Introduction

Hi, I'm Rebecca and I'm a 4th year psychology student. 

Drawing from experiences working full time before university, getting involved with various student activities over the years and working closely with AUSA and the wider sporting community to grow the archery club as captain for the last 3 years, I think I will bring relevant skills and dedication for improvement to the role of VP for Activities.

What are your three priorities for the year?

My three main priorities for this year are:

• Continuing to work on communication between activities and the SU so that students are listened to on what support they want without increasing the workload on committees
• Spaces for activities: I will aim to increase access to spaces that can be dedicated just to student activity use (training and socially), and lobby the uni to invest in already existing and rundown facilities
• Inclusivity and widening access: from having specific resources for disability sports, to an actually affordable Activities Ball, I want to everyone to be able to take part in the amazing student activities available.

What unique skill/knowledge can you bring to the role to stand out from the other candidates? 

Having combined running a large club with little resources for 3 years with training hard for personal performance in my sport, I have learned a great many skills that I feel directly apply to this role.  Being captain taught me how to listen and include many differing opinions in my decision making, as well as the confidence to speak up for the opinions of the people I represent.  I understand that effective communication is the most useful tool anyone in a leadership role can have and being able to accept and consider all points of view leads to better outcomes for everyone. 

Leading and developing the club as I have, from a medium sized club with little recent success and more demand than resources, to a large club with a network of connections, a wide range of skills, and a drive to both improve opportunities and perform at a higher level, has been the most rewarding thing I have done so far.  I believe this experience has given me the motivation to do more in the area of student activities, I want to see what I can do to improve things at this organisational level and what I can learn from working with the vast range of activities at UoA.

What do you think is the biggest issue that students are facing at the moment and how do you plan to tackle it? 

I think the biggest issue the majority of students are facing at the moment is balancing the cost of living with the demands of university life and the extra things most people need to do to actually enjoy the university experience.  I want to reduce barriers to taking part in activities, including money, there are so many missed opportunities that students can benefit from.  I will lobby the uni to set up a fund for students who support themselves, for support in getting involved and I will make as many spaces and resources as possible available to students so that the financial strain of staying socially and physically active for the benefit of your own health is lessened.