Our Year2012-2013

We gave back...We received...

Thank you for taking time to read our annual report – it tells the story of what we have accomplished this year and how we have grown. Our students are at the heart of everything we do and so we thought we’d tell the story through their achievements and successes.

The student stories in this report are a vivid and real demonstration of how the Students’ Union is delivering our vision of enriching the student experience.

The move from North Holmes Road to the new St George’s Centre provided a unique opportunity for growth, allowing our services to improve to a standard that puts us alongside some of the best students’ unions in the country. In this year we have seen a 5% increase in student satisfaction in the NSS, record democratic turnout, a significant increase of activity membership and a doubling of staff numbers which will allow us to better support the future nurses, teachers, police officers and TV producers to not just complete their degree and achieve their career goals but to become more enriched individuals.

With this success in mind we have spent the past nine months putting together our three year strategic plan to support the organisation’s progress and guide our use of resources. The strategic plan has been created following consultation with our members across the campus network and at the very heart of it is our guiding vision of enriching the student experience for all of our members. It is a vision that we hold close to our hearts, and are committed to achieving through genuine partnership with the University.

There has never been a more exciting time for the Students’ Union and it is a great honour to be given the opportunity to lead the organisation with an all new Student Leadership team, to achieve ever greater success in 2013/14 and to deliver an enriched student experience.

Hello

Phil Mooney President Christ Church Students’ Union

Jos’ storySport to me is really important. I am physically disabled and although it is certainly more difficult to become involved in sports it is fun, keeps me active and is good for body and mind. When I started at CCCU I knew I wanted to get involved in sport through the SU, I never imagined it would lead to me being involved with the SU as a part time officer (student disability officer).

The SU, especially the Sports VPs, have been very supportive in developing opportunities to participate in sport and helped to organise the first inclusive sports event, the Paralympics Hits Christ Church. This one day event had five different Paralympic sports, archery, sitting volleyball, boccia, pan disability/blind football and wheelchair tennis, for students and staff to have a go, regardless of ability or disability. It was fantastic enabling people to see and experience something different in sport.

Since then the SU has helped me work towards a sports club, based on inclusive sports which starts this year (Give It A Go). Also working with the new Sports VP we are planning further events this year including another full day of inclusive sport and after experiencing powerchair football this summer we are looking to run sessions of this.

Without the support from the SU I would certainly not have been able to widen not just my own sporting experience but that of others too.

Proud to playProviding sporting opportunities at all levels for our members is an important part of our role. This year we have seen a significant increase in new clubs and the number of students actively engaged in sport is now at a record high. Far from sitting on our laurels though, we have continued to work ever harder on increasing participation levels across all of our campuses.

This year we seized the opportunity for all of our sports teams to be brought together under the unifying brand of Christ Church Sport. Working in close partnership with our new exclusive kit supplier we are delivering a range of benefits and opportunities to our sporting members to create a professional and enthused atmosphere that can improve the whole ethos of sport.

7500£7,500 raised for charity by sports teams.

5050 students volunteered to be ‘Varsity Makers’ to help run Varsity against the University of Kent.

4040 fixtures took place over Varsity week showcasing 16 different sports.

1In their first year of entering BUCS Equestrian reached the Regionals and Nationals.

Jos Achner taking part in archery

Fans of CSR FM at Summer Ball 2013

Ryan’s storyJoining Christ Church in 2010 as a Film, Radio and TV student I had a passion for radio. I love the engagement that media has with people’s everyday lives, it’s a constant. Getting involved with the SU Student Media group was an obvious choice. I started out as a presenter of the drive time show and soon realised I wanted to be more involved with the production side, so moved on to become Station Manager.

I participated in several activities beyond my studies while at university which gave me an even better university experience. I was actively involved in the Students’ Union council as the Chair allowing me to improve my knowledge and understanding of the needs and requirements of fellow students.

I have developed many transferable skills, that gave me the confidence to go for and secure a job as an Airtime Assistant at Channel 4.

Active students, increased employabilityAs the Students’ Union we are dedicated to enriching our students’ University experience by offering them a wide variety of extra-curricular activities. This year has seen a huge increase in student societies with student engagement almost doubling. We have also continued to provide an array of volunteering opportunities and outstanding media outlets for our students to get involved in.

The SU is home to the award winning radio station, CSR fm, which currently holds one of the only student FM licences in the country. Through involvement in our student media opportunities our students have developed vital vocational skills increasing their employability with many going on to work with major companies in the industry including the BBC and Channel 4.

20002000 students and staff read each issue of our UNIfied student newspaper.

10 10 new and active societies created.

15000£15,000 raised via Raise And Give for local community charities.

66 policies approved and passed at the NUS International Conference.

Silvia’s storyI graduated CCCU in 2010 from Film, Radio and TV Studies combined with Media and Cultural Studies. I got involved with the Union in my second year as a Student Rep, and in my third year was elected to be the Education Officer, a volunteer position on Union Council. This gave me the courage to run for a full time position, and in 2010 I became the first international student to be a Union Leadership Officer at Christ Church SU, as Vice President (Welfare and Education). I was then given the students’ vote of confidence to remain as their voice as Union President the following year.

Involvement in the Students’ Union allowed me to build my skills and gain experience, mostly in the two years as a leader, and vitally gave me the skills to fulfil my new role as Membership Services Manager of the Students’ Union. In the role this year I have developed innovative opportunities for students to maximise the student experience for as many students as I can.

By taking a new approach to the Leadership Elections, we encouraged students from different courses to consider the opportunities they have, and ensured delivery of strong student representation. These initiatives have seen a record number of candidates and a record amount of votes, and it has been fantastic to see this high level of engagement.

I hope that through my work I can encourage the student leaders of the future to experience the benefits that I gained through involvement with the Students’ Union.

Being heardThe Students’ Union is above all else the ‘voice’ of our members, therefore effective representation lies at the very heart of what we do. We train and administer a team of over 600 student course representatives who are the direct voice of our students across the entire range of programmes that the University offers.

The Students’ Union is always looking to be the best it can be and over the past 12 months we have carried out a comprehensive Democratic Review, to establish the best way to ensure our members have the most effective and easily accessible opportunities to make their voice heard. As a former Students’ Union Officer our new Membership Services Manager had the perfect experience to lead the project and was fundamental in delivering the new structure.

2626 candidates stood for 4 positions in the Leadership Elections. A record!

8484% increase in voter turnout. The highest in Christ Church voting history.

5151 Student Reps attended the 2012-2013 Student Rep conference.

420420 nominations were received for the Golden Apple Awards.

Silvia Rasca, Membership Services Manager

Silvia Rasca, Membership Services Manager

Elina Smyrniou at the Union House Coffee Co. Photo by Alex Hare.

Elina’s StoryBeing International Officer I forged lasting relationships with people I would have been unlikely to otherwise meet. It gave me the opportunity to participate and organise events and activities relating to international students studying in the UK. I met other SU officers to discuss matters concerning all students, and had the chance to represent the interests of our many international students.

Attending the NUS International Conference with the Student Activities VP I represented Christ Church’s international student body on a larger scale and a national spectrum. Undeniably it was a highlight of the role, networking with Officers from universities around the country and exchanging ideas about the approach to international students in the UK.

In partnership with CCSU, I helped organise ‘Globefest’, a forum for student groups to showcase their cultures, and widen knowledge about international cultures. The outcome was pretty impressive with multiple nationalities taking part from Malaysia and Romania, to Brazil and Nigeria. ‘Globefest’ was an enriching experience for the hosts, as well as participants.

It gave me a feeling of pride to have been part of the organisation, I’m happy I made the choice to run for International Officer.

Supporting our membersThis year, our students have continued to be supported and offered advice throughout their time at Christ Church by the SU. Through the dedicated work of the elected VP Welfare and Education and our Advice Centre Co-ordinator our students have been helped and signposted to support networks enabling them to gain access to the most appropriate services for their needs.

A major part of the work of the Students’ Union throughout the year is supporting our students from overseas. Whether it be through co-ordinating international societies, running welfare campaigns or simply by providing a safe, welcoming space to socialise with each other and meet new people, the Students Union places International students firmly at the centre of what we do.

2727 raising awareness campaigns were run by the Students’ Union.

1818 Nationalities were represented at Globefest.

163163 cases handled by the Students’ Union Academic Advice Caseworker.

5353 student advice cases dealt with at the Medway Campus.

Elina Smyrniou at the Union House Coffee Co. Photo by Alex Hare.

1033 1033 students signed up to play sport across 36 clubs and 75 teams.

Key achievements

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1732

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There was an 84% increase in voter turnout for the Leadership Elections.

CSR FM won a Community Spirit award at the Student Radio Awards.

1732 people attended the sold out Summer Ball.

We moved up 16 places in the People & Planet Green League 2013, moving from 33rd position to 17th.

3689 We launched AskSU.co.uk and received 3689 visits in the month of August 2013.

We increased our score by 5% in the National Student Survey moving up 22 places in the Students’ Union ranking.

Our Strategic Plan is now finalised and will support the organisation’s progress and guide our use of resources over the next 3 years. Naturally our members are at the very heart of the Plan and it focuses on the following areas:

The 2013/14 Operating Plan sets out how we are going to implement the first phase of our Strategic Plan and here is a sneak preview of some of what we’ve got planned for the year ahead:

• Invest in our student talent by recruiting a Graduate Work Placement position

• The opening of a brand new Advice & Welfare Centre in the St George’s building

• Launch the ‘Give it a Go’ scheme to promote active student engagement

• Launch the Homestamp scheme in partnership with the University to accredit private sector student housing

• Invest £200,000 over the next 3 years in our own students by ensuring that 70% of our staff are students

• Take the Students’ Union experience to all of our students via the Pop up Union initiative and establish a full-time Students’ Union presence at Medway & Broadstairs

As you can see the future for the Students’ Union is very bright indeed. We look forward to you joining us on our journey to deliver the very best student experience for our members over the next 12 months and into the future ahead.

The Future - looking ahead to 2013/14

Phillip Mooney President Christ Church Students’ Union

Ian Dancy Strategic and Operational Director Christ Church Students’ Union

We’re proud of what we have achieved this year, and we know it wouldn’t have been possible without the skills and passion of a lot of people.

We would like to give a big thank you to everyone who made it possible: the 2012/13 Student Leadership team, our staff, trustees, partners and above all – our members, we couldn’t do it without them.

Finally, thank you for the role you’ve played. If you are reading this, then you too are part of our story, either looking back or going forward, and we simply couldn’t tell it without you.

Thank you

Keep in touchccsu.co.uk & AskSU.co.uk ccsu@canterbury.ac.uk

facebook.com/christchurchsu twitter.com/christchurchsu

ccsu@canterbury.ac.uk

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The St. George’s Centre. Photo by Alex Hare.

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