Nominations: Nominations closed
Voting: Voting closed
Election
The Welfare & Community Officer is a full time Sabbatical Officer of the Students’ Union working full time to provide leadership to the Students’ Union’s services; and representing the interests of students to UCL, including participating in UCL committees and regular meetings with senior staff. They will lead on all issues relating to welfare, wellbeing and housing for Members ensuring that the Union promotes their mental, physical and social wellbeing.
Category
Candidates
I aim to create spaces where students feel safe expressing REAL concerns, both online and in person. Too often, issues like mental health, financial struggles, discrimination, and housing insecurity are overlooked or met with empty promises. This needs to change. I will push for a stronger, more transparent feedback system where student concerns aren’t just heard, they lead to real action. Welfare isn’t a one-person job. I’ll work closely with the other Sabbatical Officers to tackle these issues from all angles, ensuring that when students speak up, they actually see results.
Through roles in the K-Pop and Romanian Society committees, I’ve led events, socials, and performances, learning firsthand about student concerns and the need for supportive spaces. Organizing large-scale shows and community events has showed me plenty of concerns that need to be adressed and strengthened my problem-solving, teamwork, and leadership skills. As a Senior Mentor and Peer Supporter, I’ve worked with students facing academic and personal challenges and my very active involvment in the SU Volunteering Department has given me insight into how to push for meaningful change.
I’m running because I genuinely care. I’ve worked with hundreds of students and staff, giving me a holistic understanding of student life. I want to bridge the gap between students and UCL’s management, making sure your voices don’t get lost in endless discussions. As someone from a diverse international background, I understand what it’s like to feel unheard , confused and excluded. I’m here to adress that. If you want a Welfare Officer who TRULY listens, takes action, and stands their ground for you, vote for me!💙
- Accommodation standards established & assessed through inspections (no more mould or bug infestations!)
- Imposter syndrome & confidence-building workshops
- Grace period of 9 minutes after assessment submission deadlines, with only 1% deduction per minute overdue
- Breakfast Club (free food)
- Prayer/meditation spaces in every accommodation & UCL building
- Allow 2025 graduates to return after Main Quad renovation to hold a late 'Portico' celebration
- Divestment from arms companies
- Gym discount for Access Students
- A comprehensive medical & mental health first aid course
- More mobility-needs lifts
- A/C system in B1!
I want REAL CHANGE.
With an eldest daughter fire, I often lead projects making sure everyone's voice is heard & encouraged. Facing mental health struggles, I founded a CARES Club to train students in supporting peers. As a Media Lead & Main Committee member of SJP, I care deeply about rights, sustainability & wellbeing! I'm an Access UCL student, understanding how bad financial hardships can get, especially with the cost of living. My neurodivergence gives insight into how disabilities impact daily life. With career goals in public health, I want to make fitness & health accessible for all!
STUDENTS are what MAKE UCL!
I’ll fight for fairer housing, rent support, and maintenance of facilities, improve mental & physical health services, push for cheaper food as well as direct financial & essential aid. I’ll ensure international, mature, disabled, & part-time students get the support they need to feel accounted for while strengthening social student wellbeing, advice services, & community connections. Let’s build a UCL where everyone can thrive—together!
With an online suggestion/concern forum, quarterly surveys & feedback groups, I want this year to be all about you!
insta: @vote4hana
If elected as sabbatical officer, I will enhance diversity and student connections by organising cultural, social activities and volunteering opportunities, ensuring that all students feel supported and gain valuable experience. I will promote mental and physical health awareness by counselling, stress management workshops, peer mentoring and study assistance programs, ensuring students balance academic and personal wellbeing. Lastly, fostering a supportive network and streamlining resources for students facing financial difficulties, aimed to create a connected and inclusive community at UCL.
As a sabbatical officer, I aimed to bring leadership and healthcare expertise to enhance the diversity, wellbeing and support for students at UCL. My experience as a dentist has honed my communication, empathy and management skills, enabling me to organise cultural and social events to foster connection among students while enhancing personal and social wellbeing. My role in student body council has allowed me to engage with different stakeholders effectively, strengthening my ability to advocate for students concerns, ensuring that all can thrive in a supportive and inclusive environment.
Vote for me as I am dedicated in fostering a supportive and inclusive environment that prioritise students welfare and represent their interest within the student union. By engaging with stakeholders and addressing students concerns through these initiatives, I will ensure that every student feel heard, valued and thrive positively and successfully at UCL and beyond.
Students are deported, homeless, broke, and struggling - and they don’t know what the SU can do. Basic needs are the priority, not sleeping pods. We need:
- a visa team that is reachable from abroad and physically on campus for more than 2 weeks
- long-term support after 6 counselling sessions
- wider eligibility criteria for hardship funds
- a comprehensive review of the report + support system based on user feedback
- SU advice + support for renting & complaints, whether privately or in UCL accom
- direct outreach by working with faculties so students actually know how we can help!
- warm, rodent-free buildings
As this year’s Welfare Officer for Balls!, I am familiar with welfare-related responsibilities at UCL.
I know how tough things can be - I had to leave the country during term due to (UCL-side) visa issues, fought with UCL accom over broken appliances, and struggled with mental health and accessing support.
Of course these experiences only scratch the surface, and it'd be very helpful to hear about yours!
Outside UCL, I’ve honed my teamwork and leadership skills over 7 years of activity in a youth network for which I’ve been project manager, and where I’ve benefited from rigorous welfare training.
I have my priorities straight.
I focus on students’ most fundamental needs in order to make UCL a safe and productive learning environment for everyone. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for sleeping pods and other nice-to-haves! I’m just saying that we’ll get to it once everyone is housed, fed, and safe :)
Besides, helping students who need it most will always make everyone's life a little easier. It's simply more efficient to have in-person advice even if you're not about to be deported.
Vote for Marius for a coherent approach to welfare that leaves no-one behind!
- Improve mental health services by reduce wait times, introduce proactive support, and promoting inclusive events for mature, international, disabled, and part-time students.
- Advocate for affordable, safe housing and communication on housing challenges, while offering practical financial strain through affordable meals, discounts, to ease the cost of living.
- Launch initiatives to connect students across disciplines, fostering a sense of community through events, support networks, and safe spaces.
- Enhance visa guidance and immigration support to improve the transition for international students.
- Developed communication, problem-solving, and leadership skills as a Patient Engagement Manager, ready to enhance the student experience.
- Led health awareness campaigns and collaborated with diverse communities, NGOs, and government bodies to secure funding and advocate positive change.
- Gained valuable insight into mental health challenges through dentistry, fueling my commitment to improving well-being services at UCL.
- Experienced in organizing student initiatives and serving as a HIPS Committee Welfare Officer, amplifying marginalized voices and driving impactful welfare policies.
Working with public health organizations and healthcare startups has deepened my understanding that every voice is essential to shaping a well-rounded and effective welfare system.
If elected as Welfare & Community Officer, I recognize that students must be active collaborators in creating policies that impact their well-being. I will work to bridge the gap, ensuring that students are no longer just consulted but are integral in shaping the support systems at UCL.
I am committed to ensuring that every student feels heard, supported, and valued. Together, we can drive lasting, positive change.
- Explore ways to overcome low student satisfaction and feelings of isolation, via exchanges with students, academics and staff - the union is here for you.
- Fast-track, within capacity, the UCL Plant-Based transition, ensuring healthy, tasty and affordable Plant-Based meals at all eligible restaurants and cafes.
- Revive stagnant societies, and via consistent communication ensure that all societies remain active, social and easily accessible to students.
- Further outreach efforts to students for feedback, both online and in person; the student union's focus should be directed by your interests.
- I've held prior roles as an academic representative at SciencesPo, UChicago and UCL, engaging with a diverse student body pertaining to both welfare and academic interests.
- I came into my Masters in Psychology at UCL as a result of interest in contemporary well-being, and attempt to apply what I've learned academically and otherwise towards student fulfilment.
- Given my experience moving around, I've faced the isolation, difficulties and disenchantment that large universities and cities often bring, hence stand passionate about this role from a personal perspective, and intend to give it my all.
- Passion: I'm here for you, and intend to commit to the role to the fullest to ensure you're happy, healthy, and make the most of the UCL experience.
- Sustainability: UCL is at the forefront of university sustainability, and students and societies have done incredibly in making it so - it's our job to charge onwards.
- Banter: My LinkedIn picture used to be me with a traffic cone on my head, unfortunately a picture lost - I'd used it for the last few elections. The cone was, of course, obtained through legal means, with no delinquency involved. I'm terrible at pictures, mum chose this one for me.
This year, I’m about making sure the SU reaches students- and it is the first place students go for help, community, and support. We should feel heard, and see changes ASAP!
- 2 pound pint day
- Fresh salad bar
- + investment into Accommodation + better food
- Cheaper laundry for halls
- Improving our student representation and rights in halls (resident societies!)
- Student reps alumni network and support (on it alr!)
- One-off opportunities for students (design merch, develop events w/o a society)
- Better signposting to services
- Centralised page of student surveys (info overload, students can filter by £)
I am your current WCO, and have built connections with the right people to see actual change, quickly.
In the past year, I have:
- Introduced a new free contraception delivery scheme (first uni in the UK!)
- Contributed to the lower rent setting in halls
- Created a new Islamophobia strategy and action plan
- Ensured students facing sexual harassment have better support and information from UCL
- Created Jeremy Beartham
- Commercial review of our merch (I get the struggle, JB otw)
- Reviewing our student rep feedback system
- Made period products more accessible
- Co-wrote new Personal Tutor Strategy
- UCL East shuttle bus
Students should be reached where they’re at- not be told where to go and be blamed for not knowing afterwards. That’s why my work is getting leaflets about how to complain and claim compensation right to their halls, talking to students in their dining halls, and in person catch-ups. This should be an expectation, not an exception. A second year means that I can make this a norm.
Understanding how UCL works has taken months. That’s time taken away from you guys having an effective voice. Voting for me means you see more change in the same time. Insta @vote4rachh- let's get real change w Rachel
As an LLM student, I have developed strong communication skills, including fundraising for the underprivileged sectors of society and volunteering for the UCL Pro-Bono project. I aim to use these skills to represent students, ensuring their voices are heard. and needs addressed. I want to make UCL a more inclusive, supportive place where every student thrives academically and personally. I also aspire to create policies that tackle the barriers students face and support their long-term success. Lastly, I am excited about the opportunity to make a real impact on the student experience at UCL.
I will bring a strong set of communication and leadership skills, developed through my experience as a student coordinator for the moot court society and my involvement in fundraising for underprivileged communities. My work with the UCL Pro-Bono project has also honed my ability to advocate for others and provide practical support in challenging situations. I am passionate about student welfare and committed to fostering an inclusive environment. My empathy, alongside my skills in collaboration, problem-solving, and public speaking, will allow me to effectively represent and support my peers.
As a student, I understand the challenges students face, particularly in welfare, housing, and mental health. I aim to be an approachable voice, ensuring all students, especially marginalized groups, are supported. My experience in leadership and advocacy will allow me to effectively represent students' needs and work towards a more inclusive environment at UCL. I am committed to addressing student concerns, fostering community relations, and ensuring that students’ voices are heard by UCL leadership, prioritizing their wellbeing and academic success.
- Quick Wellbeing Support: Create an easier alternative to the complicated 'AskUCL' system for support services
- Faster EC Approvals: Advocate for a clear, streamlined process with transparent criteria to ensure quicker and fairer decisions
- Emergency Financial Aid: Emergency funds to support students who don’t qualify for traditional financial aid
- Too Good to Go @ UCL: Collaborate with campus cafes for last-hour food discounts, reducing food wastage and supporting budgets
- Master Fair: Host events connecting undergrads and postgrads to explore master's opportunities, network, and gain insights
- I am currently a Lead Rep for the PHD Department, representing student voices and striving for better academic support and resources, showing my motivation to make a positive impact.
- I've gained leadership experience as a Marketing Officer and Chair of the International Student Association at my previous uni, learning what makes an effective leader and how to embody those qualities.
- In my past roles, I addressed student concerns with compassion and worked towards practical solutions, and I will do the same at UCL by making full use of existing resources and come up with creative solutions!
- I’ve always been a proactive leader, turning ideas into action and creating real change that students can see and feel!
- As an international student, I know firsthand the challenges of feeling at home in a new place—I want to ensure no one feels left behind
- I believe our fees should translate into real support and a thriving campus experience, and I will make sure that the budget is allocated to the right priorities to benefit all students
- Vote for me if you want someone who will always fight for your needs and ensure every student feels valued and supported.