with a SABB and Activists about building activism and LGBT history month

Author: Robbiie Young


Committees: NEC

Action: Note

Report

Glasgow College Students Association

Met with LGBT Officer about building activism and LGBT history month

Aberystwyth Students Union Spoke at their Liberation Day event

UEA Students Union Spoke on a panel about LGBT activism and LGBT history month

Coventry Students Union Went to get students registered to vote on NVDR

LSE Union Spoke to their LGBT society about Activism and the general election

Bristol Union Talking about the general election and engaging with NUS LGBT campaign

Birmingham Union Met with LGBT officer about building activism and engagement with the NUS LGBT campaign

Wolverhampton College Met with SABB team and spoke about building LGBT activism & Representation with the FE sector

Wolverhampton Uni Students union

Spoke to members of their society about LGBT activism and engagement with the national campaign


Attitude Magazine Talking about Life as an LGBT student on campus and student pride

Gay Times Talking about Life as an LGBT student on campus and student pride


Paper weight, Ruler, Pen and Key Ring

Given as a present from the president of Glasgow College Association

International Students’ Officer


General Election Asks / Days of actions / Voter registration

The main focus of International Students Campaign (ISC) has been the campaigns and actions around the general election asks. We have made a good progress in bringing up international students’ issues amongst parliamentarians, home students and general public. We will continue doing this until May. Voter Registration for Commonwealth students and Republic of Ireland students has been important. We have published briefings for all general election asks and voter registration for international students, encouraging students’ unions across the country to include international students in their general election campaigns. This has been a success, with many students’ unions making international students a priority.

Tier 4 sponsorship crisis As mentioned in previous NEC reports, about 60,000 is the total number of affected

students. 12,000 among them are left without a college now. Most of them have lost their

tuition fees. Based on the information we received from a survey amongst students, we

are supporting many of them legally. We have also published the final report on the

sponsorship crisis on NUS Connect. Likewise, we are working with our legal advisor,

Bindmans to help finding legal aid for students who want to take actions against Home

Office. Bindmans has also produced a legal advice on NUS website for the affected

students on how to appeal the Home Office’s decisions against them, how to apply to

extend the 60 days’ notice (to leave the country or find another institution) and how to

pursue the online civil court action.

We have paid an expert to review the evidence against the 48,000 students accused of

fraudulently obtaining an English language certificate, in particular the 19,000 who are

regarded as "questionable" which means there is no evidence against them except that

they took their test at a test centre where evidence suggests others obtained their test

fraudulently. Now any student can use this to challenge accusations by the home office or

their university.

We have written a report reviewing the lack of support for students from the government

in this crisis. This has been submitted to the courts, and in particular the judge reviewing

the cases of colleges challenging the Home Office's decision to revoke their licences. We

hope this will lead the judge to make decisions to support students in these cases.

We are withholding other legal actions while waiting to be assured that Glyndwr University

will get its licence back without restrictions.

Author: Shreya Paudel


Committees: NEC

Action: Note

Report

Landlord Checks in West Midlands caused by the implementation of Immigration Act

Right to Rent makes it a legal requirement for landlords to check the immigration status of

all prospective tenants and to retain a copy of their proof of identity and citizenship - or

risk up to a £3,000 fine. This essentially makes landlord extensions of the border agency.

If deemed a 'successful' trial, the scheme will be rolled out nationally.

The risk of migrants, international students and Black people, facing discrimination under

this scheme - in addition to the prejudice they already face in the rental market - is a

serious concern. The threat of 'foreign looking' or 'foreign sounding' tenants being avoided

by landlords because they are a 'risk' is real and will add to the significant welfare issues

affecting international students in the UK. NUS International Students Campaign is working

together with Black Students’ Campaign, in pursuing community organising and public

meetings in West Midlands region against the scheme. ISC is also working with UKCISA,

Shelter and the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants to ensure that students are

supported to deal with the new requirements. NUS, JCWI and Shelter have produced a

survey to record any experienced discrimination.

Anti-xenophobia #BelongInBritain research

Mandated by ISC conference, we are carrying out a research on xenophobia. We are attempting to receive an intersectional data. Therefore, the research is not only seeking to gather immigrants’ experiences but other liberation groups’ experiences too. So far, we have been able to achieve just over 1000 samples, which is a good number when

considered the variety of campaigns that we have taken up simultaneously. I will inform NEC about the findings from the research in future.

International Students Conference

I called over 40 students’ unions myself to send their international student delegates to the conference. I was quite taken aback that an FTO needs to personally ask students’ unions for their participation in International Students Conference. I had thought that there would be an organic interest in students’ unions to send their delegates, which does not seem to be the case. I have heard the same case for other section conferences too. Therefore, we as an organisation need to clearly take a different approach to communicate with our members on NUS sections so that in future, section conferences will be as much of a priority as the National Conference to our members.

Highlighting the international students’ issues and giving solidarity to immigrants’ struggle

For the first time in many years, ISC organised a protest in front of Home Office on December 18, on the occasion of UN International Migrants Day, along with NUS BSC and various grassroots campaigns. Through protests, lobbying politicians, speaking with press, writing articles in national newspapers, my focus has been to raise the profile of issues faced by international students and immigrants in general.


Meeting with Ian Lucas in Wrexham, Wales

I proposed Ian Lucas to support our GE ask of student protection scheme. I also proposed him to host a meeting for ISC at parliament so that international student reps could speak to him directly about the crises they have faced, ranging from the Tier 4 revocation to civil wars in the Middle East. He agreed to host the meeting.

ISC met with Ian Lucas (MP) at parliament on financial protection scheme

Ten international student reps with a variety of experiences of crisis that they or their students have faced, spoke directly with Ian Lucas, who also happens to be in the shadow cabinet. He listened to all of us calmly. He also committed to bring it up at parliament and his shadow cabinet with shadow Universities minister and shadow immigration minister.

Paul Blomfield’s (MP) Early Day Motion on international students

Mr Blomfield has proposed to take international students out of net migration targets. I have a reservation that it should have gone fully to scrap the target itself. However, it is a step in the right direction. I cannot claim that it is the result of a direct intervention from NUS. However, we did have conversations with Mr Blomfield in the past with regards to the futility of net migration targets, which might have worked to shape his worldview on immigration.

GE Election planning and campaigning with STAR

This year, we have worked together with Student Action for Refugees (STAR), especially to campaign for equal access to asylum seeking students to Higher Education in the UK. STAR has local groups in various universities and NUS ISC supports STAR nationally and locally.

Post Study Work GE ask This has been one of the biggest asks for international students this year. We want to get the equal opportunity to work in the UK after our studies just like home students. We have already submitted evidence to APPG Migration on the importance of reinstating Post-Study Work visa. APPG Migration will publish its report on February 24th. I have also co-ordinated with National Indian Students’ Union UK (NISU) to have another parliamentary meeting with MPs to push forward the GE ask of one year of post study work for all international students. We also have included the Post-Study Work ask in the ‘share your stories’ segment of NUS website, where international students can share their hopes and expectations for the work visa. Likewise, I actively encouraged students’ unions to condemn Theresa May’s plans to send back international students without any opportunities to apply to work in the UK, therefore, restricting the post-study opportunities which are already severely restricted. This had a

good response from various SUs.

Indian High Commission – Post-Study Work ask and voter registration

Since Indian students’ population is the second highest amongst international students in the UK, I went to their High Commission to meet the education secretary. I spoke to him about the importance of voter registration and asked if the Indian government could exert

some pressure on the British government for Post-Study Work visa. I have had a positive reaction from him. In the upcoming days, I will continue the lobbying not just in Indian High Commission but also in other embassies of various countries.


Parliament - APPG students I along with various SU officers registered our objection with the Universities Minister, Greg Clark, on the scrapping of the Post-Study Work visa. Mr Clark insisted that it is only our ‘perception’ and not reality that the current mechanisms are not working. We informed him about the real stories and statistics on the ground on how much international students are discriminated against by the restrictions to work after studies.

Services for International Education Marketing Conference

This was hosted by British Council, I was a speaker on their panel. I focused largely on the student experience side, stating that what we are promised in our home countries are far glitterier than the reality here. Our job as the sector is to ensure that the student experience is improved here.

UKCISA Regional Network in Manchester and Edinburgh

I was a panel speaker here. I mainly asked the participants, who were the representatives of universities and colleges to be political institutionally and individually in favour of international students. In Edinburgh, Teodora, NEC second place, spoke about the experiences of international students in the UK.

Competition of Market authorities roundtable meeting

Here, I spoke about the importance of financial protection scheme for international students and how this would give confidence to us in pursuing our studies here. There were many representatives from universities, colleges and the government.

Distributed fliers in Birmingham city centre about landlord checks

This was one of the first real grassroots ‘community organising’ that I got to do in my NUS role. Some of us went around Birmingham city and persuaded many people to come to the public meeting against the landlord checks on March 7. We will continue this kind of grassroots organising.

Glyndwr meeting with NUS Wales

Had a meeting with NUS Wales on shaping our reactions for the outcomes of Glyndwr University’s sponsorship licence.


GE asks Will continue campaigning about the GE asks and follow up on the actions that we have already done. For instance, I will again contact Ian Lucas (MP) about his commitment to bring up the financial protection scheme ask at parliament and the shadow cabinet.

Against Immigration Act implementation

Will continue campaigning and lobbying against landlord checks, NHS fees and generally the implementation of Immigration Act.

Anti-UKIP demonstration Will actively support the demonstration against the anti-immigrant forces like UKIP of British polity.


Various SUs / GE special newsletter

Its purpose was to outline ISC’s plans for GE.

Sheffield Students’ Union Spoke at Right to Stay Debate (for international students). I urge SUs around the country to organise debates on ‘immigration and international students’.

SU's local events in – Nottingham, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Liverpool and London

I myself travelled to all the SU’s local events across the country, except in London where I

could not participate. I along with an NUS colleague, gave a presentation on General

Election and international student experience. Met with a great interest from students’

unions.

Kings College Students Union Went to discuss with the university and the SU about improving international student experience. My focus was on improving the representation structures to include international students in them, for instance, by creating a full time International Students’ Officer at the SU.

International Students’ Campaign Committee meeting

This was the last meeting ISC conference, where we discussed about various plans on GE.

40 unions across the country Called them to request them to send their delegates to ISC conference.

Met West-Midlands sabbatical officers

I went to Birmingham to speak to the officers from Ashton SU, Birmingham Guild, Wolverhampton SU and Birmingham City SU. We discussed about the implications from the landlord checks on student population.

Media engagement and external relations Media Purpose and anything to report on

The Guardian Published an article against Theresa May’s proposal of sending back international students before we could apply for a job.

The Guardian Quoted in an article for the rights of international students to protest.

Huffington Post Blog published on the importance of creating financial protection scheme for international students.

Morning Star Quoted in an article on the rise of neo-Nazis. Quoted also about the December 18 protest of ISC in front of Home Office.

The Pie News Quoted about Post-Study Work

Migreat Quoted twice about Post-Study Work

NUS Connect Published various blogs

NUS Wales president

Priorities – in line with the Scheme of work passed at Zone conference in

November.

Priorities Main Priorities- these are

the 8 priorities within the NUS Wales scheme of work this year:

Progress (what have you achieved since the last NEC)

Making Imagine education a reality: -Diamond review ( Government review into education funding and student support) -Reverse the cuts campaign.

Continued engagement with the review through my seat on the panel, ongoing consultation with students through Zone conference, WNEC, membership advisory group, and specific focus groups. We are to submit a written consultation to the review by February 2015, and are helping Old Bell 3 facilitate some in-depth consultation with students at our conference in March. We will be launching our submission to the review as part of a day of action around education funding in February. We continue to challenge the sector to be bold through this review, to avoid just tinkering around the edges of the current system and putting a new sticker price on education in Wales, but instead use the opportunities of the review to come up with a radical new funding system for post 16 education that works for Wales.

The funding for Post-16 education in Wales is coming under ever increasing cuts from the

Welsh Government, often at the detriment of the student experience. As any cuts are

announced, NUS Wales will continue to publicly campaign and lobby for their reversal. We

have continued our campaign to save FCF for the next academic year, both in public

lobbying and conversations with the Welsh government officials and the Education

minister, where we have made it explicitly clear that we will not accept any more cuts to

the education budget.

I have been meeting with the Welsh government to lobby them to follow the UK

government in introducing a postgraduate loan system, but one that is not limited

by age , whilst also highlighting to them the limitations of any proposed subject specifc

loan system.

Housing fit for study: Living in unsafe, low standard housing shouldn’t be a rite of passage or an accepted reality of being a student; students aren’t second rate citizens and the standard of their housing should reflect that. Through the Welsh Government housing bill which was successful in safeguarding increased rights for Tenants, local authorities don’t have the capacity or resources necessary to regulate the quality of rented properties. NUS Wales continues to highlight the poor standard of housing for students in Wales, as well as campaigning for increased rights for student tenants, through housing accreditation schemes and calling for the removal of letting agency fees. At conference we will be launching our comprehensive housing campaign, and will hopefully we introducing some work around rent controls.

Educating and mobilising the student vote.

With not only the general election, but Welsh assembly and local elections on the horizon for Wales, NUS Wales has developed a long term strategy for the next three years that focuses on manifesto lobbying, registering students to vote, educating on devolution, and mobilising the student vote. Manifesto lobbying- Since the success of implementing our Manifesto recommendations through the Assembly’s

Author: Beth Button

Date Produced: 23.02/15

Committees: NEC

Action:

Report

budget for this year, we have begun work on coming up with some new manifesto asks to present to each the political parties. We will be using the policy passed at conference to form our student manifesto for 2016. Registering students to vote- We have set up a coalition of organisations including the electoral reform society, the electoral commission, a representative for local electoral registration offices, Universities Wales and bite the ballot amongst others, who have come together to begin exploring voter registration amongst young people in Wales. The changes to voter registration are going to have the greatest effect in Wales in the 2016 assembly election, so as well as a focus on the 2015 general election, we’re implementing some long term strategies to ensure momentum remains until the 2016 election. We have linked up each electoral

registration office with their local institutions’ students’ union, and we are already seeing some positive partnership occurring. Through our lobbying, Universities Wales have requested all Vice chancellors in Wales take proactive steps to register their students to vote. We are also leading the public campaign for the extension of the current electoral registration until after the 2016 assembly election. It makes no sense to remove household voter registration in between two large elections, and doing so will result in an expected 40% reduction in Welsh citizens registered for the assembly elections, with students expected to be some of highest numbers of ‘lost voters’. Educating on devolution- Whilst we must ensure students are registered to vote, in the lead up to the general and assembly elections, we must ensure students in Wales are educated on the importance and impact of devolution. We are working with educational providers to discuss how this may be delivered. Ahead of the general election, we will also be calling publicly for each of the political parties to commit to further devolution to Wales, with a recognition that the current model doesn’t work, led by a policy outlining our vision for Wales’s devolved powers, as voted on at conference. . Mobilising the student vote- A significant element of our election strategy is working with students unions, institutions and other stakeholders to ensure students turn out to vote. The coalition of organisations will also be exploring partnered approaches to mobilising the student vote. We have successfully lobbied the minister for public services Leighton Andrews to introduce a phone app that will be created before the general election in order to notify users of their nearest ballot stations, as well as providing pop up notifications to alert users to the closure of registering to vote and to remind them to vote.

Learning within the criminal justice system.

As part of our imagine education work, we are calling for access to Education for all, regardless of circumstance. As such, at this moment in time, there is no independent education provision in prisons in Wales, unlike the rest of the UK, where organisations such as the Prisoners Education Trust operate. We are beginning to work with NUS UK and the

Prisoners education trust to begin exploring how we can lobby for education provision in prisons in Wales, highlighting the issue through meetings with the Welsh Government.

Tackling Lad culture. NUS Wales has made it a priority of our national scheme of work this year to tackle lad culture. We will be campaigning for the Gender based violence bill to enshrine protection for women through legislation, and for the bill to include measures to address lad culture in Universities and Colleges.

Transport reform The majority of learners in further education in Wales rely on some form of public transport to get to college, however there are huge disparities in the amount of support available, if any. We’ve successfully lobbied for a national concessionary scheme for young people, however we will continue to campaign for equity in the amount of financial support available for travelling to college, and against any proposed cuts to student transport support.

Student sex work project Over the past three years, NUS Wales has been working with the student sex work project to research the experiences and motivations of students who engage in sex work. Once the results of the research have been disseminated, we will be working to educate universities and students’ unions on what sex work is, and how students involved in the industry can receive advice and guidance.

Other achievements. Elections phone App. Through lobbying the minister for Local Government and public services, we successfully

secured a commitment to develop a phone application to be created by the Welsh Government for the general and assembly elections, which will provide the user with information about the location of their nearest ballot station, as well as reminders to vote

and other information about candidates etc.

Reclaim the night Wales We held a really successful reclaim the night march on 20th Feb. Really good turnout, and great rally with a variety of speakers afterwards.

Extension of the electoral register

Through our lobbying, political parties in Wales have joined us in calling for an extension to the current electoral register until after the 2016 assembly elections.

Coleg Cymraeg cenedlaethol student representation

Have been successful in lobbying for the Coleg to review its student representation structures, and secure funding for them to improve them.

Attendance at events/meetings and actions taken or agreed

Event/Meeting Outcomes and/or actions taken or agreed on

20th Nov Met with Leighton Andrews AM to discuss voter registration

26th Nov Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol board meeting

27th nov Meeting with Mark Isherwood to dicsuss Glyndwr

28th Nov HEA Future directions steering group

1st Dec Meeting with Welsh Government to discuss FCF

2nd Dec Spoke on a panel at Hefcw widening access conference

3rd Dec NEC meeting

4th Dec Individual Electoral registration meeting

5th Dec Women in Leadership conference

6th Dec All party parliamentary group on Students in the house of commons

9th Dec Spoke at women in leadership event at Cardiff SU

10th Dec NUS Wales membership advisory group

11th Dec NUSW WNEC

10th Dec NUS Wales annual reception

10th Dec Meeting with Lesley Griffiths re Glyndŵr

18th Dec International migrants day protest- gave speech.

8th Jan Meeting with David Blaney, chief exec of Hefcw- catch up on Glyndŵr, HE bill

8th Jan Meeting to discuss diversifying local government with the Welsh Government.

9th Jan Meeting with Welsh Government to discuss PG funding

9th Jan Interview with WISERD- feeding into their research on PT study for the diamond review

12th Jan POSITIF lunchtime reception- general elections.

14th Jan Phone call Meeting with Bite the Ballot

14th Jan Public affairs Cymru annual quiz.

14th Jan Phone meeting with WDPC re conference

15th Jan HEA Future directions steering group meeting

15th Jan Future directions students as partners network planning meeting

16th Jan Day at HQ- meetings with Alan Roberts, Ben Kinross, HE Policy team

19th jan Attended a ‘platform with Simon Thomas’ = plaid education spokesperson

20th Jan Liason meeting with Universities Wales and hefcw

20th Jan WHELF meeting – about student representation in their structures.

21st Jan Meeting with Dafydd Trystan RE Coleg Cymraeg cenedlaethol student rep structures.

21st Jan Meeting with Coleg Cardiff branch staff

21st Jan Coleg Cardiff branch meeting- attended to observe.

21ST jan Meeting with bite the ballot to discuss voter reg

21ST jan Meeting with Sir Ian Diamond- discussion of the ed funding review.

22nd jan Diamond review

23rd Jan Director of NUS Wales interviews

27 jan Meeting with Education minister and deputy minister for skills- update on NUSW work

27th Jan Meeting with Leighton Andrews and Stephen Twigg MP = voter reg

27th Jan Policy planning away day with Ebbi and Rosie

28th Jan Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol investors in people interview

28th jan Meeting with Richard Wyn Jones to discuss diamond review

28th Jan National society of apprentices day in Cardiff

29th Jan Attended the NUS Wales Welsh Language council in Bangor

30th Jan 360 feedback session in Londond

3rd feb Meeting with Royal welsh college of Music and drama- discuss merger

3rd fed HEFCW student experience and teaching quality committee

4th Feb Coleg Cymraeg cenedlaethol FE/HE steering group

4th Feb BBC audience council forum with WNEC

4th feb NUS Wales National exec committee

5th feb Meeting with Welsh government official about RWCMD

5th feb National voter registration day activities around South wales SU’s

9th Feb Meeting with Welsh government to discuss housing campaign

10th feb HEFCW liason meeting

11th feb Welsh Government HE division meeting with head

11th feb WISE Wales course rep conference- gave key note and ran a session

12th feb HEFCW Skills and employability board meeting

12Th feb WISE Wales steering group

13th feb Met with Uni South wales to discuss creation of phone app

14/15th feb Welsh labour party conference

16th feb NUS UK CEO interviews

17th feb Diamond writing day

20th feb Reclaim the night wales

23rd feb Meeting with Ibrahim FOSIS


Glyndŵr University’s Highly trusted sponsor status

By the next WNEC, I hope the University would have had a final decision on their HTST, will be working with the guild on the outcome, and the stakeholders involved with the future of provision in the North East

Diamond review We will have submitted our response to the diamond review submission, with a public release, linked to general election asks around education funding.

Electoral register Will be launching a public call for the extension of the current electoral register until after the assembly elections- an open letter signed by multiple public bodies. Will also be launching the campaign with Universities Wales to ask VC’s to take action on registering students to vote1

Mental health Will have supported the organisation of a training day for student nurses on mental health.

Student sex work project Launch of the results of the survey, supporting Rosie in media work

NUS Wales conference Hopefully will have had a good conference- with lots of policy and people running in elections.

Housing campaign Launch our campaign on housing- includes lobbying to remove letting agency fees and the introduction of rent controls.

NSOA We will have elected our new Nsoa team in wales and had the first round of events.

Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol Will be helping present a paper to the Colegs’ court, which proposes the introduction of an elected representative on their board of directors.


19th Nov Attended a debate at Cardiff SU on Athiism

27th Nov Attended Cardiff SU agm- gave speech on voter registration

2nd dec Policy development convention

10th Dec NUS Wales Membership advisory group- opportunity for students to feed into work of NUS Wales.

19th Jan Meeting with Cardiff SU president- discuss motions for NUS Wales conference, provide training for nus wales conference delegates.

21st jan Met with Charlotte peters- Swansea SU

26th Jan Su’s local , Cardiff

28th Jan National society of apprentices event, Cardiff

28th Jan Visited Bangor SU

29th Jan NUS Wales welsh language campaign- went to their council

5th Feb Visited USW and Cardiff for NVRD

Media engagement and external relations- including training Media outlet/organisation Purpose and anything to report on

BBC Wales Comment on Glyndŵr University UKVI decision.


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