Working for Students (The Membership Services Show)

Working for Students (The Membership Services Show)

by Wonkhe/CounterCulture

Season 2

Swap shop, AI, SU quality

This week on the Membership Services Show, Eve from Hallam SU shares the story behind their new fabric Swap Shop – a community-led initiative offering art and design students free access to essential materials like fabric, clay, and canvases.  Callum from Arts SU introduces “Art or Algorithm” – a qualitative research project unpacking how creative students view artificial intelligence. And Danny from NUS Charity marks ten years of the Quality Students’ Union programme, revealing what we’ve learned about the student movement’s strengths. With Eve from Hallam SU, Callum from Arts SU, and Danny from NUS Charity – hosted by Livia Scott, Wonkhe’s Partnerships Coordinator, and Alan Roberts, Director of Western Europe at Counterculture. Membership Services Conference session proposals are now open! The conference team will use submissions to shape the agenda, with sessions potentially accepted as is, modified, or reworked. Engaging discussions are encouraged, and presenters can platform their work via NUS, Counterculture, and Wonkhe through podcasts and articles. Submissions should have clear yet engaging titles, accurately reflect session content, and specify the format, with one presenter per union eligible for a 10 per cent fee discount; the deadline is 1pm, Monday 12th May. You can subscribe to the show on Acast, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or via your favourite app with the RSS feed, and if you’re interested in being on, do get in touch. Hallam SU https://www.hallamstudentsunion.com/cost-of-living/shop/  Arts or algorithim https://www.arts-su.com/news/article/6013/Art-or-Algorithm/  DMCC https://wonkhe.com/blogs/honesty-and-accuracy-is-about-to-get-even-more-important/  Consumer protection law has changed, and the changes apply to universities now Quality SUs Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

PGRs, students in advice

This week on the Membership Services Show Livia and Alan talk to Ugne from the doctoral chapter of KTH Students Union in Stockholm about their groundbreaking work connecting PhD students with labour unions – addressing the unique challenges postgraduate researchers face as both students and staff, and successfully advocating for improved salary conditions after years of stagnation. Faith and Stephanie from Herts SU share how they transformed their advice service by incorporating student staff, creating an "advanced triage" system where student advisors provide peer support while professional staff handle complex casework – resulting in faster response times, better feedback collection, and enhanced student engagement. And Alan discusses his recent visit to ACUI conference in New York, highlighting the challenges facing American higher education amid changing federal policies, the re-emergence of a national student organisation, and the growing focus on basic needs centers addressing food insecurity and educational precarities. With Ugne Miniotaite from KTH Students Union's doctoral chapter, Faith and Steph from Herts SU and hosted by Livia Scott, Wonkhe's Partnerships Coordinator, and Alan Roberts, Director of Western Europe at Counterculture. Students in advice at Herts KTH Doctoral chapter KTH/Sweden tour notes Membership Services Conference session proposals are now open! The conference team will use submissions to shape the agenda, with sessions potentially accepted as is, modified, or reworked. Engaging discussions are encouraged, and presenters can platform their work via NUS, Counterculture, and Wonkhe through podcasts and articles. Submissions should have clear yet engaging titles, accurately reflect session content, and specify the format, with one presenter per union eligible for a 10 per cent fee discount; the deadline is 1pm, Monday 12th May. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Basic needs, education quality, innovative governance

This week on the Membership Services Show Livia Scott and Alan talk to Goldsmiths SU about their creative Photovoice methodology for improving student voice and governance – using photography to reimagine feedback processes and develop actionable solutions for increasing engagement with democratic procedures. Meg from LUU discusses their Essentials Hub, a comprehensive basic needs center offering food, toiletries and community events that goes beyond traditional food bank models to create a welcoming space addressing students' cost of living challenges. And Amanda from SFS (the Swedish National Union) reveals how they tackled higher education funding cuts by surveying university teachers across Sweden – gathering compelling evidence that budget constraints are reducing teacher-student contact time and affecting educational quality.  With Rhiannon, Maddie and Mana from Goldsmiths SU, Meg from Leeds University Union, Amanda from SFS (the Swedish National Union), and hosted by Livia Scott, Wonkhe's Partnerships Coordinator, and Alan Roberts, Director of Western Europe at Counterculture. Membership Services Conference session proposals are now open! The conference team will use submissions to shape the agenda, with sessions potentially accepted as is, modified, or reworked. Engaging discussions are encouraged, and presenters can platform their work via NUS, Counterculture, and Wonkhe through podcasts and articles. Submissions should have clear yet engaging titles, accurately reflect session content, and specify the format, with one presenter per union eligible for a 10 per cent fee discount; the deadline is 1pm, Monday 12th May. Essentials is LUU’s basic needs hub created for students with financial difficulties. Goldsmiths SU SFS: Low, lower, lowest – new report on teacher-led time Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Open sourcing, becoming a CEO, officer accountability

This week on the Membership Services Show, Alan and Livia explore new approaches to SU strategy and accountability. Alex Harden-Way from UCB Guild shares how the principles of "open source" can be used to grow transparency and community engagement in SU, opening up data and processes to encourage collaborative improvement. Livia also speaks to Kirsty Morrison from Teesside SU about becoming a CEO, and Alan talks to Jacob Hartmann, the Accountability and Scrutiny Chair at York SU about the strategies they've implemented to improve the outward accountability of their student officers, ensuring they are effectively serving the membership. With Alex Harden-Way, CEO at UCB Student Guild, Kirsty Morrison, CEO at Teesside SU, Jacob Hartmann, the Accountability and Scrutiny Chair at York SU and hosted by Livia Scott, Wonkhe’s Partnerships Coordinator, and Alan Roberts, Director of Western Europe at Counterculture. Membership Services Conference session proposals are now open! The conference team will use submissions to shape the agenda, with sessions potentially accepted as is, modified, or reworked. Engaging discussions are encouraged, and presenters can platform their work via NUS, Counterculture, and Wonkhe through podcasts and articles. Submissions should have clear yet engaging titles, accurately reflect session content, and specify the format, with one presenter per union eligible for a 10 per cent fee discount; the deadline is 1pm, Monday 12th May. Accountability at York SU Kirsty on LinkedIn UCB Guild Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Student nights, policy agendas, basic needs

This week on the Membership Services Show, Alan and Livia explore the power of collaboration in student events. Josh from South Bank SU and Dan from Sunderland SU in London share how they’ve built a cooperative model for events, from freshers to Halloween and beyond. By joining forces, they’ve created bigger, bolder, and more financially sustainable student nights - challenging the idea that students no longer go out and proving that unions can still be major players in the late-night economy. Livia also catches up with Jørgen from KCLSU to discuss their Union Agenda—an ambitious, long-term framework designed to shape the student experience beyond annual officer priorities. Plus, Alan talks to Phil Smith from Rutgers University about their sector-leading Basic Needs Centre in New Jersey, offering everything from food and clothing to textbook assistance and peer support. With Dan from Sunderland SU in London, Josh from South Bank SU, Jørgen from KCLSU, Phil Smith from Rutgers University and hosted by Livia Scott, Wonkhe’s Partnerships Coordinator, and Alan Roberts, Director of Western Europe at Counterculture.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Speak weeks, Community leaders, City Assemblies

This week on the Membership Services Show, Livia and Alan explore how SUs are evolving their representation and engagement models. Steph from UCLan SU shares the success of their revitalised Speak Weeks, with a creative twist on traditional engagement. Caroline from Bath Spa SU discusses their shift to student community leaders, bridging the gap between representation and community building. Mems from Sheffield SU delves into their ambitious Sheffield Student Assembly project, aiming to connect students with local representatives and amplify student voices in citywide conversations. With Steph Street-Lomas, Advocacy and Insight Manager at UCLan SU, Caroline Dangerfield, Head of Membership Engagement at Bath Spa SU, Mems Ayinla, Director of Student Influence at Sheffield SU, and presented by Livia Scott, Wonkhe’s Partnerships Coordinator, and Alan Roberts, Director of Western Europe at Counterculture. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

SU Elections special

This week on the Membership Services Show, Livia and Alan dive into SU elections. Charlotte from NUS Charity shares insights on election trends, including rising turnout and the growing number of international student candidates. Mack discusses evolving officer structures, the impact of AI on manifestos, and challenges in student engagement. And Adam from Tampere Student Union in Finland compares UK and Finnish election models, highlighting differences in representation and participation. With Adam Zeidan. Secretary General, Tampere SU, Charlotte Britton-Stevens, acting Head of Union Development at NUS Charity, Mack Marshall, Community and Policy Officer at Wonkhe and presented by Livia Scott, Wonkhe’s Partnerships Coordinator and Alan Roberts, Director of Western Europe at Counterculture.   It’s a popularity contest, but not as we know it - Tampere's SU election system Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

SUmmit, Prague’s Kampus, community organising

This week on the Membership Services Show Livia talks to Bath SU about revamping its student council into a Student SUmmit to increase accountability and policy-making impact.  Plus Alan catches up with Josef from Campus Hybernská in Prague - a collaboration between Charles University and the city of Prague which serves as a public gateway to higher education and interdisciplinary dialogue. And Livia speaks with Student Minds and Citizens UK about their community organizing campaign to improve student mental health. With Jimena Alamo and Charlie Slack from Bath SU, Josef Heřmánek from Campus Hybernská, Nicola Frampton from Student Minds, Tom Snape from Citizens UK, and presented by Livia Scott, Wonkhe’s Partnerships Coordinator, and Alan Roberts, Director of Western Europe at Counterculture. Bath SU’s SUmmit Kampus Hybernská Student Minds has joined up with Citizens UK to develop a new approach to our campaigning. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Council, international mentoring, commuters

This week on the Membership Services Show Livia talks to Edinburgh Napier SU about redesigning its student council to boost engagement and influence. Plus, Alan talks to ELTE SU in Budapest about its mentor training program for international students, and Livia talks to Royal Holloway SU about improving support for commuter students. With Réka Judit BOROS, Vice-President for Foreign Affairs at Eötvös Loránd University Student Union, Daniel Wright, Head of Representation and Leadership at Edinburgh Napier Students' Association, Elise Thornton – Research and Insight Coordinator at Royal Holloway Students’ Union and presented by Livia Scott, Wonkhe’s Partnerships Coordinator and Alan Roberts, Director of Western Europe at Counterculture. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New venue, SU elections, Spring Day

The Membership Services Show - where we discuss practice in SUs - is back for a second season. This week Alan talks to St Mary’s SU in Twickenham where against the odds, they’ve just launched a new venue - we talk how and why.  Plus Livia and Alan field a question on what’s happening this year in SU elections, and Alan talks to a union in the US about their fascinating Spring Day event. Bentley University Spring Day 2024 St Mary’s SU Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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