Issue 01| Autumn 09
www.mynsu.co.uk
MAGAZINE
Get repped this year! | Tell us about yourself! | Give it a Go | Plus much more...
NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
CONTENTS
Hello and Welcome to the first edition of Get Involved! So you’ve come to Uni and the world’s your oyster! Do you want to spend your spare time lying on the sofa eating baked beans from the tin and watching day time telly, or do you want to get off your bum and make the most of your time here? Maybe do something good for your local community such as our recent Art in the Park project and possibly even achieve fame from being on the news and in the paper while you’re at it!
Or you may want to add some new skills to your CV through our Give It a Go sessions and make yourself stand out from the rest of your fellow tax dodgers!! Through the Get Involved programme here at Your Students’ Union we have something for even the most hardened Jeremy Kyle fans to get you off that couch and doing something positive! I hope you enjoy leafing through this magazine and I look forward to seeing you round the Union in the coming months!
Alison x
Icon Guide: - Meet new people
- Have a lot of fun
- Learn new skills
- Make some money
- Make a difference at University
- Give something back
- Enhance your CV
- Voice student opinion
- Become a leader
- Get peer support
Get Involved in any of the volunteering activities in the following pages, just visit the first floor of your Students’ Union building, and you will find assistance in either the Student Activities Centre (SAC) or the Advice and Representation Centre. Our friendly staff will help you find the perfect volunteering role to suit your needs!
» 4/5
Societies
» 21
Media Volunteers / NU: Life
»6
Give it a Go
» 22
Student Community Forums
»7
Welcome Team
» 23
Environmental Committee
» 8/9
Community Volunteering
» 24
NUS Conference
» 10
Community Reps
» 25
NUS Extra Advert
» 11
One Planet
» 26
Work for the Students’ Union
» 12/13
RAG
» 27
Membership Ambassadors
» 14
Elections
» 28
Register Your Details
» 15
Sabbaticals
» 29
Northumbria Plus
» 16/17
School, Course & PGR Reps
» 30/31
Annual Awards
» 18
Student Council
» 19
Caucus Groups
» 20
Campaigning / Campaigns Volunteers
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SOCIETIES Make the most of your time here at Northumbria by getting involved with one of our great societies; they offer a huge range of fun activities as well as the chance to meet with like-minded people. As well as active societies such as skydiving and rock-climbing, we have a wide range of societies based on arts and culture – drama, musical theatre, film and many more…There are also faith groups such as the Islamic society and the Christian Union. In addition we have groups aimed specifically at helping International Students settle into life here at Northumbria such as the Malaysian Society, Vietnamese Society and the Afro-Caribbean Society. The choice is yours! To find out more, come along to one of our great societies fairs (Check out: www.mynsu.co.uk for times and dates of fairs); these showcase all our societies and give you the chance to meet and chat to the people that are running them! Or, if you miss the fairs, drop into the Student Activities Centre on the first floor of the Students’ Union where our staff will be able to put you in touch with the relevant students and chat to you about the kind of things they do. Alternatively if there isn’t a society on our current list that appeals to you, why not show us what you can do and start your own society?! Not only is it fantastic to put on your CV, it’s also great fun and a brilliant opportunity to develop your organisational skills as well as getting to pursue your favourite pastime. Societies can be based around anything that you like – provided you think it will appeal to other students! For more information or to find out exactly how to get started, just call into the student activities centre and have a chat with the staff in there or alternatively e-mail: su.activities@northumbria.ac.uk. And finally, feel free to look at a full current list of societies on the website at: www.mynsu.co.uk/societies - enjoy!
INTERVIEW
Osemeke – Afro-Caribbean Society
“I DEVELOPED AS A LEADER” Osemeke, can you tell us a bit about yourself?
Why should students set up societies?
I am an international student at Northumbria, from Nigeria and I am currently studying a PhD in Information Behaviour in Organizations. I am also the outgoing president of the Afro-Caribbean Society (ACS), and a student Trustee on the Students’ Union Trustee Board. In my spare time I like to travel and play soldiers, as I am a member of the Northumbrian Universities Officers Training Corp (NUOTC).
Setting up a society is a huge step, which makes it a very good learning platform. Personally I developed as a leader, as a communicator and manager, if you do take the running of your society seriously, your personal development will improve significantly. For me though, the most important reason for setting up a society is affecting the lives of other students, it gave me endless satisfaction, and I think students should set up societies also for this reason. There are students who do not have time to organise these things but would love to be part of it, so setting up a society allows the activities to be accessible to others so they can all have a great experience at Northumbria.
Tell us about your society and your role within it? ACS is about bringing people of African and Caribbean origin together, to help them make the most of their time at Northumbria University, by organizing activities like dramas, debates, movies, trips, parties etc. but it is also about showcasing these events to the other students at Northumbria and to the wider public of Newcastle, so they can have a feel of the eccentric culture of people of African and Caribbean roots. It looks after the welfare of its members, in terms of representation at the University or more personal issues. ACS is open to all Northumbria University students, for those who want to experience these cultures first hand, and get a more in-depth experience. What was your proudest moment with the ACS last year? We had a play which we put together for diversity week at Northumbria, based on a book by Wole Soyinka, a famous African writer. Planning was really difficult, however we pulled it off and the day the end of the play had to be my proudest moment with the ACS, and I still want to say a big thank you to all those who were involved.
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What are your plans for the coming year? The major goal for now is to get as many people involved as we can at the start of the academic year. Afterwards a formal election will be held and a handover to the incoming team, but I will be there all through the year to support them. We plan to kick off on activities early so people do not lose interest and to plan an activity at least once per month. Work more closely with the other societies, students activities centre, the rag team and the student union at large, so that we can all pool our resources together to make a greater student experience. Do you have any advice for anyone thinking of setting up a society? Yes I do. Setting up a society firstly should be done for the right reasons, and students should ensure that they are passionate about what the society would represent, so that they can find the drive to carry on when the throughout the year. Finally they should always be in contact with the Students’ Union, to find out how they can help with things like publicity, organizing events etc.
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GIVE IT A GO Give it a Go is a programme of one-off activities designed to broaden and enhance your student experience! No membership fees or regular time commitment required – simply come along and Give it a Go! If you’ve got great ideas for sessions we could offer, please get in touch, we’d love to hear from you! Get involved and lead a session – you get to have fun leading your own session plus all the support you could ever need from our student activities staff! And, as an added incentive, you get free entry to the session! How to Book Please call in to the Welcome Desk in the Students’ Union and sign-up! Please book at least 48 hours in advance as places are limited and must be paid for at the time of booking.
Programme 2009 Wed 7th Oct - Go-Karting 2pm Meet in the SAC £5.00 Visit a local race track and pretend to be Lewis Hamilton or Jenson Button for a fast paced, fun filled afternoon with friends. Includes travel, entry and time on the track.
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WELCOME TEAM Fri 30th Oct - Pumpkin Carving 4pm Training Room £1.50 Get ready for the spookiest day of the year by carving scary faces into pumpkins, great fun and the scariest pumpkin receives a prize!
Wed 18th Nov - First Aid 3pm Domain FREE! Join the Northumbria LINKS Society as they take you through the basics of first aid* and find out how you can get a formal qualification. *NB – this is not a formal qualification
Mon 1st Dec - Scuba Diving 6.30pm Welcome Desk £5.00 Ever fancied diving into the deep unknown to discover fantastic marine wildlife? Well we can help you get started – come along to this taster session to learn the basics of scuba diving at a local pool. Includes travel, all diving equipment and certificate.
Wed 16th Dec Christmas Gingerbread House 3pm Domain £1.50 The ultimate in kitsch to get you in the festive mood! Build and decorate your very own Christmas Gingerbread House which is good enough to eat. Prizes for the best Gingerbread House.
Every year thousands of new students arrive at Northumbria University and, for many of them, they are arriving in a brand new city and it is the first time they’ve been away from home – a pretty scary experience (but I’m sure you all remember what it was like!). This is where the Students’ Union steps in…… …..We recruit a team of 150 student volunteers to help welcome these people to University life, helping them to settle in and make new friends. Being part of Welcome Team includes doing the following: » Helping students move into halls » Having fun » Providing tours of campus and the City Centre » Escorting students on activities » Having fun » Helping set up Students’ Union events » Talking to new students and helping them make friends » Telling new students what the Students’ Union is all about » Did we mention having fun? On top of knowing that you’ve helped others there are a huge amount of benefits for YOU! » Full training and support for the role » AMAZING experience to put on your CV » Recognition – you can complete the prestigious Northumbria Plus Award » A wrist band to get into all of the Welcome Week Club nights for free when you’re not on duty » You will make loads of new friends » You will have one of the most exciting and fun weeks of your life! To find out how you could be a part of this fantastic opportunity, please call into the Activities Centre on the first floor of the Students’ Union or email: su.activities@northumbria.ac.uk.
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COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERING
Current projects include: Storytelling with Children
Volunteering provides you with the opportunity to get involved in your local community and make a real difference. In addition to this you will make new friends, gain new skills, and have a great time while you’re at it! You will also be eligible for the Northumbria Plus Award, which is a prestigious award and will help distinguish you from other graduates when applying for jobs.
Students have been gaining storytelling skills from Seven Stories in order to deliver fun and interactive sessions, with arts and crafts, to children both in Seven Stories and also in schools and community groups in the area.
Student Community Action is a volunteering group which allows you to get involved in local projects that are designed and run by students. We understand the pressures you face at University and the demands on your time so the level of commitment is entirely up to you.
We will be painting the underpass which links Brandling Park and Exhibition Park as it is very dirty and underused at the moment. We will also be designing and exhibiting art work in the underpass.
Brightening up Brandling Park NSCA has already helped to plant over 1000 bulbs around Brandling Park. We will be helping to maintain the park so the Community can continue to enjoy it.
Art in the Park!
Social Activities for People with Learning Disabilities Such as coffee mornings, speed dating and gigs.
Swap Shop
If you have an idea, you can even set up your own project. We will be there to support you, with training, grants and help to recruit volunteers.
Where students recycle their old clothes, update their wardrobes and help homeless people in the area, as we donate the leftover clothes to Tyneside Cyrenians. This year we will be continuing the good work and developing new student led volunteering opportunities! No previous experience is required, just loads of enthusiasm!
Date For Your Diary Mon 22nd - Sun 28th Feb 2010 National Student Volunteering Week 8«
Full training and recognition is given to all volunteers to ensure you are fully prepared and valued in your role. There will also be a regular e-newsletter, meetings and social events for volunteers. If you’re interested you can pop into the Student Activities Centre to have a look at the current projects or email: su.activities@northumbria.ac.uk or call 0191 243 7736.
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COMMUNITY REPS Community Reps The Community Reps are a brand spanking new team highlighting the Union’s expansion into representation in the community.
Right up your Street! How do you fancy £100 straight into your bank every term for representing the students in your street and around your area?
An Angel in your Community The Advice and Representation Centre would love to hear from you if you are interested in asking for students’ opinions, meeting important people from the area, smoothing friction in the community and feeding this all back to students like yourself.
Bridging the Gap The Community Reps are the eyes, ears and mouth of the Union! They create a channel of communication between what goes on inside and outside of the Union, on and off campus. To volunteer for this role, you would need to display your powers of persuasion in getting students involved, your confidence in working with members of the community and your ability to really sound off about the fantastic things the Union does.
ONE PLANET One Planet is a programme of trips around the UK and social activities to help you make the most of your time at Northumbria University. Run jointly by the Students’ Union and Student Services, it is a great opportunity to meet students from an array of different nationalities, make friends and also discover more about the United Kingdom as you explore towns, cities and historical locations. Some of the places we will be visiting this year include Edinburgh, York and The Lake District; tickets will be available from the Welcome Desk on the ground floor of the Students’ Union. For more information about these exciting opportunities you can download a programme from our website, call into the Student Activities Centre on the first floor of the Students’ Union or email: su.activities@northumbria.ac.uk.
Making Monumental Change As a Community Rep, you’d get free training which will look great on your CV and the chance to meet loads of new people external to the University. Reps receive Union staff support and guidance and they give regular updates on their work to make sure they’re getting the best possible experience from the role.
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RAG RAG stands for Raise And Give and that’s exactly what you do! It’s about raising money from the local community and giving to charity…It’s great fun getting involved and a brilliant opportunity to meet loads of exciting new people and have one of the best weeks of your Uni life! RAG Week runs from Friday 12th until Saturday 20th February; this is a non-stop week of activities, events, balls and… collecting for charity! It gives you the chance to make a real difference to the community through collecting donations for our chosen charities as part of RAG Team. As if all that wasn’t enough we also have year-long RAG with jailbreaks, collection dates and much more running throughout the year! Why not go one step further and get involved with the RAG committee?! This group of students get to plan and decide upon the type of events that take place during RAG Week and to plan exciting activities for the year ahead. Last year our RAG Volunteers collected on the streets, blagged raffle and auction prizes, climbed mountains, wrapped Christmas presents, packed shopping bags, attended national events, organised talent shows, sang Christmas Carols, wore a variety of fancy dress costumes and managed to raise over £40k helping more than 15 charities along the way. Be part of something amazing and get involved! Applications to be part of the RAG Week Team will be available after Christmas but if you can’t wait that long call into the Student Activities Centre, look at the website at: www.mynsu.co.uk/rag or e-mail: su.activities@northumbria.ac.uk to find out how else you can help.
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ELECTIONS If you can imagine a graduate (or undergraduate, for that matter) job where you’re elected by your friends and coursemates that pays nearly £16k/year and gives you the opportunity to run a multimillion pound organisation for a year, then you’ll want to get involved in Elections this year. Students’ Union Elections kick off in March every year and decide the Sabbatical Officers for the Students’ Union for the next year. Absolutely anyone can run in the Elections, and the successful candidates will directly control the future of the Students’ Union. Sabbatical Officers work full-time for the Students’ Union for a year with a set remit and £16k salary, and Lay Student Councillors sit on the Student Council but continue with their studies as usual (voluntary role).
Elections are your chance to be chosen, or your chance to decide who controls a large part of your experiences as a student. From the entertainment available for students through the Students’ Union to how your Course Reps share your views with the University, or what you’d like to see more of in Welcome Week – your elected officers work hard to do the best they can for you and will impact each and every single student through their leadership. You’ll see tireless campaigning, posters, bribes, laughter, tears, and raw emotion. It’s a hectic week and you have every opportunity to get involved in the Students’ Union and get to know some awesome people. Hit it hard!
Date For Your Diary
Mon 15th Feb 2010|12 noon Nominations Open
SABBATICALS These 5 students work hard and play hard in the Students’ Union for 12 months for a pretty respectable salary. They’re elected in March each year to run the organisation and start in July after exams. The Sabbs sit on both Student Council and the Board of Trustees and are responsible for ensuring strong student leadership of the Students’ Union – it’s not a job for the faint-hearted! Any student can stand for any position and every student can vote for their favourite people. Some Sabbs wait until they’ve finished their Uni course and others take a year out in the middle.
As well as being figureheads of the Union, representing the student voice to the University and at a national level, each of the 5 Sabbs have their own area of responsibility: » President » Vice President Academic Affairs » Vice President Welfare and Equality » Vice President Activities and Development » Vice President Communication and Involvement To find out more about each position you can check out the website: mynsu.co.uk or contact the officers currently doing the jobs – they’re super friendly and would love to meet you and have a chat about what they do, how you can help and how to get involved this year.
Fri 5th Mar 2010|12 noon Nominations Close Mon 22nd Mar 2010|7pm Onwards Stage 2 Candidates Question Time Tues 22nd - Thurs 25 Mar 2010|All Day Voting Days Thurs 25th Mar 2010|7pm Onwards Habita The Count 14 «
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SCHOOL, COURSE & PGR REPS Get repped this year! Course Reps
David Caldwell – Course Rep of the Year!
“A LOT OF ENERGY & PASSION”
SO! You’re at University and you want to make changes on your course, right? Things are great, but could be better? Becoming a Course Rep is an awesome way to get to know everyone on your course and make the changes that you and your peers really want to see. Course Reps regularly meet with staff to talk about the course and what the students are after, and, to be honest, it’s a pretty effective way of getting things done. You speak to the people on your course about what they like and what could be improved, and let the school know through meetings, then you tell everyone about all the great work you’ve done. Sound good? We’ll throw in the training you need, too, because we’re good like that. Check out the website for details: mynsu.co.uk/coursereps.
Hi David. Tell us about yourself!
Why should people get involved?
Well, my name’s David Caldwell, I’m a Computer Forensics Student at Northumbria and I’m in the School of Computing, Engineering and Information Sciences (CEIS). I’m also the Course Rep for Computer Forensics in my year. In 2009, I won the National Union of Students (NUS) Course Rep of the Year Award.
Representation is a unique form of volunteering, in that you’re not only helping your peers but you also help yourself in terms of improving your education. It’s also great experience for your CV – there aren’t many volunteering roles that let you to sit on management-level meetings and influence key policies for a multi-million pound organisation. And it pays!
School Reps
I would say that being able to listen without judgement or jumping to conclusions is a good skill as there are going to be a lot of times when you get stuck in the middle. Being able to talk to anyone is a great skill as it makes you accessible to all different kinds of students. You also need a lot of energy and passion for what you do!
You’ve done the Course Rep thing, and now you want something to really get your teeth into. Schools Reps are to Course Reps what Course Reps are to students. Like a pyramid, see? They take the best ideas (full credit to you, obviously) and the biggest problems from Course Reps and try to sort them out through their contacts at the University and the Students’ Union. Because there are around 22 School Reps at any given time they tend to be a pretty tight team, and have regular catch ups every 6 weeks with the Students’ Union to share what they’ve been up to. You really have quite a lot of flexibility in this role, and there aren’t any limits to what you can achieve, and what’s even better is we’ll give you £100/term for your efforts. Check out the website for details: mynsu.co.uk/schoolreps. Postgraduate Research Reps (PGR)
COURSE REP MEETING
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INTERVIEW
Just like School Reps, but they specifically represent the needs of PGR students. Same remit, same idea, and same money! Although you do have to be a PGR student to become a PGR Rep. Check out the website for details: mynsu.co.uk/pgrreps.
What do you think are the most important qualities for a Course/School Rep to have?
If a Course Rep was an animal, what animal would it be and why? I think…an elephant! The reason is that elephants never forget, they are very sociable creatures, they have big ears for listening, and have power and force when they need it, but are generally quite gentle and peaceful. These are all valuable skills for Course Reps.
What were your biggest achievements as a Rep? For me, winning the NUS Award was the highlight of my year. It made what was already a productive and enjoyable year all the more worthwhile. I think I was able to change the culture in CEIS in a positive way, and also empowered Course Reps to take action at a local level. Developing key relationships within the School was important because it means that the door is now open for future issues to be discussed.
Date For Your Diary Wed 21st Oct 2009 St James Park Course Rep Conference
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STUDENT COUNCIL Student Council is where you want to be. Student Council sets the general direction of the SU through policy passed by Student Councillors i.e. which ideas will take priority over the next couple of years. There are 37 positions available at Council and any student can fill them. The positions up for grabs are 5 Sabbatical Officers (President and four Vice Presidents of the SU), the elected School Reps, Caucus Group Chairs, International Students Representatives, Lay Student Councillors and various chairs of important groups. Absolutely any student can propose a motion with the signatures of 50 other students who are behind it i.e. an initiative that they want to see come into the SU. If passed by a majority vote, the motion can become SU policy for the next three years (it has to be carried out). For more information on how you can become one of the members of Student Council contact: su.democracy@northumbria.ac.uk or drop into the Advice and Representations Centre on the first floor of the SU.
CAUCUS GROUPS Caucus groups provide an opportunity for students from similar backgrounds with combined interests to represent their issues to the University, and to make sure that those students’ voices are heard. The main Caucus Groups at the moment are: » Women Students
» Mature Students
» Disabled Students
» Part-Time Students
» Black and Minority Ethnic Students
» Students With Caring Responsibilities
» Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans Students The groups are made up of members of those communities, and each of the groups elects one of their members to sit on Student Council, who represents that voice to the rest of the Students’ Union. They’re a great place to get to know people, and it’s always nice to have a chat with someone who may be having the same experience as you. 18 «
INTERVIEW
Friday Nkumeh – Student Councillor
“ALWAYS KEEN TO GET PEOPLE INVOLVED” Hi Friday! Tell us about yourself! I’m Friday Nkumeh and I’m originally from Nigeria in West Africa. I study Law and have always been interested in the Students’ Union because they make a lot of fantastic changes for students. When I arrived at Northumbria I found the people at the Union to be very friendly, and the Sabbatical Officers are always keen to get people involved. I’m also a Student Councillor as I represent one of the Caucus Groups.
And finally, one piece of advice for anyone looking to get involved in student life? Get involved in the Students’ Union in any way you can. It’s interesting, fun, rewarding, and a fantastic way of meeting people. It also gives you the confidence you’ll need in your future career.
Tell us about your role in the Caucus Groups? My role in the Caucus Groups is to talk about issues that affect International Students and suggest policy based on our discussions. We advocate International Students’ rights and promote equality, and have a voice on the wide range of issues that impact Northumbria students through Student Council. What have you got out of being a Caucus Group rep? There have been a lot of opportunities for me to get involved in a wide range of activities. Personally, I’m glad that I can represent students who have had a similar experience to me, and that I am able to communicate their views to Student Council. I went to the annual NUS Conference as an International Student and it was awesome to meet people from other Universities! Being involved in a Caucus Group and getting involved in these activities also improved my confidence at University.
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CAMPAIGNING, CAMPAIGNS VOLUNTEERS
MEDIA VOLUNTEERS /NU:LIFE
Before the Students’ Union gets its Bat Cave makeover, we’re looking to do some serious caped crusading. Our campaigns are kinda a big deal around here, and we’re going to need some help getting them out there. And like every good superhero story, we’ve got a lot of mystery in this year’s big campaign. In fact, we’re doing our best to make you more mysterious, too, particularly in your assessments, so that you’re marked on your work and not your identity. If you’d like to unleash your inner-activist and stand up for issues that you believe in, and have a bit of spare time, why not come on over and see what we’re getting up to? If you’re not so much into the mystery side of things, we’ve got plenty of other things to keep you busy, and we’re always hatching new ideas. Maybe you’ve got ideas for a campaign we could run? We’re listening.
Got a passion for opinions? Ever get the urge to voice your thoughts in the student magazine? Well here’s your chance to get writing. Volunteering to take part in the student media is a great way to get involved in the media publications which leave the Students’ Union. Whether this is writing one of the many articles available in NU:Life magazine, or helping out in the marketing department, it’s all excellent experience and invaluable for your CV. It’s also a pretty badass way to be spending your spare time.
As a campaigns volunteer you could be going out and talking to students, handing out campaigns resources, and whatever else, but you can really make a difference to a lot of students’ lives. Either way, you’ll love it and get to meet new people.
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BIG news for this year will be the launch of Northumbria Student’s Union NU:TV. This will be videos taken by you, about you, showcasing everything from society events, University sports matches and nights in the SU. You can have the chance to present these and can see your face on the website and on the shiny plasma TV screens across campus and the union. Watch this space! If you want to get involved in any of these contact: su.enquiries@northumbria.ac.uk, or Alison Jones, the Vice President Communications and Involvement at: alison.jones@northumbria.ac.uk
Issue No. 6 September 2009
FREE to a good home
The official voice of Northumbria Students’ Union www.mynsu.co.uk
Meet Your Sabb’s Get Talking With Hot Topics SU News & Reviews
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STUDENT COMMUNITY FORUMS
ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE
Got an opinion? Need a place to vent? There are at least three Student Community Forums every year, and these get called when there are really big issues that the Union needs your opinion on before they go to Student Council. Grab something to eat, get yourself a drink, and come over to discuss what’s next for the Students’ Union. There’s no procedures to learn, and you don’t have to know a lot about the issue being discussed – you just need an opinion either way. Alternatively, if there’s something in particular you want to have discussed but don’t have an outlet for, check out the list of Student Councillors on our website and get them to set up a Student Community Forum. Size doesn’t necessarily matter – if you think it’s affecting students then set it up!
Passionate about the environment? Want to make the world a bit greener? Come hang with the new and highly-anticipated Ethics and Environment Committee. Make some carbon-free footprints over to the Students’ Union and recycle some old debates to make new changes in the University. Saving polar bears has never looked so good on your CV! Sound Impact Sound Environmental Impact is a national initiative which looks at how green a students’ union is. It was started by a former Northumbria student and the Ethics and Environment Committee can help improve the Union to achieve this award. We are at the Silver Standard and need your help to raise the game to Gold. Greener Halls The Greener Halls Campaign is all about making your halls more environmentally friendly. It’s part of a scheme we’ve picked up because we believe in clean living, and so do our students. Every one of the major Halls will need an Environmental Ambassador to play Captain Planet (uniform not included) and these Ambassadors will be directly involved in making changes to your Halls. Pretty good for the CV, and a firm way to make a stance about something you care about.
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NUS CONFERENCE NUS National Conference
NUS comes to Newcastle-Gateshead!
Want the chance to represent Northumbria students at NUS? The opportunity for a few days away courtesy of the National Union of Students to have your say on student issues, elect national representatives, meet students from around the country and push Northumbria’s ideas forward nationally. Any student can put themselves forward to be a delegate and all students have the chance to choose who they want to go to represent them.
After years of trekking to the lovely seaside resort of Blackpool, Northumbria students only have to travel across the waters of the good old Tyne to attend the conference this year as the conference will be held in the Sage, Gateshead - right on the quayside. Delegates to the conference usually have an awesome time – the daytime is mostly taken up by exciting debates and edge-ofyour-seat elections and the evenings are your own to chill with the rest of the Northumbria delegation or to meet new people from the national student sphere for fun and frolics.
“DO YOU WANT TO GET INVOLVED IN YOUR STUDENTS’ UNION?”
Register your interest! NAME TEL / MOB WHAT VOLUNTEERING ROLES WOULD YOU LIKE TO GET INVOLVED IN? (Please tick)
Date For Your Diary Mon 2nd Nov 2009|12 noon Nominations Open Mon 16th Nov 2009|5pm Nominations Close Tues 1st - 3rd Dec 2009 Voting Days
Societies
Caucus Groups
Give it a Go
Campaigning
Welcome Team
Media Volunteers / NU: Life
Community Volunteering (NSCA)
Student Community Forums
Community Reps
Environmental Committee
RAG
NUS Conference
Sabbatical Officers / Elections
SU Ambassadors
School, Course & PGR Reps
ALL OF THEM
We’ll send you updates on your areas of interest from time to time, but if you’re desperate you can always check our website for more details or come in for a chat. We won’t pass on your details to any third parties. 24 «
Please return this form to: The Welcome Desk on the ground floor of the Students’ Union building, which is accessible via the Quad.
WORK FOR THE STUDENTS’ UNION
MEMBERSHIP AMBASSADORS
The Union is a fantastic place to work. We employ over 100 Northumbria students in a range of roles:
Could you be the person that helps build links with students in their Academic Schools? Our latest volunteering role sees the Union recruit 9 willing, charismatic individuals to help spread the word out into the Schools.
» Bars / Catering
What some of our staff say about working here: I
B! THE JO
» Marketing and Promotions
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» Technical Assistants » The Welcome Desk » The Student Activities Centre » The Advice & Representation Centre
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You must be willing to take on a challenge, able to talk to students and be passionate about your Students’ Union. In this role you will earn £100 per term expenses, but the enjoyment and gratification you will get will seriously outweigh the cash! If you are interested in being a Membership Ambassador for this year, email: su.enquiries@northumbria.ac.uk by 25th September and you’ll be contacted straight away. If you’re reading this after that date, no worries – still email us and we’ll contact you when we start recruiting for 2010 / 2011.
» NUS Extra Assistants To find out more about each position, you can check our website: mynsu.co.uk, or why not just pop into the Union and chat to some of our current staff about what it’s like as a workplace.
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If you dream of a job offering good rates of pay, flexibility and lots of fun then look no further. We hold a recruitment drive every May, so look out for the advertising or register your interest for a job in 2010 / 2011 now by emailing: su.enquiries@northumbria.ac.uk
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NORTHUMBRIA PLUS Frankly, this magazine is absolutely oozing with opportunities to ‘Get Involved’ and let’s be honest any opportunity to gain skills and add a bit of mettle to your CV is always welcome.
‘NUS Extra’ student discount card will save you loads of cash during your time at Northumbria and only costs £10! Use it in hundreds of shops and online stores in the UK for massive savings on clothes, entertainment, travel, food plus loads more. You can save yourself up to 30% on top brands such as Odeon Cinemas, JJB Sports, McDonalds, Comet and Pizza Hut, to name just a few. As well as this, for an additional £1 you can incorporate the ISIC (International Student ID) card worth £7, which provides more than 32,000 discounts around the world!'
It’s a tough graduate market out there and if you can show employers that the time you spent at Uni in Societies, RAG, Volunteering, Course Reps etc etc etc wasn’t a distraction but a way of making you more employable then everyone is happy. Northumbria Plus is one way to help you achieve that. Whichever volunteering opportunity you pick from this magazine you will be able to get a nice shiny Northumbria Plus certificate signed by the President and ViceChancellor of the University to bung on your mantelpiece. If you’re interested you will need to keep a log book of your hours and write a short report at the end of the year. Well worth it.
Get your NUS Extra card for only £10! www.nusextra.co.uk
We hand out all of the Northumbria Plus certificates at the end of year Annual Awards Evening, which if you love the Students’ Union is simply THE BEST NIGHT OF THE YEAR… Plus, you’ll also receive an exclusive Northumbria discount booklet with lots of great offers in the Students’ Union and around the City. You can pick up your Card at the Welcome Desk in the Students’ Union.
* Please note that the option to have a dual NUS Extra and ISIC card is only available to those who purchase their card online.
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ANNUAL AWARDS Each year over a thousand Northumbria Students dedicate their time to volunteer for a good cause ranging from projects that benefit the local community, running a society to help enhance your student experience or representing the student body by being a School Rep. We believe these people deserve recognition so to recognise their efforts and say a massive thank you on behalf of the SU we hold the Annual Awards Evening every May. Thursday 14th May 2009 saw the 5th anniversary of the Students’ Union Annual Awards Evening. The event was a massive celebration of all the volunteering that students at Northumbria undertake to improve student life here at University.
There were over 70 nominations across the following range of prestigious awards: » Best New Society (winner – Literary Society) » Society of the Year (winner – Break Dancing) » Raggie of the Year (winner – Nikki Heron) » Welcome Team Member of the Year (winner - Sarah Calvert) » Diversity Champion (winner – Vanessa Green) » Community Volunteer (winner – Bobo Ng) » Communications and Media Volunteer of the Year (winner – Carmel Lawless) » School Rep (winner – Laura Krell) » Course Rep (winner – Jennifer Slane & Liam Thompson) » PGR Rep (winner – Benedict Singleton) » NSU Volunteer of the Year (winner – Richard Brownlie-Marshall) » NSU Lifetime Achievement Award (winner – Zoe Thomas) This year the Awards Ceremony will be held on Thursday 6th May 2010, with nomination forms available after Christmas. Everyone is invited to attend, as well as the prestigious awards there will be a FREE drinks and canapés reception, some fantastic student performances and a chance to celebrate with friends before getting down to exams. For more information please call into the Student Activities Centre or email: su.activities@northumbria.ac.uk
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2 Sandyford Road Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8SB t: 0191 227 4757 f: 0191 227 3760 e: su.enquiries@northumbria.ac.uk w: www.mynsu.co.uk