Biomedical Sciences Society: Welfare Officer

I am standing up for the Welfare Officer nomination as I believe in the fundamental importance of supporting and uplifting my community. My passion for helping others, combined with my empathy and dedication, drives me to seek this role where I can have make a meaningful impact. I understand the power of advocacy and support in creating a more inclusive and compassionate community, and I am eager to leverage my skills and experience to contribute to the well-being and prosperity of all members. By standing up for the Welfare Officer nomination, I am demonstrating my unwavering commitment to serving others and fostering a nurturing environment where everyone can thrive!

Hey everyone! My name's Diya and I'd love to be involved in the Biomed Society as the Welfare Officer. 

• I'm eager to recruit a strong community of members in the upcoming year. Joining a new society especially as a first-year student can feel daunting, and I hope to decrease any barriers to entry by helping organise more socials and relaxed events like movie nights and pub quizzes for members to get to know each other and connect with students from different year groups.
• I'd also love to organise more networking/careers events catering to your interests, whether that's working in scientific research, tech/AI, journalism, entrepreneurship or industry! At UCL, I've gained a lot of recent experience organising various careers events on the committee for the MedTech Society and the Science Magazine, and I'd love to organise collaborations with societies like these to increase our outreach and involvement:)

To begin with, before last year, I was very keen on psychology and wanted to progress to the matching course. Hence, my knowledge of the human mind is reinforced by the literature I absorbed. For instance, “Emotional intelligence” (and how to work with it). My object was to educate myself considering the thought process of the people surrounding me, and I can tell that I succeeded. I have a history of dealing with mental problems, so I strongly believe that my experience will be helpful to others.

Another fact affecting my ability to perform this role is that I am an international student whose origins come from the outskirts of Russia. I have never received any collective and academic-driven support, no matter whom I asked or in which schools I was back home. Coming here for the foundation year, my experience of being warmly welcomed and introduced to every step of my university routine was touching and unexpected. With no regard to the background of the situation, my teachers were supportive and understanding, thereby I succeeded.

I am standing for this position because I have experienced how life-changing it is to be treated with collective action and support. Having benefitted from the camaraderie and shared knowledge in society, I feel a strong responsibility to give back and enhance the welfare of my peers. My goal is to ensure that every member of our society feels supported, understood, and valued, regardless of their background or the challenges they may be facing.

I'm a second-year BioMed student (Drug Mechanism stream) and I'm very excited at the prospect of being on the committee and ensuring this is a welcoming and wholesome place for all BioMed students. I have personally felt the need for such a society/community within UCL for us to meet, chat, and engage in career and academic-related events where we can all support and learn from one another. By having monthly touchpoints like coffee mornings or socials, we can chill and destress after busy weeks, and it will provide the opportunity for students to reach out to me with any wellbeing concerns, after which if required, I can signpost them to wellbeing resources. As Welfare officer, I will work closely with the Inclusivity Officer and Social Secretary to make events focusing on mental health and wellbeing possible. I will also try to create a contact list of (williing) students from different years, listed by stream selection, so that juniors can reach out to their seniors with any concerns they may have or to seek advice. This way everyone feels more connected and knows there is help offered in this community, besides the faculty itself.

I love studying Biomedical Sciences and have made amazing friends from all over the world on this course. I would appreciate the amazing opportunity to give back to the community that has shaped my 2 years at UCL. Working as the welfare officer for the Biomedical Sciences Society would allow me to be an important point of contact for most students in the society. I will make sure to note any concerns the members have, and address them accordingly by notifying the appropriate people. I am very approachable and I enjoy interacting with new people 😄, so don’t be afraid, talk to mee! I will be diligent enough to occasionally carry out welfare checks by sending out surveys.This allows the society to improve and progress. As a MUN volunteer, I have experience in communicating student concerns with the relevant authorities. This opportunity would further improve my communication skills, but most importantly I get the chance to interact more with my peers!

As a newly formed society dedicated to advancing knowledge and camaraderie within the field of Biomedical Sciences, it is essential that we prioritize the well-being of our members. As a candidate for the Welfare Officer position, I will pledge to prioritize mental health support by implementing regular check-ins to the committees and also the members. I will strive to give my all in creating various opportunities for peer support networks within the society, fostering a sense of community and solidarity, for example, we can conduct a mentorship programs and buddy systems within the community. Moreover, I will also serve as a vocal advocate, raising any concerns of our members, ensuring that their voices are heard and their needs addressed. Having the experience as the president of Peers Club in college will definitely help me in executing the roles as a welfare officer. Together, we will keep the well-being of all members at an amazing state, making sure that everyone feels valued, supported and empowered to thrive in this newly formed and bright society.