SUBU
WELCOME
Welcome to the SUBU Impact Report 2023-24!
As my time as President of the Students’ Union comes to an end, it is with both pride and gratitude that I present SUBU’s Impact Report.
When I arrived in Bournemouth in 2021 to pursue a master’s in political psychology, I envisioned a year marked by growth, development and learning. And here I am, three years later, having not only gained a degree, but looking back at a truly transformative personal and professional journey with Bournemouth University and SUBU.
Having served as a Course Representative throughout my undergraduate degree, I was always driven by passion to give voice to and empower those who feel marginalised and less fortunate. As a new international student at BU, many times I felt lonely and homesick, and I knew many others felt the same. What drew me to running for a FullTime Officer was the opportunity to help students after me not feel as isolated as I did.
After a productive and insightful year as a VP Welfare and Community, I was ready for a new challenge, which my role as a President this year provided in abundance.
I am grateful to have worked with an extraordinarily dedicated, friendly and talented officer team and together we navigated challenges and achieved milestones, all while living a shared a mission to create a vibrant and supportive university environment and advocating for the interests of our diverse student community.
My year as a President coincided with unprecedented changes at the highest leadership levels for both the university and the Students’ Union. I served as a member of the stakeholder engagement panel for the appointment of the new Vice Chancellor, appointed an interim CEO for the Students' Union and successfully led on recruiting a permanent Chief Executive. My involvement in the recruitment process gave me the opportunity to be the voice of students in these key decisions. I also contributed to strategic planning, facilitated screening panels and trustee recruitment.
Throughout this report, you will find insights into the challenges we faced, the successes we celebrated, and the lessons we learned along the way.
During my time in office, the most serious issue faced by almost all students has been the cost-of-living crisis; it has limited their experience, students' engagement with their course, extracurricular opportunities, ultimately putting many students in extreme distress. Over the past two years, I worked with stakeholders to support students through these challenges. As a result, SUBU introduced a number of support initiatives, such as the community kitchen, subsidised breakfast, supper clubs and a digital cost of living support hub. As a Full-Time Officer (FTO) team we joined a national campaign to change the maintenance loan structure and I had the opportunity to raise awareness of the cost-of-living struggles experienced by international students at the UK Unipol Joint Codes’ Conference.
Among the initiatives we have undertaken to enhance campus life, promote inclusivity, and empower student voices, I am particularly proud of my work as chair of the university-wide International Students Working Group and the successful International Buddy Scheme that we designed and delivered as an FTO team to tackle loneliness and isolation. The scheme saw an upwards of 400 students engaged over its two years of running, helping those arriving from across the globe find a home and a welcoming community in Bournemouth.
I am honoured by the trust I was granted by students to lead a brilliant charity like SUBU.
From advocating for improved employment opportunities for students through the Placement Report to securing funding to create a vibrant common room in Lansdowne, where students can relax and enjoy their own space, I am proud of my legacy as SUBU’s President.
I extend my heartfelt gratitude to our student body, university stakeholders, and my colleagues at SUBU for their unwavering support and collaboration throughout this journey. Together, we have demonstrated the power of student leadership and the profound impact it can have on shaping our university experience.
What a rewarding time we’ve had! It is my hope that this report not only captures the impact of our work but also inspires future leaders to continue advocating for positive change. With gratitude and optimism for the future,
Chike Dike
Chike Dike
SU PRESIDENT
Helen West
INTERIM CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Introducing our Impact Report
Welcome to SUBU’s 2023-24 Impact Report!
I joined SUBU as interim CEO at the end of February when former CEO, Dr Samantha Leahy-Harland left the Students’ Union at Bournemouth University (SUBU). I stepped into this role during a pivotal moment in SUBU’s journey and I found a superb team of Full-Time Officers, Student Executive Team, staff, and volunteers, all clearly dedicated to making a difference to student life.
This year's report marks a major milestone as SUBU concludes its 2021-2024 Strategic Plan, which was shaped with ambitious goals to realise potential, create community, and empower the voice of students at Bournemouth University. Thanks to the passion and courage of the team, SUBU has had impressive success with this strategy.
With an exponential growth in the number and quality of nominations, this year’s SUBU awards highlighted the impact of SUBU’s opportunities on student potential; the growing popularity of the community kitchen, breakfast and supper clubs and increased turnout at our diverse liberation and community events illustrate the all-inclusive community created; and the record engagement with SUBU’s student voice shows our students are empowered to speak up and their voices are heard.
Finally, the resounding success of SUBU being shortlisted for Best Students’ Union at this year’s WhatUni Student Choice Awards, is a testament to SUBU’s impact on the overall student experience.
These achievements have led to the highest ever proportion of students recognising SUBU’s positive impact on their life as a key driver of positive change across the university and are a testament to the vibrancy, collaborative spirit and commitment to students that define SUBU.
This has been a year of transformation, marked by changes in leadership for both the union and the university in a sector coming to terms with evolving student expectations, financial constraints, and political turbulence. The landscape provides ample challenges and opportunities for the future, and SUBU’s new strategic priorities offer clear solutions shaped by students.
Post-Covid, there is increased insecurity in students’ ability to create meaningful connections and many struggle with loneliness. Friendships and social activities are the single most impactful contributor to a positive student experience, and SUBU’s role in enhancing their sense of belonging, mental health, and career readiness remains essential for students to fit in and thrive at BU.
From a shifting job market in the age of artificial intelligence to the need to find part-time jobs to boost student budgets, there is increased demand for SUBU to provide and connect students to
experiences that develop their independence, employability skills and confidence as they prepare to enter the world of work.
By helping students navigate the complexities of independent living and manage a demanding academic curriculum whilst struggling to make ends meet, SUBU’s compassionate support system will continue to empower student success at university and beyond.
To attract and retain students in a competitive market is a major challenge for universities. SUBU’s enriching social and cultural calendar and welcoming environment will remain a key factor for potential students considering Bournemouth as their study destination.
It has been a real pleasure to support SUBU as we navigate our way through the many challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. I wish SUBU and the University all the best for the next exciting stage with new leadership and new strategies which build upon our successes and drive positive change for the benefit of all our students.
Helen West
Financial Accountability
SUBU IS A REGISTERED CHARITY
Our work is funded by a block grant from the University and the revenue generated through our commercial venues on campus, including the Union shop, Dylan’s Bar, Ground Up Café, and our iconic night club in Bournemouth town centreThe Old Fire Station.
£325,800
21%
SUBU Commercial Services
Where the money comes from
£1,250,000
79% University Grant
Where the money goes
Note: Charity Expenditure is based on 2023/24 budgeted staffing and operating costs, excluding Commercial Services. Commercial income is based on 2023/24 budgeted forecast.
SUBU IMPACT REPORT
REALISING POTENTIAL
Performing Arts Society (PARTS) rehearsals
Photo credit - PARTS
Holly Tyack VICE PRESIDENT STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES
SUBU’s Impact on Realising Potential
As the first in my family to come to university, I was anxious starting my Bournemouth University journey, not knowing what the experience would be like and whether I would fit in and meet the academic demands.
Once here, I was relieved to find something I could get involved in that felt like home, which was dancing.
I joined the Ballroom and Latin Dance Society where I not only found many friends and a supportive community, but also learned valuable skills. From social media, events management and organisation to coaching and leadership skills, the opportunities I got involved in gave me the confidence, which ultimately led me to run for VP Student Opportunities.
I wanted as many students as possible to experience the transformational power of extracurricular involvement and was excited to see the diversity of SUBU’s offer. This year, we had 70 student-run clubs and societies, 27 new societies were formed or kick-started, and there were 135 inspiring volunteering opportunities available.
There was something for everyone!
As society trips were amongst the most memorable and impactful experiences for me as a student, one of the first projects I set out to do was to reduce the cost of trips for student groups. My work with the Student Opportunities team led to a trial with a coach/ minibus transport brokerage provider. So far, students have seen a 30% price reduction in the average cost of transport hire, making trips more cost-effective and encouraging students to travel together. I also purchased equipment for clubs to facilitate their practice.
I have a passion for helping students develop their skills through employability initiatives connected to their academic course, including part-time jobs, placements, real-world work projects and student start-ups. I launched a research study with the President, culminating in our Placement Report, which we presented to university stakeholders to highlight student needs and challenges surrounding placements. This led to an action plan led by BU’s Head of Careers and Employability and sponsored by the Pro Vice-Chancellor of Student Experience to review the placement offer and employability support and encourage employer engagement and student participation by emphasizing the important benefits of placements. I also enjoyed collaborating with CareersBU and external organisations on the Student Owned Business Fair, which offered business masterclasses and a £750 prize to help make a student business idea a reality.
Being where I am today, I feel proud of the challenges I overcame and my personal growth. Public speaking, once a source of anxiety, has become a strength. I worked with our Student Voice team on SUBU’s Student Leaders Conference where I gave a speech about my journey to resilience through this role. It was an inspiring day focused on leadership, resilience and wellbeing, with many opportunities for students to network, develop professional profiles and build skills through interactive workshops, keynote speakers' talks, and fun activities.
Having dedicated my year to improving student engagement and opportunities, reading the 300+ nominations for SUBU Awards this year was a personal highlight and a testament to the value of this work for students.
Taking on this role was both a privilege and a trial. It was a step into a realm of responsibilities that I eagerly embraced, driven by a commitment to enhance the student experience. Little did I know that this would not only lead me to serve our vibrant community, but also shape me in ways I never imagined.
As I move forward, I carry with me the lessons learned, the connections built, and the unwavering commitment to making a positive impact.
Our Ambition Key Targets by July 2024
“WE WILL DELIVER HIGH QUALITY OPPORTUNITIES TO DEVELOP AND EVIDENCE TRANSFERABLE LIFE
SKILLS AND EMPOWER STUDENT
SUCCESS.”
90% of university departments will be represented by an academic society
25% of students will be members of a club and/or society
80% of students will agree that involvement with SUBU supports their development
"It’s great to get out of the house, exercise and make friends in a stress-free fun environment. I can honestly say that being part of it has changed my life for the better and helped me make lifelong friends. Speaking not just from my own experience but many others, it is a welcoming environment and most importantly a safe space for so many of us. It is a place free of judgement, where we can all uplift one another, and learn something amazing."
A member of the Ballroom & Latin Dance Society
Ballroom & Latin Dance Society at the 'Nottingham University Dance Competition' - November 2023
Photo credit - Ballroom & Latin Dance Society
How did we make an impact?
Clubs & Societies
This year, SUBU had almost 70 clubs and societies, creating inspiring and welcoming spaces where almost 2,900 student members shared their passions and interests, developed their skills and prepared for the world of work.
From Bench Ball to Ballroom and Latin Dance, Combat Robotics to Chess, the wide-ranging opportunities represent sports, culture, politics, faith, special interests, arts and performance. We also had 21 academic societies included in our offering.
Exploring their interests, students came together to take part in activities, competitions and projects, as well as to fundraise, meet like-minded people, and form long-lasting and meaningful networks to support them throughout their lives and careers.
Volunteering
From national charities to local not-forprofit community groups, SUBU’s online Volunteering Hub sourced and advertised over 135 diverse volunteering opportunities for BU students over this year.
Opportunities have ranged from media support for a local disability charity to volunteering in Dorset’s criminal law courts.
Over 380 students have applied for these opportunities over the year, seeking to make a difference to the community and boost their employability.
70 clubs & societies
27 new clubs & societies 2023-24
90% university departments represented by an active academic society
1,547 students registered on SUBU’s
Volunteering Hub
2,900 student members of clubs & societies
300+ nominations received for SUBU awards across 14 categories
380 students registered for volunteering this year
2,899 volunteering hours logged by students
Student members in clubs and societies
What is our progress towards targets?
With an excellent clubs and societies offer and engagement with academic societies, SUBU’s work towards its strategic targets to realise student potential is wide and varied. These opportunities help students develop transferable skills and enrich their student experience and graduate outcomes.
With staffing changes this year, SUBU's clubs and societies has a new strong and driven team in place with fresh ideas to facilitate participation.
• Engagement with clubs and societies has varied historically; with a drastic decline in activity due to the pandemic restrictions was followed by a renewed student engagement in 2022. Further restructure, which moved some sport clubs to SportBU explains the decline in 2023.
• Cost-of-living challenges and trends of waning student campus attendance have led to a small decline in clubs and societies' members this year.
• There were 2,900 individual members and 4480 memberships across SUBU's 70 clubs and societies this year, which represents one in every 5 SUBU members.
• The focus for next year is to improve the processes and training materials, highlight the employability benefits and create a new Adopt a Society programme.
Higher student engagement with academic societies directly contributes to student satisfaction scores and institutional performance across league tables.
There was a sustained performance across academic societies over the year.
Departments with academic societies
• After a dip in previous years, the 21 active academic societies this year represented the targeted 90% of BU's academic departments.
• The academic departments represented significantly increased by circa 30% last year, reaching its highest level in recent years, and this has been sustained.
• The focus for the year ahead is to work with academic stakeholders to develop a strong academic patron programme and ensure all courses across the University have a viable academic society option linked to their curriculum.
90%
Achieved in 2023-24
87% of students say SUBU is supporting their personal development* of students say SUBU is helping them make friends and create networks for the future
BU Surf Club at Fuerteventura
Photo credit - Cam Addison
Bournemouth Surf Club - December 2023
Photo credit - Bournemouth Surf Club
A Student Story
Luisa Yravedra
SHE/HER
Final year Product Design student
BOURNEMOUTH SURF CLUB
President
SUBU Student Designer
INTERESTS:
Surfing, Design
SUBU's Surf Club Superstar
Luisa grew up a very active, creative and "noisy" child in Madrid, and went through some soul searching after finishing school.
"I finished school, and I was a bit lost. I started a general design course at a university in Madrid. But the course was very stiff, I really struggled with it and only lasted three months. I was looking for an adventure and was thinking, 'I want to go,' and then I applied to come to study in the UK. My first choice was Bournemouth Uni - mainly it was the beach and the surf was calling. I actually saw the Bournemouth Surf Club and then decided to come to BU."
Luisa moved to Bournemouth during Covid lockdown, which made her adaptation to Uni life as an international student challenging.
"I came to England and that was shocking. I came in September 2020, amid the Covid pandemic. There was all this paperwork and restrictions to getting into the country and then once here, I had to spend two weeks in isolation in halls. It was intense. I remember calling my mum crying, asking, 'What am I doing? Why am I here?'. It was hard, almost took the whole first year to adapt. But with the few people that I managed to connect with, we became very close."
With a passion for creating a community, Luisa got involved in SUBU’s clubs and societies early on, joining the Spanish Society and, of course, the Surf Club. Surfing was Luisa’s passion as a child and naturally become a key part of her university experience.
She signed up to the Bournemouth Surf Club on day two of her isolation. At the end of the year, she applied to be on the committee and became the Club Secretary, working on social media, graphics, posters, emails and admin for two years. And this year, she became the club’s President.
Luisa describes herself as a “SUBU child”. She enjoys getting the community together and is fascinated by the power of surf to create a powerful connection between people from different backgrounds. Luisa wanted to give as many students as possible that feeling of home and family at the Surf Club, which has been key to her university experience. She worked hard to offer club members new and exciting experiences, from
short to long surf trips, camping, takeovers and adventures home and abroad and Luisa’s success as President this year was recognised at this year’s SUBU Awards winning both Club of the Year and 5 Star Club of the Year.
“I'm here for the community. We currently have about 260 members and I feel we have taken the club to a whole new level. You can't be cliquey about it, we're all friends -beginner or pro. Many people come struggling with their mental health and feeling on the brink of dropping out and this impact the Surf Club is making on their lives is so special, making it all worthwhile.”
Luisa’s experience is a great example of what SUBU’s clubs and societies offer students. A place to de-stress, belong, follow their passions, grow as leaders and make new friends! While creating a community, Luisa also learned many new skills and gained job opportunities.
“I have enjoyed learning more about community engagement and empowering our members to bring their skills to enrich the community. It has been rewarding seeing them grow with the Surf Club. Personally, I have learned so much about trips, events and social media and also gained many opportunities to do paid work– from being a student graphic designer for SUBU to delivering promotion contracts. I would like to pursue a future career of impact, where I feel my work is as rewarding as my time as the President of Surf Club.
“I have gained a 100% more than a degree. I have gained lots of experience, done things that I didn’t even think were possible; lots of friends, lots of memories.“
A Student Story
Pip Hemingway
SHE/HER
Final year BA (Hons) Television Production student
NERVE RADIO
Station Co-Manager
INTERESTS:
Media, Art, Music, Radio
Creating Radio Magic
Growing up, Pip was always a bubbly, excited, passionate, and empathetic person and had many creative interests including Art and English.
“I've always had a lot of passions and got involved with many different things. I loved music at school; I played the cello for five years, I had this bright purple, sparkly cello! I also did singing lessons, and although I don’t sing as often now, I do enjoy a karaoke!
“I did a Media Production course in college, and I absolutely loved it. Then, when the time came to choose a university, my media teacher recommended TV Production at Bournemouth University.”
Once she arrived in Bournemouth, Pip became part of the Film Society and was instantly drawn to Nerve Radio, SUBU’s student-led radio station. Pip became heavily involved with the station during her first year, and Nerve became such a substantial part of her student life that she was elected as Nerve Radio’s Station Co-Manager for 2023/24.
“I didn't know that Nerve existed before I came, but I found them at Freshers' Fair and I thought, “I’m absolutely doing this!”... and then it suddenly became my entire life.”
An outlet to gain industry experience, Nerve Radio is a volunteering opportunity. Like most students Pip has felt the pinch of the increases in the cost of living, so she took on a variety of paid roles at BU and SUBU to help make ends meet.
As well as volunteering with Nerve, Pip worked as a Student Ambassador with BU. She has also worked at The Old Fire Station, and helped the SUBU Communications Team to create social media content focusing on student life.
Overall, Pip has had a rewarding time at university, making the most of her course and her interests at SUBU. She has contributed to Nerve Radio’s many successes, helping to make it a widely accessible and welcoming space for students to gain experience, find a community and follow their creative pursuits.
“I view myself as really lucky. I have found university amazing. I have found a real community here in SUBU and I've managed to do so much!
“One of my driving factors was that it was not as easy to find Nerve Radio online, so we've done a lot on social media to make sure people looking for us can find us or even those that aren't looking can stumble across us.”
As Pip wraps up her extraordinary time at BU, she is reflecting on the team’s many successes with Nerve Radio.
Presently, the station offers 65 weekly shows with student aimed content and launched a new podcast feature with six new podcasts, an extra breakfast show, and a weekly SUBU Hour show featuring notable themes and opportunities from the students’ calendar. Nerve Radio has also expanded its support for local artists and been contacted by over 30 bands and musicians in the area asking to appear on the new “Nerve Introducing” feature.
“This year, we won the SUBU Award for Best Nerve Outlet which was incredible to see our hard work had been recognised.
“Another highlight was when me and some of the committee went up to Leeds, to the Student Radio Convention award ceremony, and we came home with FIVE awards, including ‘Most Improved Radio Station’ and ‘Best Culture’, which just means that over the last year we've created a really friendly and welcoming community of people and we all felt, “They heard us! They finally saw us!”
Thanks to her involvement with Nerve Radio, Pip is planning to continue her student radio journey next year after her Graduation, as she has been selected as the South regional officer for the Student Radio Association.
“I have always loved radio, but I thought of it as a step towards my dream of working in television. Leaving Uni now I want to pursue radio as my ultimate career. I am completely fascinated with it.”
SUBU IMPACT REPORT
CREATING COMMUNITY
Buddy Scheme
Fatima Farha VICE PRESIDENT WELFARE & COMMUNITY
SUBU’s Impact on Community and Belonging at BU
My first term as VP Welfare and Community has been a learning curve. The impact the Students’ Union has had on my journey as an international student, and the opportunity to give back to students finding their feet at BU, has been both empowering and fun.
I started my journey at SUBU as the Asian, Arab and Ethnic Minority Part-Time Officer while studying for my master’s in journalism. I organised a sold-out Diwali event at The Old Fire Station where students from all nationalities and backgrounds came to celebrate the festival of light and it was a special night of colour and joy, celebrating Bournemouth University’s cultural diversity. Following that event, many students expressed their desire for more similar opportunities to help them express themselves and connect with the wider community.
As VP Welfare and Community, during a time of intensified divides and suffering across the world, I stepped up my efforts to create a safe space and community for students to grow, connect and celebrate all things that make them different, special and unique.
As I relentlessly pursued goals for the students, I became more resilient and proactive myself.
This has contributed to SUBU’s efforts in empowering marginalised communities. This year, our Liberation officers and the SUBU team have led 46 events and initiatives supporting diverse student communities leading to increased engagement and a more inclusive campus. A highlight for me was this year’s One World Day, which was a vibrant festival bringing over 150 students of all different cultures to celebrate who they are and where they come from. It was profoundly joyful to see the excitement as people shared special moments of dancing, music, and culture!
Through my engagements with the students and listening to their stories, mental health came up again and again. These stories of loneliness and personal struggles, which I could relate to from personal experience, led to the launch of a mental health study including focus groups and Speak Week research with over 900 students. With 81% of students reporting mental health difficulties while at university (Cibyl 2022), the state of the student wellbeing is worrying and can have devastating consequences to both individuals and institutions, ranging from poor
attendance and academic performance to dropping out, self-harm and suicide. The findings from the study shed light on these challenges, which I brought to the university leadership, and these have informed a set of actions to improve mental health support for our students.
To help with the cost-of-living and renting/ accommodation challenges, and to combat period poverty, I also provided extra support during exam season with 250 breakfast and food packs, worked on the ‘Rate Our Landlord’ charity project and successfully lobbied for free sustainable period products across campuses.
Finding creative ways to support students has been a crucial part of my role and it has allowed me to grow into a leader.
I am delighted to be re-elected for a second term and excited to use the experiences I had and the lessons I learned to guide me in my next year as VP Welfare and Community.
Our Ambition
“WE WILL DELIVER HOLISTIC SUPPORT ACROSS AREAS OF STUDENT LIFE AND STUDIES, OFFERING OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE FRIENDS, CREATE LIFELONG NETWORKS AND HAVE FUN.”
Key Targets by July 2024
1,800 student issues dealt with by SUBU Advice
1,200
students engaging with liberation and community initiatives
75% of students agree SUBU is inclusive and relevant to all students
Diwali Celebrations at The Old Fire Station - November 2023
Photo credit - Nerve Photography
How did we make an impact?
Student Communities
SUBU's liberation and community work encourages students to self-define and helps them find a supportive network with people from their communities at BU, be that to do with their race, gender, sexual orientation, or another unique lived experience. They also allow people with similar backgrounds and circumstances – from students that have travelled across the globe to study at BU to those that are going through university alongside caring or parental responsibilities – to find others who understand their unique position.
By driving a strong allyship offer, and supporting 6 Liberation Officers, and celebrating their respective history months and awareness weeks, SUBU created a diverse and vibrant campus for, and with, students from marginalised groups ensuring they feel heard and included.
SUBU offered 46 community events over the course of this year, attracting over 1,300 students in a variety of creative activities, ranging from movie nights, speed friending and VR experiences to international food, wine and cheese mixers, karaoke and cultural festivals for many student groups.
Highlights include nearly 100 students creating meaningful connections at our Mature Mixer and Equali-tea Party and 150 students engaging with the diversity at Bournemouth University during One World Day.
The SUBU Community Warden Scheme, run by SUBU and supported by the BCP Council, also helped both students living in private accommodation and permanent residents to enhance integration within the local community. Over the year, the student wardens worked over 1,552 hours, patrolling the main local student residential areas and supporting with a host of issues – from dealing with landlords and estate agents, to bins, parking, noise complaints and burglaries.
In April, over 200 students from the LGBTQ+ community and their allies celebrated Student Pride. It saw 15 stalls run by charities, businesses and students, many student performances from dance to poetry readings and 3 professional performers showcasing their Drag King and Drag Queen skills. This year also saw the return of the unmissable Pride Parade around campus.
Student Pride - April 2024
Photo credit - Nerve Photography
Commercial Venues
Bournemouth University has a series of spaces run by SUBU that provide exciting social places and great value products for students to make the most of life at BU.
Dylan’s Kitchen & Bar, The Old Fire Station, SUBU Student Shop, Ground Up Café and The Summer Ball are all woven in the fabric of many students' lives. The profit generated is reinvested in the wide range of support, events, campaigns and opportunities on offer at SUBU.
We employed 200+ students to run our commercial outlets throughout the year and an estimated 3 out of every 4 BU students visited and benefited from our food, drink, events, student supplies, clothing, and partnerships.
The Old Fire Station maintains its leading position in student social life with a run of world class DJs, parties and live concerts that attract thousands of students each week. During the year, they successfully trialled the introduction of a Wednesday night party that will provide benefits back to sports clubs to aid their development.
Dylan's Kitchen & Bar successfully introduced the concept of a ‘Friday Night Takeover’ for student groups – where the whole evening is tailored to a specific groups’ wishes, perfect for international student groups. The menu has seen the introduction of price busting 'build your own' tasty meals under £5.
The Summer Ball has become a rite of passage for many students at BU and marks the end of a year of study and hard work for students with a party attended by nearly 4000 students.
SUBU intends to keep the successful arrivals strategy based on its’ inclusive free wristband for ‘Freshers' Fortnight’.
The award-winning street party concept, which closed Holdenhurst Road for traffic on the Sunday of student arrivals weekend, will return after a great trial run in 2023 that saw around 2000 students meet up, play street basketball, and start to form friendships.
SUBU Advice
SUBU’s aim to build community and belonging is delivered through robust support for students on the issues that affect them the most.
SUBU Advice is accredited by AQS (Advice Quality Standard) and provides independent, non-judgemental, and confidential advice while giving holistic support across areas of student life.
So far this year*, the team supported over 1,620 students and solved circa 1,790 cases, advising on a range of matters from academic issues, such as extensions and appeals, to housing problems, including contracts and deposit disputes.
SUBU Advice have continued to expand the SUBU Community Kitchen and have partnered up with Campus Living Villages to offer supply packs for students who are struggling to afford food and essentials.
SUBU Advice helped students in urgent need receive over £2,500 in small emergency grants, while hundreds of students were offered free food through our Community Kitchen.
The Team also enhanced the SUBU Advice dashboards, providing key insights into the emerging issues students are facing and worked across University teams to identify key trends and focus on prevention in partnership.
*Data as of May 2024
Freshers' Fair - September 2023
1,300+ students attended 46+ liberation and community events
8,000+ students attended SUBU’s Freshers' Fair
3,700 students attended SUBU's Summer Ball
1,800 student cases resolved by SUBU Advice (data May 2023), marking a 48% increase since 2022
£10,000+ students’ money saved through SUBU’s advice service
2660+ students selfdefined as part of a marginalised community 200+ students employed by SUBU’s commercial services to run our venues
What is our progress towards targets?
A holistic support offer for students and a diverse community events programme are key contributors to a sense of community and belonging. Much of this work at SUBU is delivered through our accredited SUBU Advice Service and our all-inclusive Liberation Networks and Communities.
Delivered by a dedicated qualified team, SUBU’s Advice Service demonstrated excellence in their collaborative efforts and consistent quality over the year.
• After a pandemic dip, we have seen a continued and significant increase in the number of cases handled and issues resolved by the SUBU Advice Team in the past two years.
• This year alone, the team offered impartial services to almost 1,800 students (as of May) meaning the service has already reached its target for the year.
• The number of students reaching out for advice over the year was the highest on record, marking a 14% increase on the year and 46% increase since 2022.
• The service is central to SUBU's delivery of its new strategic priority to empower through compassionate support over the cost-of-living crisis and the increasingly complex health and wellbeing issues students face.
1,796 Achieved in 2023-24
The progress towards raising awareness and engaging students with liberation and community events also saw a significant uplift over the past years.
• SUBU's 46 liberation and community events attracted over 1,300 students, exceeding the targets for the year.
1,300
Achieved in 2023-24
• This year's emphasis on high-impact events increased student engagement by 8% on the year and a marked 78% 2-year increase.
• The liberation and community initiatives are an essential part of SUBU's work on embracing diversity and advocating on behalf of marginalised student groups helping them to thrive and feel welcomed at BU.
75% 87% 80% of students say SUBU’s involvement opportunities are of interest to them of students say SUBU supports their sense of belonging and student community of students say SUBU is inclusive to them personally
Source: "How’s SUBU 4 You?" survey data.
A Student Story
Zainab Abdul-Obitayo
THEY/THEM
Final year BSc (Hons) Psychology student
PART-TIME OFFICER
Disabilities, Accessibility & Neuro-Diverse Officer
INTERESTS:
Reading, Psychology, Volunteering
Activism to support and empower those in need
As a child, growing up in London, Zainab was fascinated by the world of books. They loved reading stories, both fiction and non-fiction, building up a collection of over 700 books. They excelled academically and ended up coming to university at just 17 years of age, choosing to study psychology at Bournemouth University.
“I really love people. People are really interesting, and psychology is such a fun topic. I picked Bournemouth because while it’s the same course everywhere the optional modules that Bournemouth University offers are fascinating.”
Starting university at 17 was not easy for Zainab as they felt they were not able to access the same experience as many of the other students on their course.
“I joined climbing, but I couldn't be a full member of the club as the insurance didn't cover me being too young. Bournemouth’s culture has changed a lot now, but back then it was still a very heavy drinking culture. There was just stuff I couldn't get involved in, whether society based or even friends based. So, I just didn't really get involved. It was just kind of lonely for a bit.”
As Zainab settled in, they got more involved with SUBU, standing to be a Student Rep. After getting elected, Zainab also felt encouraged to get back into volunteering – something they enjoyed back at school. They volunteered for The Story Works, a charity run by Bournemouth University academics to help local children develop creativity through storytelling.
Zainab also was part of a group of students who came up with the idea of creating SUBU’s Threads Society, and became the society’s President.
“My first elected position in a society was with Threads because I really loved crafting. Me and two friends, Charlie and Kenny, approached SUBU and asked, ‘How do we start society?’ Because the arts crafting spaces in Bournemouth are always behind a price wall, we wanted a free society where people could craft. It was astonishing! We had about 100 members in the first three months. We also won Best Up and Coming society of the year at the SUBU Awards. I am very proud of Threads.”
This year, Zainab was also elected as SUBU’s Disabilities, Accessibility and Neuro-Diverse Part-Time Officer.
Having faced many health challenges and lack of understanding of disability, they wanted to ensure this didn’t happen to other students and that there was more disability awareness across the university.
“In my second year I was in hospital basically for all of March. I just kept being bounced back and forth and just being admitted and then sent home and told to come back in for tests. My essay extension request was denied, partly because of the way the system works. So, in the end all my work got capped as it was not submitted on time. I felt misunderstood and isolated, and I knew there were other people out there that feel the same. There were also other issues I had, just with general accessibility and accommodations, like in lectures. And I thought, ‘let me try to change that!’ So that's why I applied for the role.”
As they become a strong voice for students with disabilities at the university, Zainab developed advocacy skills and grew in confidence and focus, which they are keen to continue developing as a future career.
“I'm a lot more focused. When I first started Uni, I just wanted to help people and thought, ‘Psychology would be good for that. I can find a job helping people.’ But now, not necessarily that I found my niche per se, but I do love working on disabilities. It's one of my favourite things. I could talk about disability access and rights for hours. There are cool things in that field that I want to get involved in and make a real difference to people’s lives. I think my experience with SUBU and BU will help me create a rewarding future career of community outreach for people with disabilities.”
A Student Story
Daniel Jidkov HE/HIM
Final year BA (Hons) Television Production student THE
NERVE
INTERESTS:
Media Production, Languages, Climbing
Behind the scenes making magic happen at SUBU
Dan is someone who enjoys challenging himself, trying new things and gaining new experiences. Growing up, he was very active, doing gymnastics and climbing.
When it came to deciding where to go to University, Dan was deciding against the backdrop of the Covid pandemic.
“I could see myself going into the media industry and my Media Production teacher asked if I had considered Bournemouth University.
I saw that the university is highly rated in the industry, and I found out many alumni have gone on to do really cool things.”
When Dan arrived at Bournemouth, he discovered SUBU at the Freshers' Fair. He was eager to get involved as much as possible and joined a variety of societies. Just that day, Dan signed up to the First Aid Society, Climbing Society, PARTS (Performing Arts Society) and Nerve Media just to name a few.
“I was blown away with all the stuff that was happening at the Freshers’ Fair. I thought, ‘Oh, I want to try it all!’ There were so many free activities, sports, clubs and societies and I was so excited, I joined loads.”
Coming to Bournemouth with the intention of experiencing university life to the full, Dan also made the most of his Freshers' wristband, attending live music gigs and club nights at The Old Fire Station (TOFS). It was a completely new experience for Dan, and being curious, he was eager to learn more about these events and how all the lighting and sound equipment worked. When he found out there were part-time jobs at The Old Fire Station, he jumped at the opportunity.
“I was having a great time at The Old Fire Station. I had never really been out to a club before, and while I was having fun, being a nerd at heart I was looking around and thinking, ‘How does it all work?’ I love learning new stuff and when I saw they were hiring at The Old Fire Station. I thought, ‘Oh, I really want to do this. ‘I applied, went through the interview process and got the role of Technical Support staff, to help the tech team set up for club nights and concerts.”
After seven months working at TOFS, where Dan showed a lot of enthusiasm, skill, and readiness to
learn, he was promoted to Production Manager, a role he has grown to thrive in. His work has given him the opportunity to learn the whole technical setup and support a range of live events, giving him valuable hands-on industry experience and skills.
“As a Production Manager I am responsible for the smooth running of events and the flawless execution of all the audio-visual equipment and other technical aspects during the event. I also must solve problems as they arise on the go and troubleshoot technical solutions. Whatever comes my way, I’ll do it, you know, throw me in.”
In addition to his work at TOFS, Dan has also played a lead role in Nerve Radio, working as Technical Manager of the station since his second year. In recognition of his contributions over the years, Dan has been nominated as a SUBU Student Staff Member of the year at this year’s SUBU Awards, and was recognised nationally at the Student Radio Association Awards, winning Gold for the Hero of the Moment.
“SUBU has been integral for me. I wouldn’t have made the connections that I have today both from live events and the radio.
“The skills I've picked up along the way are invaluable. Not just hard skills, like how to use equipment, but also soft skills – organisational and multitasking, leadership, and team management, but also how to talk to people, network, communicate, work with difficult people, fix problems quickly and how to be creative.
“Without Nerve Radio and The Old Fire Station, which is at least 75% of my university life, I would not be where I am right now.”
SUBU IMPACT REPORT
EMPOWERING VOICE
Nerve Media Day, during the FTO Elections campaign - March 2024
Photo credit - Nerve Photography
Norah Valerie Deka VICE PRESIDENT EDUCATION
SUBU’s work on empowering student voice for positive impact
My two years as Vice-President Education at SUBU have been a career highlight for me.
I came to Bournemouth as an undergraduate student to study Psychology at a time when the Covid pandemic still significantly affected my experience and limited the extracurricular opportunities I could get involved in. My role as VP Education thus became essential to my growth as a person, helping me to develop my skills, and evolve in my professional interests and expertise.
I am proud to see the increased engagement with our Student Reps and feedback mechanisms and for SUBU achieving the highest ever proportion of students who feel that SUBU has a positive impact on student life (85%) and drives positive change across the university (81%). With growing student confidence that their feedback is listened to, many student voice initiatives saw their strongest level of engagement and SimOn submissions peaked with high rates of individual student contributions.
This year, still driven by passion to make a difference in BU’s education practice, I continued to lobby for accessibility of educational materials, as this has remained a key area of concern, as are timetables, exam changes and adjustments, and quality of teaching, assessment and feedback and I hope my advocacy on their behalf has helped students excel.
The role of Vice-President Education has been an unparalleled learning experience and with my contributions towards BU’s Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) submission and the development of a new Access and Participation Plan, I gained a unique insight into the inner workings of our institution and policy development.
I strongly believe in education as a social process where connection with others, and shared experiences are fundamental enablers of learning. The recent trends of declining attendance across our campuses, however, have detrimental effects on students’ educational experience and outcomes.
To help tackle these challenges, I have worked closely with the university’s Pro Vice-Chancellor of Student Experience to provide a student perspective across a number of positive initiatives, such as a new Student Engagement Policy and attendance monitoring procedure, a student support intervention trial and an important move to abolishing interruptions in the annual academic calendar.
While these developments provide important external frameworks, experiential peer supported learning is
unparalleled when it comes to developing curiosity and intrinsic motivation for learning. Academic societies play a critical role in this and I have been working with the Student Opportunities team at SUBU and the Associate Deans of Student Experience across Faculties to reinvigorate our academic societies programme with increased focus on the role of academic patrons.
On a personal level, this role has been a journey of self-discovery and growth. It has pushed me to step out of my comfort zone. I have worked with other sabbatical officers and students across the country to develop a 2-day conference, building a network of individuals from marginalised backgrounds. I learned to think on my feet and connected with the student community, which reinforced the importance of inclusivity and the need to ensure that every voice is heard and valued.
My tenure as Vice-President Education has shaped me into a more confident, empathetic, and capable individual, and I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to serve in this capacity.
Our Ambition
“BY BEING FULLY INFORMED AND STUDENT-LED, SUBU WILL ENSURE THE STUDENT VOICE IS HEARD AND TOGETHER WE MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT - LOCALLY, NATIONALLY AND GLOBALLY.”
Key Targets by July 2024
650 student Reps elected, 90% of BU courses to be represented by Reps
10,000 comments sent by students via SimOn student feedback tool
90% students agree SUBU has positive impact on student life
Full-Time Officer Elections - March 2024
Photo credit - Nerve Photography
How did we make an impact?
Elections
SUBU’s democratic processes ensure we offer students the opportunity to elect their student leaders and make their voices heard across the university. From Part-Time Liberation Officers to Faculty Reps and Full-Time Officers, students lead the Union and ensure the university-wide student experience is the best it can be.
Fair and exciting election campaigns are a key priority for SUBU and this year’s Full-Time Officers elections saw 37 impressive candidates, and 2,450 students (16.3% of SUBU’s members) casting a remarkable 10,906 votes across all positions.
The Your Ideas platform has had an impressive 1,238 engagements which saw 9 new policies voted on and passed including improving students right to freedom of expression, increasing the provision of gender-neutral bathrooms and ensuring timetables are released at least 10 days in advance.
With General Elections taking place this year, SUBU also encouraged students to vote by bringing to campus a debate between local MPs and parliamentary candidates, answering questions on matters most relevant to our students and covered by politics and journalism students.
Results Day - March 2024
Elections
Photo credit - Nerve Photography
Student Reps
Student Representatives (Reps) are volunteers elected by students to represent and champion the student voice on their course and offer a deep peerto-peer insight into the student experience.
This year, SUBU worked with colleagues across Faculties to elect and train 663 Student Reps, representing over 200 programmes at BU and offered an exciting social and developmental programme over to help build the Student Rep community. This included a variety of trips and socials for students to discover the surrounding areas of Dorset and make new friends, as well as the Student Leader Conference – a day of inspiring keynotes, workshops and activities.
Student Reps provided over 17,700 comments through SUBU’s online feedback tool SimOn. The main areas of concern raised over the year included: instances of poor course content, unengaging delivery, unclear assignment briefs, assessment criteria and feedback, and timetables that don't work for students. SUBU and elected Officers worked with Reps, Programme and Faculty staff to help resolve these student issues and implement best practice. This work resulted in restructuring courses, as well as workload and timetable changes.
Student Feedback
In addition to the ongoing student feedback received from SimOn over the year, SUBU runs a number of student voice campaigns to inform our delivery and drive projects in response to student needs.
Speak Week runs twice a year and seeks feedback on topics that are current and important to students and strategically important to SUBU to explore. How's SUBU for You? is our annual survey to evaluate SUBU's relevance to students, inform our strategy, and assess how well we are delivering our representation, support, range of services and involvement opportunities to students.
This year, Speak Week saw its highest response rates in recent years. These initiatives were especially important for both the union and the university to understand the trends in attendance, the ways in which the cost-of-living crisis is affecting students and their overall campus experience.
This year's Speak Week engagement was also instrumental in designing SUBU's new strategic priorities as students shared their worries about their working futures, making friends and connections at university and continued struggles with mental health and the cost of living.
10,906 votes were cast by 2,450 students in Full-Time Officers elections
1,657 students participated in Speak Week
17,720 student comments submitted through SimOn 200 programmes represented by student Reps
88% of courses with 20+ students were represented by Student Reps
663 student Reps were recruited and trained
What is our progress towards targets?
SUBU’s strategic aim to strengthen student voice and create positive impact at BU is delivered through Student Rep elections across BU programmes, engaging students in election campaigns, and encouraging diverse voices across a range of feedback mechanisms (SimOn, Speak Week, How’s SUBU for You?).
The Student Voice Team this year grew in confidence and delivered with enthusiasm, passion for empowering students, and demonstrable ambition.
• After a historic 65% pandemic decline in 2020-21, the number of Reps elected to represent courses more than doubled in 2021-22 and continued to grow, reaching 660 Reps this year.
• This year reps came from over 200 different programmes and represented 88% of BU courses with 20 or more students which is a record and means we have met our course representation target.
• For the coming year, the team will focus on the employability and community benefits of the rep role, continue work on widening representation and work closely with BU to ensure student issues loops are closed and communicated in a timely manner.
Student feedback received through our SimOn tool has seen a record growth over the year.
Number of student comments on SimOn
• SimOn feedback tool engagement has been on an exponentially growing trajectory over the past few years but this year it broke all records!
17,720 Achieved in 2023-24
• Far exceeding both the target and pre-Covid levels, 17.200 feedback comments were submitted through SimOn and we continue our work with the Vice-Chancellor's office at BU to make the most of the student feedback.
• This remarkable achievement marks 108% increase on the year and 260% increase from the pandemic dip in 2020.
85% 81% 74% of students agree SUBU has a positive impact on student life of students agree SUBU influences positive change in BU of students positively rated their Course Rep
Source: "How’s SUBU 4 You?" survey data.
A Student Story
Destinee Cushnie-Mason
SHE/HER
MSc Nutrition and Behaviour student
Elected Student Rep
SUBU's International Buddy Scheme Admin Assistant
INTERESTS: Travelling, Nutrition, Volunteering
An empathetic voice speaking up for students
Growing up in South London, Destinee had her fair share of personal hardships as a child. After experiences of ill health affecting her direct family, she chose to study Pharmacology at Nottingham Trent University as an undergraduate before coming to Bournemouth to pursue a master's degree.
Despite being someone who is more introverted, Destinee places an emphasis on the importance on helping others.
“I think I’m the biggest introvert that most people ever meet. Being introverted can be a strength. So, I think I’m quite a good listener and I think I’m quite empathetic. I pick up on things, so people naturally feel comfortable to talk through their problems with me. So I think that lends to a career where I’m in a clinic and I can support and comfort people through their issues.”
After graduating, Destinee landed a professional role connected to her field of study, but found the Pharma sector didn't offer the rewarding opportunities to prevent illness and improve people's quality of life she was after. So Destinee left her job and spent a year in self-discovery, volunteering and travelling, before enrolling to do a master’s in nutrition and behaviour at Bournemouth University. The course in particular was something that attracted her to the university.
Destinee first got involved in SUBU when she was elected as a Student Rep for her course. She found out about the role in the first few weeks of term, and while it wasn’t the sort of opportunity that she would usually go for, she wanted to say 'yes' to a new challenge, so put herself forward and got elected. In the role Destinee was able to get to know her course mates better and with the diversity of students on her course, she learnt to deal with different people.
“I'm there for people if they have any questions or any problems. It allows me to get to know more people on my course. Because our course is very diverse as well, and everyone comes from very different backgrounds, in terms of careers and also internationally, being sort of a consensus voice and representing everyone was important to me. I just went round and had little chats
with people, maybe when we're waiting for lectures or during lunch, just to ask how they're getting on, if they're ok, if they have any problems or any feedback for the course that could be worked on.”
While supporting all those on her course, Destinee was also keen to support individual students if they needed extra help.
“So there’s one lady on my course, I tutor her now, I've been tutoring her since January. Every week we meet. She wasn't having a good time and she's very busy. She works maybe 90 hours a week or something crazy and she didn't feel very integrated into the course or feel like she had people around her. Now she's doing so well.”
Alongside her duties as a Rep, Destinee has been supporting SUBU by working part-time as our International Buddy Scheme Admin Assistant, a scheme which is vital for supporting our international community.
Destinee’s hard work in SUBU was recognised in this year’s SUBU Awards. She was nominated for Student Staff Member of the Year for her work on the Buddy Scheme and won Health and Social Science Student Rep of the Year for her work representing the voices of students on her course.
Destinee also won two awards at the Health & Social Sciences Faculty awards for her contribution to student experience; The MSc Nutrition and Behaviour Awards for outstanding academic achievements, and the SUBU Award for outstanding contribution to the Students' Union.
STUDENT COMMUNICATIONS
The Communications Team at SUBU delivers all our key messages to students and have been instrumental to our success over the year. Operating with just three Full-Time members of staff, they developed innovative approaches to student communications, capitalising on student creators and influencers to consistently support key projects and produce content on a wide range of platforms for a diverse audience of 17,000+ students.
Following the university’s decision to move to a digital welcome, the SUBU Communications Team took the lead on coordinating materials from BU, SportBU and ResLife to send a mailout to all incoming students, including essentials to get them excited before their arrival in Bournemouth.
The pack, along with a free wristband, was posted to 4,939 students. The 6-fold booklet from SUBU included events listing for the arrivals period, information on joining clubs and societies and Liberation Networks and where to go for advice, helping to bring significant impact during a time of change and anxiety of those who are about to embark on their new life at university.
Almost 3,000 students activated their wristbands before arriving, with approximately 8,000 students attending our Freshers’ Fair. The Old Fire Station saw a bumper two weeks of Freshers' events compared to the last five years, with a broader range of events to appeal to the wider student body and more sell out events.
Following our targeted campaign to increase student feedback into the non-academic University ranking system WhatUni, this year SUBU was shortlisted for the Best Students’ Union in the WhatUni Student Choice Awards, alongside Bournemouth University’s nominations across six other categories including Student Life.
After our pioneering communications work on student content creation last year, we invested in a team of students who reflect our overall student population and as a result, have engaged students and provided an authentic view of the student life at Bournemouth University.
From what we’ve shared this year, we have found that students enjoy a mix of humorous and informative content. As a result, we now have almost 10,000 followers and we’re reaching on average 14,000 accounts per month.
We have also invested in other part-time student staff, including Graphic Designers and Digital Communications Assistants. Their input allows us to see and assess our campaigns from students’ perspective, helping us to tailor our communications and create a bigger impact within Bournemouth University.
87% of students rate SUBU’s communications as good or very good
Nerve Media
Nerve Media is home to SUBU’s student-run media outlets, comprising of an awardwinning radio station, online website, photography team and TV station. It is run entirely by students, and welcomes students from any course or experience level.
SUBU’s Communications Team works closely to support Nerve Media by hosting weekly meetings to discuss content planning and collaboration opportunities.
Nerve Radio have 124 members signed up this year, with a variety of shows to appeal to the wider student body. In February, students hosted a week on FM, with over 50 student presenters broadcasting shows to the wider community across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.
The station also took home six awards at the recent Amplify Awards, which recognise student radio station across the UK. Their Head of Tech, Daniel Jidkov, was awarded Gold for Hero of the Moment. They also took home Silver for Most Improved Station, Best Station Culture and Most Supportive Students’ Union (on behalf of the SUBU Comms Team), and Bronze for Student Radio Moment of the Year and the overall Amplify Award.
With over 130 members, Nerve TV have produced their own mini-series, providing members with the opportunity to create frequent short-form fictional content. As a result, they were awarded Bronze in the ‘Comedy’ category at this year’s National Student Television Association Awards.
Nerve Photography have 48 members signed up this year, and they have captured events and opportunities throughout the year including Freshers’ and Refreshers' Fair, events at The Old Fire Station, our debate with local MPs and the Full-Time Officer Elections.
Departments across the university have utilised Nerve students from both TV and Photography to capture content throughout the year, including SportBU and CareersBU. Nerve has covered weekly games for SportBU, invested in a huge production team to cover both the launch of new facilities at Chapel Gate and their recent Varsity event.
Students from each Nerve outlet had the incredible opportunity to attend this year's SUBU Summer Ball, where they captured a range of content from the event. Students from Nerve TV, Radio, Online and Photography had the chance to interview artists such as Badger, Songer and Bellah Mae.
A Student Story
Jack Stickley & Dimo Boychev
Placement Year in BA (Hons) Media
Production
SUBU COMMS
Content Creators
INTERESTS:
Media, Video Production, Social Media, Entrepreneurship
The dynamic duo supporting SUBU
Comms
When choosing which university to go to, both Jack and Dimo wanted to come to Bournemouth, because of the strong reputation of the BU Media School, but also loved the beach and wanted to experience student life to the full.
In their first year, Jack and Dimo and their group of friends came up with an idea to record a podcast about their life in Bournemouth, highlighting different aspects of being a student while following their passion and developing their skills in film making, podcasting, and interviewing. They connected with SUBU when they decided to film an episode of their podcast at the Summer Ball in 2022.
“We were doing these podcasts about being a student at BU, one was on the beach, one was at The Old Fire Station, and then one was meant to be at a festival.
“All of the podcasts were recorded on this sofa that we carried everywhere with us. So, we walked for about 30 minutes with the sofa, and we managed to get into the Summer Ball with it. We put it right in the middle of the festival and interviewed students and staff.
“This is where we got noticed by the SUBU Commercial and Comms Team, and it led to us being invited to work for SUBU as content creators.”
Jack and Dimo began working on a number of SUBU campaigns, from developing Freshers' week content to Speak Week, Student Elections and One World Day, their authentic student voices significantly uplifting the engagement with SUBU’s social media channels.
During their second year, they stayed in Bournemouth over the summer to create content as part of SUBU’s Freshers' campaign. They covered all different locations including the beach, The Old Fire Station and both campuses so students knew what to expect once they arrived.
Building on their success at SUBU, Jack and Dimo decided to set up their own video production company for their placement year. And this is how Impact Films was born as a company. They have successfully developed their business throughout the year, building their brand and successfully getting work around the country and beyond.
“We had to do a placement for a year, and we thought we would be limiting our creative ability if we were just going to go work for one of these big companies, so we decided about a year ago now to set up our company and do it for our placement.
“We have had lots of clients. For example, this month we are completely fully booked. This weekend we're filming a festival. We shot four events in Bristol this month.”
When working for SUBU, one thing that made Jack and Dimo especially proud of their work was helping students and promoting awareness of the struggles they face.
“Our work opens eyes up to the students that don't have as many friends or are a bit lonely. It lets these students know that there are things there for them."
They have both been on a journey of learning, career progression, growing their professional network, and making incredible progress while at Bournemouth and as part of the SUBU team.
“We feel like we're at home at SUBU. It's such a welcoming place with some lovely, supportive people. We love to work here, because it's where we have developed our own creative freedom.”
NEW PROJECT OF THE YEAR
A Leading Voice for Women’s Safety in Bournemouth
Earlier this year, SUBU’s Jasmine Ecclestone, Marketing Manager at The Old Fire Station, joined forces with local partners to launch The Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Unity Promise which has been in the making for over a year.
All women have the right to enjoy and feel safe being out and about in our beautiful area and The Unity Promise aims to combat misogyny, gender-based violence and inequality locally.
It consists of seven commitments and is all about offering local partners to take practical steps together and make Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole a great place for women and girls.
Everyone should feel empowered to play their part in creating positive and lasting change and signing up to the Unity Promise offers access to a toolkit full of ideas and steps for change.
The charter also ensures partners take a unified stance on safety, take part in training and development, making sure we improve women and girls’ safety, not only at night, but 24/7.
A launch event held in March brought businesses from across different sectors to sign the charter, including retailers, taxis, buses and clubs.
The unity promise artwork, created by local artists at Studio Glass, will also be spread across derelict buildings in the area to spread the message and empower women to feel safe.
LOOKING FORWARD
This Impact Report marks the successful conclusion of SUBU’s 2021-24 Strategic Plan. The Students’ Union has conducted extensive research on the sector developments, student behaviours, needs and expectations, and engaged in staff consultations to develop a set of new strategic priorities, aimed at enhancing our services and delivery in line with the changing demands.
SUBU’s 2024/25 Strategic Priorities form our response to the evolving student expectations, as well as the university’s current challenges, emerging student experience priorities, and Access and Participation Plans.
Next year we will focus on four strategic themes:
1 Ending student loneliness
2 Activating experience for life and work
3 Empowering through compassionate support
4 Attracting talent to BU and SUBU
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