Outlined below are the key things to take away from the candidates’ manifestos. We have steered clear from including lots of details about their background; as we believe they said it better in their own words; so their full manifestos are available online here. It is advised you check these, to help make an informed decision on who to vote for.

It’s important to remember that many of the aims in these manifestos are stated as ‘I will’, when in fact it’s unknown whether, if elected, the candidates will be able to get the reforms and aims passed.

As well as this, unless I explicitly write it in this document after their aim, the candidate provides no method as to how they are going to achieve the aims they set out, they simply state their goal, so its unknown whether this will be possible.

 

Candidate One: Kashmire Hawker: “For A Welfare and Community Led Hallam, Vote Kashmire Hawker for SHSU Welfare and Community Officer!”

Aims:

• A new Strategic Student Housing Survey with further SNUG approved providers and more housing fairs.
• Year-round Mental Health campaigning and training..
• Greater representation in the Union for existing groups and new elected roles for Trans Students and Parents & Carers.
• A larger presence on Collegiate Campus.
• Lobbying for more Advice Centre Office opening hours.

Candidate Two: Coral Leach: “C for Coral, C for Care.”

Aims:

• Promote the services offered by the Advice Centre to students.
• Raise awareness of support network to students, especially those at Collegiate Campus.
• Running group workshops to promote positive mental health.
• Work to make phone apps which intend to help deal with stress more accessible to students.
• Ensure that all personal tutors are able to recognise and deal with student mental health issues.

Candidate Three: Kirstie Rutter: “Don’t Disappear! Vote Kirstie for Welfare!”

Aims:

• Ensuring student ambassadors and staff are paid fairly.
• Lobbying for bursaries for Part Time and Course Representatives.
• Keeping Collegiate wellbeing service there.
• More seating and casual study spaces.
• Reaching out to Sheffield Businesses to create graduate schemes and placements.
• Campaigning for a Trans* Representative to support the wellbeing of students from all gender groups.

Candidate Four: Udit Tharke: #HealthForHallam #UditForWelfare

Aims:

• Lobby for increased funding & other resources for the Student Support Service, Student Wellbeing & Disabled Student Services.
• Organise workshops to promote positive body image & agency. . Establish Siesta Spaces for students to rest between their classes.
• Procure student discounts in chain & independent stores across Sheffield. . Campaign for lower student bus & tram fares.
• Support international students with issues concerning immigration, accommodation & social integration in the UK.

Candidate Five: Sunday Yakubu: “TAKING YOUR WELFARE SERIOUSLY MAKING YOUR VOICES HEARD”

Aims:

• Adequate Representation on the University’s Equality and Diversity Board.
• New Community Members and Welfare Week
• Using social media for running critical campaigns throughout the year and for promotion.
• Creating a regular Newsletter for community members.

Candidate Six: Lauren Kaye: “Mental health, consent, bullying, financial advice and support? #VOTELOLLYLAUREN #LAURENFORWELFARE”

Aims:

• Continue the education and awareness campaigns surrounding mental health.
• Offer support and guidance for students dealing with derogatory slurs and other forms of bullying.
• Increase the awareness of financial support available at the university for those who are struggling in silence.
• Continue the education and awareness regarding consent and tackle the issue of “lad culture”.

Candidate Seven: Charlotte Freeman-Cotes: “Vote Charlotte for Welfare”

Aims:

• Add invisible disability signs to all toilets across both campuses.
• Improve information available at the Advice Centre.
• Improve food choices and ingredient labelling across Sheffield Hallam.
• Work with mental health services to review the system and waiting times for accessing support.
• Set up ‘Safe Space’ rooms to give students a quiet place to get away from the busy atmosphere of campus.

Candidate Eight: Mehran Bhayo: “Reform elections! We are against selections!”

Aims:

• Reform the election process to be more transparent.
• Expand Mental Health Services.
• Develop a student database for student housing similar to Tripadvisor.
• ‘Nap pods’ installed in the library.
• Increased access to condoms.
• Introduce free porridge/cereal for commuting students.

Candidate Nine: Tomasz Holewik

Aims:

• “There is a lot of responsibility in management position so it is really hard to put all of my ideas into small slogan but, Equality, well-being and experience at Hallam are my key areas to work on. In 2nd year I was a student rep so feedback and opinion of students are really important for improving our University and our experience.”

 

To read every candidate’s manifesto in full, please click here. They show methods and plans that they’d put in place if elected. Make sure that you vote from the 11th March up to the 15th March at 11:59AM.