Geographical Society: Welfare and Diversity Officer

Hey GeogSoc! It's me again, Francesca Xie, your current president, and I'm running for Welfare and Diversity Officer.

It is with utmost respect that I acknowledge Sarah Lim, our incumbent Welfare Officer. Her dedication and tireless efforts have set a standard of excellence that I aspire to uphold and build upon, should I be granted the privilege to serve in this role.

If elected, I pledge to champion inclusivity and well-being of the wider Geography community, ensuring that every member feels heard, supported, and valued, and strive to foster an environment where everyone can thrive. I am committed to continuing the current projects aimed at providing well-being support for second and final year students, as well as welcoming the new students to have an enjoyable experience in UCL Geography!

Some events/ideas:

• London Guide: social media guides for fun activities in London. You're not alone in facing university challenges! 
• GeogSoc Olympics?: You asked, and I'm delivering! Get ready for more sports events this year that promote teamwork and camaraderie. With a variety of activities, we'll bring our members together in friendly competition.
• Cultural Feast: Celebrate our diverse backgrounds with a culinary journey as members come together to share dishes from around the world. More picnics? More dinners?

If any of this sounds interesting to you, I'd really appreciate your vote! Thanks for giving me the chance to make a difference in our society!

Hi, I’m Summer and I’m running for Welfare and Diversity officer :) 

As someone who is from a state school background and of mixed-race heritage, I understand how important inclusivity is and the need to promote it. I've also had my own struggles throughout the year such as having to adjust to moving to such a big city from a fairly small place and trying to find my place at UCL. I’m applying for this role because I want to give back to our student community through offering support for any GeogSoc members or geography students who are struggling, as well as championing inclusion and diversity because it’s something I’m passionate about.

If elected, I'll make sure that everyone feels included and supported within our community. Our community’s welfare is important and is something I’ll seek to promote. Furthermore, I’ll promote inclusion in our community by improving opportunities for those who may face more barriers than others to make our community accessible to all. 

As a committee member, I will always be available for our members whether they need advice or someone to listen to them, as well as being able to signpost to the correct services.  As Welfare and Diversity Officer, I also hope to:

1. Offer well-being events such as drop ins and coffee mornings
2. Set up events around times of deadlines or exams that can be a useful break away from revision or writing assignments such as crafts or movie nights
3. Run more cultural events to celebrate the diversity of our community

Studying Geography and learning about the world, as incredible and insightful as it is, also comes with its own set of challenges and anxieties. Having experienced eco-anxiety myself, and being an active member of Climate Action Society, I am standing for Welfare and Diversity Officer in order to create a supportive space within GeogSoc, whether that be through welfare meetings, weekly socials/check in's, and a space where members can voice their worries and concerns. I want to create a tighter community of Geographers in this role, as we are all going through it together. 

I'm a very friendly, empathetic person, and love talking and collaborating with people. As well as being a strong speaker, having experience in professional west end productions, this experience has enabled me to be an active listener, quick to take direction and remain calm if things go wrong. With previous experience as Workshops Officer for Drama Society, I've spent the last 2 years attempting to improve the accessibility and inclusion of this society, however I would now love to turn this attention and drive for inclusion to my own department. 

Currently being in my 2nd year, I'm aware of the different welfare resources at UCL which is important for this role to make readily available - however I also understand the importance of just having a space to chat. If you vote for me I will endeavour to deliver great support, create spaces, and host events to prioritise wellbeing in our society.

Hi, I’m Myra Shahbazi. I’m a first year Geography BA student and I would love to be the Welfare and Diversity Officer for this year!

As a woman of colour, it is essential to me that our society reflects the wonderful diversity of UCL. To do this, I want to promote inclusivity in all of our events, supporting a wide range of different activities for people to get involved in. Furthermore, I aim to ensure that the wellbeing of our society members is continuously being promoted, and this could be achieved by using our social media to provide a focal point of communication for all welfare related issues that they may have.

Ultimately, the most important thing is that our society maintains a welcoming and supportive atmosphere, one where every single member belongs and feels that they can talk about anything that's bothering them - regardless of who they are and where they’re from.

I would love the opportunity to be on this committee and give back to this society. Thank you so much for your consideration.

Lots of love, Myra x