It seems like a lifetime ago that I was sat in a pizza restaurant in Blackpool waiting for the results of the Block of 12 elections. But here we are three months later and I’m writing my first blog as a fully fledged National Executive Committee member. Policy passed by our membership mandates me as a part-time officer to blog at least once a month, however it doesn’t state how or what I should blog. So unsure of what I should write or what you want to read, I’ve decided that I will blog monthly with my movements so that you can see what work I’m doing within my designated zones whilst intermediately blogging about specific subjects to give you an insight into my feelings on certain things that occur throughout the year.

So here goes:

June/July – August 2007

Governance Review Steering Group

At Annual Conference ’07 policy was passed that mandated the NEC to have an overarching review of its governance – that’s to say a review of its whole being from processes to finances. The first thing that had to be done was the establishment of a working group that would consult, discuss and produce recommendations for the NEC.

The membership of the group is made up different aspects of the student movement including staff members, external stakeholders, members of the SMT and three members of the NEC of which I am one. We have so far met twice discussing why we we’re here, what had gone before, how this particular process was going to work and what was going to be the end product of our group discussions.

Wales Consultation Event

A part of the group's scoping exercises we visited each NUS nation. I took the short trip over the Severn Bridge to discuss the review with officers in Wales. This well attended event took place at Glamorgan Students' Union and followed an initial consultation event with the NUS Wales Executive. The governance structures of the special nations (NUS Wales, NUS Scotland and NUS –USI) are not in question; however it was important for us and for members in these autonomous organisations to understand the somewhat complicated relationship between all parts of NUS.

This was followed more recently by the England Consultation Event – very similar to the events that had taken place in Glamorgan, Edinburgh and Belfast last month this event brought together both incoming and outgoing officers and students' union staff. It was an opportunity for spleens to be vented on both the Green Paper and the draft Mission, Vision & Values.

I believe it was always the intention that the steering group would be as concise as possible to allow for difficult decisions to be made as promptly as possible. However I also believe that made it even more important for there to be as many opportunities as feasible for people to feed into the group’s discussions; as a member of the steering group I found these events invaluable.

This won’t be the last time I blog about the governance review over the year – please look out for my thoughts and feelings during the coming months.

FE Leadership

This took place over four days in London and brought together Further Education student leaders from around the country to take part in both the introductory and advanced level courses. In conjunction with CEL (Centre for Excellence in Leadership) the course was designed to equip student officers with the tools to fulfil their roles as leading learners. It covered the changes in government policy and its effect on them, being a student advocate and how to be an effective student governor. Following the report by Lord Foster and the Further Education Bill, changes are taking place within the FE sector to ensure that the learner’s voice is being heard louder than ever. Thanks to the hard work done previously by the NUS FE Campaign, now contained within instruments and articles, is that come September 2007, each college must have to have at least two student governors on its governor body (and up to three); it is hoped that this and other courses that are going to take place over the year will ensure that these individuals are skilled and confident in their roles.

I had a great time on this course not only because it gave me an insight into something that I had little practical experience of, it was also refreshing to see a large group of student officers who do not have the rich resources that their equivalents in the HE sector, but who are still determined to right all the wrongs that they see within their colleges. As I have been assigned responsibilities within the FE zone I’m look forward to working with Beth and these officers over the next year to ensure the continued achievements of such an active and successful zone.

Regional New Officer Reception – Reading, South Region & Brunel, London Region

This does exactly what it says on the tin. It was an opportunity for new and returning officers to meet each other, NUS regional staff and members of the NEC. There was a presentation by Endsleigh, discussion about the governance review green paper and workshops on what officers in different positions had planned for the year ahead.

This was the first event I attended last year on my own as President and was a great introduction to what NUS is all about and probably the reason I was able to attend again this year in my new position.

As a member of the Block of 12 I was able to request responsibility for a super region – my first choice was the South as it was the region where I’d spent my time as a student/student officer and I now live in the South East.

NEC Residential – Chester

I have been on three Exec summer residential training events over the last few years, however that was when I was part of a group of seven and not twenty seven and with people who I was either friends with or knew very well. So it was to be a long four days at Trafford Hall in Chester – or so I thought, actually it was far more educating and beneficial than I believed it would be. We learnt how we react in certain situation, what motivates us and what are our strengths and weaknesses; whilst also doing more practical tasks around our place within the organisation and of course how to claim expenses (something really important to a Block member!). Being altogether in one place also allowed us to have initial discussion about the governance review and to draft the new Mission, Vision & Values (see www.officeronline.co.uk for more details). But whatever our differences were in the daytime were put to one side to unite under the medium of music – and in particular karaoke! From Kat’s brilliant portrayal of Whitney Houston to Stephens’s stunning rendition of Wuthering Heights – we saw a side to each other that we necessarily didn’t realise existed and for once we managed to focus on our similarities as well as our differences. We were also given our responsibilities here too – look out for me hanging about the Further Education and Higher Education Zones!

NUS Officer Development Programme – Action on Finance & Resources, Leicester

Now this doesn’t on first inspection sound like the most exciting course that NUS runs and (like me) you wouldn’t be wrong to think so. However this course is designed to cover, what is for some, one of the most important aspects of a students' union; its finances and the best way to run an organisation on a designated budget! But actually it is less to do with balance sheets and more to do with providing students with strong, active and sustainable students' unions. The course covered everything from ‘what is a management account’ to ‘how to operate a greener students' union’ and ‘NUS Extra - making it work for you and your students’ to ‘your relationship with senior staff members’. The officers who attended were from a diverse range of students' unions with block grants from £100,000 to £2 million and from a whole host of different positions.

As President I would try my hardest not to get involved with the operational side of my union, as I felt that my role was to do so much more than to look after a shop or a bar. But more than ever I can see that it isn’t that simple and that there is a correlation with having a union that’s capable of providing good activities and representation and one that is well resourced. So I came away with more of an understanding of what the life of finance and/or services sabbatical is and a few more friends for facebook. My highlight of the week had to be Sabb Hunt (a mega version of hid and seek with grow-up people and water!) where I tried hard to get somebody very wet and ended up wetter (sorry Asad!) - All in all a good few days!

Liberation 2007 – De Montfort, Leicester

A great event that is designed as a networking and educational event - I attended last year and even though I understood the issues around the Women’s and LGBT Campaigns it gave me the opportunity learn more about Black Students and Disabled Students Campaigns. The officers from each campaign also had the chance to showcase the priority campaigns for the year ahead. Through all the hard work of those involved this was a successful event and even though the immense tiredness, one I found as useful and enjoyable as last year.

If you’re thinking of holding a liberation event in your union this year make sure you contact the specific officers as they are the members of the NEC who know/understand the issues and are perfectly placed to signpost you to the relevant people/organisations in the sector – they’re the ONLY members to have been elected by their autonomous conferences to be the experts in that field.

Mayors Reception

….and finally the last thing I did in July was to visit City Hall and the Mayor of London’s Student Officer Reception. This was a gathering of all officers from London institutions to find out ways in which the GLA can help them and vice-versa; it was also an opportunity for the Mayor to highlight some of his campaigns that effect students as students and as Londoners. That just left me to look forward to supporting the Mayor's re-election campaign next Spring.

As well as the above I’ve also attended my first meeting at the National Union of Teachers, at the British Medical Association, two NEC meetings as well as Mature Students' National Committee, LGBT Committee and Disabled Students' Committee meetings.

That’s it my first blog finished and it wasn’t as painful as I thought it might have been – I just hope that you feel the same.

Until next time…In Unity

Katie Curtis x

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