Manifesto point 1. Working class Students.
Coming from a working class background, I am well aware of being a student in further education. If elected I intend on using this personal passion to help students who may be struggling financially in any way I can. I have been involved with the working class studies association and am currently helping them organise an open mic to give a voice to working class students to tell their stories. I am closely tied to the working class movement and with that it is one of my main priorities. Ways I plan on doing this is to lobby for vouchers and to try minimise fees wherever possible.
Manifesto point 2. Empowerment of students.
I really want to focus on getting students passionate and involved as much as possible, to use the opportunities granted to us as students to their full potential. I’ll do this by working closely with the many different courses provided in the college, helping them in organising events that will showcase their work. This will not only create a motivated initiative among students to create opportunities for themselves but will also give them the confidence to pursue their passion projects when they inevitably move on from student life. Touching on moving on from student life, there is a big jump from being a student to working full time in the modern world so to help aid this difficult transition I plan on organising practical skill classes, for example cooking classes, first aid and digital literacy.
Manifesto point 3. Environmental change and sustainability.
The previous members of the student union have done a great job on being aware of environmental issues. Unfortunately this is not an issue that can ever be fully be achieved but a never ending effort and process that I would like to spearhead. I want to continue the effort of phasing out single use plastics and continue the system of reduce, reuse and recycle. As a vegetarian, I have also noticed the excess amounts of meat and dairy products in the canteen, I will be lobbying for more sustainable food choices and would also like to introduce a save the bees initiative too!
Manifesto point 4. Charity work.
Universities have always been a place where significant change and grassroots movements occur. There is an untapped potential of power we as students, a unique opportunity to really produce change not only around our college but the wider Sligo area. I plan on acting on this by working with charities to help produce events and create a clear line of opportunities for students to volunteer and to leave a positive impact on their communities.
Manifesto point 5. Women’s safety
A serious issue that has to be addressed is Women’s safety. We are unfortunately all too aware of the types of harassment that women face on a day to day basis. This is not acceptable and cannot be tolerated. I would like to bring attention to these issues, to provide extra mental health support and to elevate efforts to help keep female students and staff safe, on and off campus. This can be achieved by creating awareness for Women’s safety, encouraging women to speak out and to create a female led organisation that will give women a platform to share their own personal experiences and to use this in helping to discuss how we can solve these issues.