Voting opened yesterday in DCU for the election of the new Students’ Union representatives. Four candidates are running for the position of Vice President for Welfare & Equality, with each offering very different ideas and plans.
Padraig Henry is a final year Communications student. He is hoping to reduce the financial burden for students by working with both the library and Campus Residences, as well bringing in regular voluntary guest speakers to offer support with regards topics like mental health.
The main itch that made Henry run is the prospect of being a counsellor-like figure for people and making a positive impact in people’s lives through trust and likeability.
“The reason I ran in the first place is because I love playing an advisory role and I love people coming to me for advice,” He said, “I’d like to think I am approachable, but I’d like to think I am approachable through all ways on campus.
On the importance of integration between campuses, he said: “I think with a lot of issues with St Pats will involve them coming to me next year and be like, ‘Look, this is what is wrong,’ and then I can help them since I know what the situation is, but it is also about being on their campus as regularly as I can.”
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To view Padraig’s manifesto, click here
Jason Bolton is a 22-year-old Analytical Science student running for the position of VP for Welfare & Equality in this year’s Students’ Union Elections. He is running his campaign based on improving mental health counselling services, a bigger promotion of sexual health as well as addressing the issue of fines in on-campus student accommodation.
Bolton believes that his own experience of using the Welfare Officer during his time in DCU makes him a qualified candidate to give back to the students of the college.
He said: “I feel that I genuinely care the most. I’m experienced in the SU but that alone is not going to make you a good Welfare Officer. For this position I believe that you have to be driven and you have to care about the five main aspects of the role.
“You have to care about people, which I do. I think that you need to have previous experience with the topics that I have mentioned and I feel like I do have this experience. I know how it feels to go through bad times and I also know what it feels like to go through good times in DCU and although we are all going to go through both, I think for a Welfare Officer you need someone that is going to care for you and get you through it.”
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To view Jason’s manifesto, click here
Olivia Nwachukwu is a final year Health and Society student. She is the Chair of AfricaSoc and feels this privilege puts her in a great position to further integrate DCU’s wealth of varying ethnicities.
“The big thing for me is cultural diversity. It is a bit hard for minorities to relate to other students if they can’t see them in office. I think if I was there, I would be a point of contact to make for minorities who are on campus,” she said.
Nwachukwu has been planning on running for quite a while, with the origins of a potential campaign being seeded all the way back to an event during her first Fresher’s Week when she bumped into former Welfare Officer Eve Kerton, who she says inspired her.
She added: “In my manifesto, I want to tackle the mental health issues students have. I believe in prevention. That means, finding out those certain triggers for you and trying to work your way around them and not letting yourself get in that way by creating practices of head-space and mindfulness so you can detoxify from certain environments for a few hours every day.”
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To view Olivia’s manifesto, click here
Maria Lawlor is a final year St. Pat’s student studying Education and she is one of four candidates running to become next year’s Welfare and Equality Officer. She told The College View that Welfare and equality is a position she is hugely passionate about and would have no problem undertaking the role if elected.
“It would mean a lot to me if I was voted in. It’s a position that I feel is made for me. I’d like to bring a bit of fun to the job but I also realise that it is a huge responsibility. I’m really approachable and if any student has any problem they can come to me and it’s no issue at all; we just want the best for every student,” she said.
Maria’s manifesto outlines 3 specific points that she wishes to address if so elected as Welfare Officer which are improving the services of the student support centre, implementing a buddy system for first year students and addressing the changes that have been seen since the beginning of the amalgamation in the Glasnevin and St.Pats campuses.
On the Incorpoation Programme which was finalized this year, she said: “There seems to be some bad blood between the St. Pats students and I’d like to try and change this. I feel like there needs to be more events on each campus and with the opening of the hub next year, that would be a great opportunity for the different campuses to come together.”
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To view Maria’s manifesto, click here
Aaron Gallagher