Pi Media: Welfare Officer

Hi everyone, I'm Elliott and I'm standing to be Pi's Welfare Officer. I have been one of the Lifestyle & Culture editors for Pi Online since the beginning of this year and have loved every minute of it so far! I have been the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion representative for my department since my first year, so I am experienced in instilling these important values and would be honoured to translate this to Pi.

I understand the importance in having someone that you can rely on, and I hope to be a friendly face that anyone can approach if they need help with anything Pi-related. I have great organisation and communication skills and would love to be able to get to know more people, helping bridge any gaps between writers and the editors/committee. I've really enjoyed being part of Pi so far and want to make sure that everyone else can have as much fun as I have.

Thank you for reading and I hope I can get your vote! :)

Pi Media is at the heart of journalism at UCL, and as Welfare Officer, my priority would be to further diversify and strengthen our sense of community. With so many contributors scattered across a range of fields and backgrounds, I believe that we have the most potential to make a difference at UCL, magnifying the wealth of voices within our student body and encouraging meaningful dialogue between different cultures. As a POC, I would love for Pi to project an even wider breadth of perspectives from underrepresented backgrounds. One of the ways I would do this is by establishing a termly Contributor Spotlight to encourage more active involvement from and interaction between members, with at least one Spotlight each year reserved for highlighting the work done by contributors exclusively from a minority background. I would also aim to establish a team of translators and set up a column for articles translated into English, empowering people to write for Pi in other languages that they may feel better represent themselves. Language is inextricably connected with our individual identities, and this interlingual exchange is an irreplaceable way of connecting with and fostering appreciation for other cultures. Our sheer magnitude of participants means it can be difficult to feel like one single, united collective - but that is precisely why this formation of a connected community is so crucial, and I would love to be an active force driving this transformation in Pi.

As someone who has been involved in Pi Media as both an editor and a writer, I feel well-placed to stand as a Welfare Officer within this community.

I would really value the importance of being a listening ear to anyone who needs it, and ensure that the Pi society is a warm and friendly place to be. I feel able to raise any concerns members might have about welfare, needs or wants at the Welfare community meetings, and I would love to be the person people come to when they need support - whether that's a quick chat, reassurance, or discussing things that need to be raised higher up within the Student Union.

Making Pi democratic and representative of all members' needs is incredibly important for a student-led society, and I would do my utmost to support this.

Hello!

My name is Ioulitta Karvounis, a 3rd year Biological Sciences student on the Zoology route, and I would be honoured to fulfil the role of welfare officer in Pi Media. I have a very clear vision of fostering an inclusive, respectful and compassionate atmosphere in the society, ensuring all events are accessible to all students while also addressing aspects of the society that are not as inclusive. This is particularly important as our society discusses such a broad range of topics and opinions in its articles/events, and so it is crucial that sensitivity is practiced across all issues. I would be honoured to be the person our members can talk to whenever they are experiencing difficulties or simply would like to discuss an problem, and I will provide as much help as I can to the best of my ability. 

Overall, I would love to be the welfare officer for Pi Media and hope you will consider me :)