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We’ve got a lot going on this academic year and we’ve highlighted fifteen commitments we’re making to you. These are commitments to change things for the better, big and small. Fifteen projects we’re working on to make your life at UCL better.

 

We’ve put these commitments around campus, on giant U shapes and we want you to find them, tell us which of these matters most to you and share it with us on Instagram @studentsunionucl. We’ll pick five of the best photos for a £100 Amazon voucher.

 

You can see all of the commitments and find out how to take part and influence the things we do on our page here.

 

As we’re in December already, the nights have drawn in and we’re picking out tinsel to decorate our spaces, we want to give you a quick run-down on the progress we’ve already made…

 

  • We’ve just elected and trained the first ever Welfare Officer positions to your club and society committees. They’ll make sure club and society activities are inclusive and welcoming to all and there’s someone who knows where you can get help, should you need it.
     
  • We’re busy developing great new Union spaces for you, including refurbishing Phineas bar, opening a new Institute Bar in mid-January 2019 and are building a brand-new home for our expanded Advice Service. Look out for consultations opening in January and we hope to see you in the new Institute Bar over in the IOE.
     
  • We’re starting to connect postgraduate dissertation projects with the local community and their research needs. The aim is to give your work real-world application. You get to work on real-world problems, community organisations get the benefit of your research skills. We’re getting ready to launch this scheme, it’ll be based in our Volunteering Service.
     
  • We’re reviewing how decisions are made in the Union, so that it’s easier for you to interact and shape how your Union is run. We just had a motion debated and passed in Union Council to do just this.
     
  • We’re relaunching the JobShop, making it easier for you to find part-time employment that fits in around your studies. We’ve recruited a member of staff to oversee this, and you be able to visit the JobShop in the Union, as well as online, to find really good student jobs.
     
  • We’re improving the food we offer you across campus with new healthier options in our cafes, more vegan choices, meal deals and in January we’re opening a fresh pizza offer at 25 Gordon Street. We’ve also made all our packaging recyclable as part of our commitment to sustainability.
     
  • We’ve secured £140k extra funding to improve mental health and wellbeing on campus through Student Psychological & Counselling Services. We’re working to publish our first ever Wellbeing Report which will include recommendations for changes in UCL and the Union in supporting students. Help us deliver this.
     
  • We’re working towards ending period poverty. All Union bathrooms now have free products and we’re challenging UCL to provide free sanitary products across the whole campus.
     
  • We’re creating a programme of training and development sessions that will help you to make the most of the skills you learn through being a club and society officer, academic rep or by volunteering in the local community. We’ve just completed the first part of our research and our on the way to launching in October.