Sign Language Society: Treasurer

My name is Victoria and I am running for Treasurer of Sign Language Society (SLS). 

From learning BSL for the first time to seeing everyone being so proactive in learning and helping one another every week; to witnessing SLS’s selection into the finals for the Society of the Year Award 2022, being part of SLS has been nothing short of meaningful and inspiring. I have thoroughly enjoyed SLS and I hope to continue the legacy set by the 22/23 committee. Resources and funds form the backbone of any SLS event and I want to ensure our finances are effectively managed such that we can support the smooth running of all our sessions and initiatives. Apart from fulfilling its core responsibilities, I see many opportunities serving as Treasurer. They are encapsulated in my goals for the role:

• Continue supporting our current BSL teacher to tap on her expertise
• Optimise usage of funds through consulting and involving members so that we can invest in popular and impactful initiatives 
• Review the current membership fee model to increase membership
• Organise fundraising events for charities which support and empower the deaf community 
• Create SLS merchandise such as shirts and sweaters

With my strong numerical and organisational skills, past experiences bookkeeping at a GP clinic during the pandemic outbreak and managing administrative work as student council president as well as deep passion to give back to SLS, I am confident I can bring SLS to new heights as your next Treasurer. 

As a medical student who has been around many hard of hearing and deaf patients, I understand how important it is to strive for inclusion and to make everyone feel as comfortable in practice as possible. I believe that learning sign language is a vital skill to have in many careers and would love to support the society in motivating as many students to get involved. 

Through my strong organisational, time keeping and communication skills, I will aim to ensure that the society's events can run smoothly by making sure that minutes are taken at meetings, managing the society's finances, collaborating with the SU to organise events and workshops, and supporting the president in important decision making.

With careful planning and collective member input, I hope to delegate funds towards arranging events that are both fun and informative, to provide incentive to take part. Hosting socials with other societies and universities is also within my interest to bring the BSL community together and encourage important discussions and the sharing of ideas. 

Attending Sign Language's BSL sessions over this past year has been a hugely rewarding experience. It is a safe place to meet amazing people and it would be an honour to be chosen as treasurer to help contribute to such an impactful society. 

Hi, I'm Andrea, a first-year Geography student and I have been regularly attending the BSL classes with the Sign Language Society, currently in the Level 1 class. Personally I was enticed by the concept of being able to communicate without being noisy, but I have found SLS to be so much more! I find classes such a unique mix of simultaneously gaining a completely different avenue of communication while also getting to try something new. 

This year's committee have made classes accommodating and easy to attend and I would love to get involved next year to give back to the fun little community we have at SLS and ensure more people get to experience learning BSL! I look forward to the challenge of keeping the society's funds organised and working to ensure we make use of the funds we have to run both our classes and socials smoothly. Since we will be looking to organise more socials, inter-university collaborations as well as d/Deaf awareness events next year, a membership will only become more worthwhile. 

Last year as the president of the community club in my high school, I led a team organising a variety of events celebrating international cultures throughout the year. Within this role I took on various jobs including poster-making, communicating with school administration and enticing people with free food at events (very relevant for university societies!) I am hoping the role of SLS treasurer will allow me to gain new skills and build on those I already have.