The first time I heard about our National Union of Students, was at the start of second year. Believe it or not, at that point I was quite an unengaged student, striving to make friends and get good grades.
In October 2010, tuition fees rising and Nick Clegg’s betrayal of the student vote dominated not only the news but so many every day conversations. Despite not knowing anyone going on any of the many buses our SU were sending to the NUS London protest, I dragged my boyfriend along to campaign with thousands of students outside parliament and get the student voice heard. It is here that I was inspired by the speeches at the rally, which ingrained in me the importance of higher education and the collective power of students.
I returned to Cardiff determined to spread the belief in education being open to all and worked to build “Action Against the Cuts Cardiff” and host a “Carnival Against the Cuts” in the city centre during the following months. At “Carnival Against the Cuts” student collective power won, having an announcement half way through the demonstration that the Welsh government were to keep EMA and cap tuition fees for Welsh students. Thinking back, it wasn’t only our loud voices on the ground that made this happen, but the important conversations held by NUS Wales’s officers in the Welsh Assembly.
In my second year, I also became active in Cardiff University’s ‘People and Planet’ Society. We were striving to get our own students’ union to pay £1000 in affiliation fees to a watchdog for clothing factories all over the world – to ensure that all garments that are sold by our SU are made in ethical factories. Before we could launch the campaign at the Union though NUS had already joined and thus today are still campaigning for ethical purchasing having recently bought a fair-trade clothing business.
Now I am an elected officer and there have been uncountable discussions around the financial “worth” of NUS. I am however a strong believer that a union who stands up for the rights of students, that really should not be given a cost, this undermines collective action and instead only lowers us to only being consumers rather than active citizens who believe we can shape society.
So far this year, I have attended a few NUS training events, where I have met some great fellow welfare officers who have helped me with some of my projects. Perhaps the most successful being the “Safe Taxi Scheme” which I brought to Cardiff having learnt some lessons from elsewhere building on the best practice of other affiliated NUS SU’s.
Facilitating the sharing of best practice is only part of what NUS does. I have worked closely with the NUS Wales’s Women’s Officer this year who has helped me implement the zero tolerance to sexual harassment policy for the university. Such support in the first few weeks of my role has ensured that I will achieve this policy within my year.
I have recently returned for NUS national conference where policies were discussed on some amazing progressive projects specific to my role. What stands out for me is the idea of building “tenant unions” for students who want to have a large lobbying body focussed on improving student houses. Without NUS these projects couldn’t happen.
I also work closely with the Advice and Representation Centre at the Students’ Union. The work of ARC is invaluable, representing students to the university and fighting student’s rights to “Dodgy landlords” every day. The elected officers are not the only people who benefit from training but the staff at the SU who win individuals cases every day for students. ARC do such great work with huge support from the National Advice Body within NUS, behind them who guide and direct them on certain issues and have specific training a few times a year on the changes to policy as the law changes so rapidly. I urge you, if you have ever been helped by ARC, vote yes in the referendum to ensure that students continue to have the same high level of help, support and guidance when they fall in to trouble while they are at university.
So these are a few of the reasons I am supportive of NUS, just from my own experiences. If you know me though, you will be aware that I of course have many frustrations with NUS. I personally believe in collective action and having a union to stand for principles in the best interest of our demographic, no matter what policies lay with political parties. Despite this frustration, I am a strong believer that Cardiff Students have to be involved in NUS, to shape it.
Despite not being so actively involved in the following NUS successful work and campaigns, I wanted to mention them as it has had an effect on how I will be voting and feel for NUS.
London met students – You may remember in September this year, international students at London met were told by the UKBA that they were to be deported as their university lost their highly trusted status and could no longer teach international students. NUS spent thousands of pounds to win a court case and ensure that the students could stay in the country to finish their degree.
Liberation Campaigns – I have been lucky this year to work closely with many of the part time officers, LGBT+. the Women’s campaign, disabled student association, ethical & environmental and international students. The training and direction on policy to implement in the union and university, how to lobby for change and support throughout the year. Jack Oakley’s blog explains more here -. This support is invaluable.
New Green Fund for Students Unions to use to implement new green projects at students unions. Okay I definitely was involved in this project through the NUS Ethical and Environmental Committee I advice on.
New Pound in your pocket campaign on student funding, currently only focussed on English students – soon to be worked on in Wales so that students get the financial support they need while at university.
This is why I am voting YES to NUS.
I also think it is important to ask the “NO camp” what their agenda is as financially, the SU will not benefit from leaving NUS. There appears to be a political agenda in the NO Camp, lead by a political party. I will be honest, my political agenda lies in a belief that students united to fight for their rights is stronger, than when we stand apart. If you agree and are proud of what NUS have achieved so far and what they could achieve in the future vote YES to NUS.
Megan David