Boat Club (RUMS): Welfare and Safety Officer

Safety and welfare are integral to RUMSBC. Hazards at the boathouse, on the water, and physical and mental stress and injury abound, and I would safeguard against these with my 4 point plan:

1. Continue the safety talk and add refresher talks. I would add small-group refresher talks to give brief reminders to anyone that feels unsure about any aspect of safety.

2. Continue the anonymous reporting function. This allows people to raise any concerns while retaining complete anonymity.

3. Continue mental health awareness. Our mental health is extremely important, and sport should relieve stress, not worsen it. I would extend anonymous reporting to anyone that feels stressed by rowing to discuss any issues. I would add more about mental health to the safety talk, focusing on spotting signs, avenues of self-referral, and awareness of social concerns regarding alcohol and consent.

4. Implement injury awareness. Injuries happen all the time, so I would work with the captains to ensure proper education about injuries, their prevention, and treatment, at events like circuits and erg sessions. I would be available to discuss any concerns and provide resources for treatment or prevention.

As former social sec, I'm experienced making the social side accessible and welcoming and want to continue this, and as a current UH captain I have much experience in organisation, communication and efficiency. As such, I would be perfect for the job, as I'm both committed and able.

Ok I know what you’re thinking - why would I vote for her as welfare and safety officer when she can’t even keep herself from falling into the Thames?

Well having had my safety a little compromised myself, I would be in a position to offer empathetic, effective and efficient help when needed. However, prevention is always better than a cure so I would do my utmost to put measures in place to minimise any risks to safety.

I would always be available to speak to anyone about any concerns and will support you all as best as I can. I would aim to introduce more wholesome and inclusive events such as movie or board game nights (which I would bake for, of course). 
 

I’ll also strive to arrange regular and comprehensive tutorials as well as the mock OSCEs/OCAPEs.