It’s what most of us are hoping for – a new beginning for NUS and the student movement. It’s certainly what I asked Santa for and I hope that the absence of anything substantial in my stocking is a sign that I may have actually been a good boy this year.

Christmas for me is not a religious holiday (but then again I’m joined by the majority of Britain’s population on that one), an atheist festive break is probably not dissimilar – lots of sleep, catching up with old friends but also littered with the perennial “when are you going to settle down and get married?” question from the extended family. Not too worry though, I busied myself with “Gavin and Stacey” and “Yes, Prime Minister”.

It was a very peaceful break, one which allowed the bruising to go down from Extraordinary Conference and a real chance to recharge - I’m readied now to see through what we’ve started. I’m confident that my legacy will be a healthier, happier and more prepared NUS.

It’s difficult to really demonstrate or describe to any new officer what NUS used to be like. In the not-so-quite halogen days of the late nineties/early noughties most of my time as a student activist was taken up by divisive arguments, factional obsession and people making less than complimentary leaving speeches about everyone and anyone who had disagreed with them politically during their reign in office. But it’s actually not like that now; nobody cries in NEC meetings, people don’t resign because they’ve been bullied horrifically and I don’t ever feel that someone just might lock me in a cupboard on nomination deadline day. I’m not exaggerating, these things did happen – but thankfully no longer.

I know we’re actually some way from the finishing line on governance, I know that there are tougher times and debates to come and I know (more than most) that I’m going to have some pretty down days between now and April, trying to un-blinker people and convince them that this isn’t a stitched up, bureaucratic fantasy but a better, fairer way forward. And I know that some people wont believe a word I’ve said but that’s NUS and student politics and you can try and break cultures all you like, but some are so entrenched in the procedures and practices that they will never been anything less than happily married to the organisation.

I will say though that in NUS there has been a quiet revolution happening. It’s not about education funding (yet) or even about governance (just yet). It’s about the quiet, unassuming cultural revolution that’s been happening in the Mandela Street offices and across the NUS family over the past year. An already sharper, more successful organisation than it was even eight months ago and the great organisation I’m proud to work for that genuinely improves every single month.

And it’s not a fluke. It’s actually a conscious effort by key individuals that have made a real difference and everyone has followed it. From financial information to the communication methods and strategies we use to our knowledge and reputation in the education sector, we’re building, finally, an organisation that people actually contact for information, research, guidance, advice and opinion. Not just from unions but also from charities, NGO’s and government departments – they want to know what we think again and that’s fantastic.

I’m pleased to have been part of this revolution and though not wanting to overstate my efforts, I hope I’ve played a small part in it and I hope to play and even more pivotal role in fitting in the final piece of the jigsaw – accountable officers, accessible democratic structures and increasing, rather than declining involvement.

Some may say we might need the magic of Santa on our side, but time and time again you and we prove what we can change when we work together. So let’s get to it!

Happy New Year to you all.

Stephen x

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