So my year on the Block of 12 has come to an end. It’s been an interesting, varied and challenging year when lots of things I expected to happen, didn’t; and lots of things I didn’t expect to happen, did.

There have been some down sides. Being on the Block of 12 has not always been the easiest or most pleasant of experiences. Even existing on the block of 12 is a challenge; we are expected to do around ten days of work per month (many of us end up doing much more) on an honorarium of £200 and a mobile phone allowance of £70. For those who are still students it’s a bit of help to struggle with those spiralling debts and for the rest of us, completely insufficient to live on, especially if you live in London (which I’d highly recommend as it makes it much easier to do your job properly). It doesn’t even cover the cost of rent. Thankfully, I’ve had a flexible part-time job alongside and have been able to live at home, but nonetheless I’m in more debt than when I started out. Contrary to some of the perennial rumours put about, Labour students do not receive any additional income from the Labour party!

At the very beginning of the year, we felt the need to scrap daily allowances to save the block of 12 (more on that later). The overnight allowances that remain (£10 if you stay with a friend £5 if NUS provide accommodation) are often woefully inadequate in covering the costs of working away from home. On Regional Conferences, for example, I always end up about £75 out of pocket, just on food alone and I know of block members that have sent apologies to regionals simply because they can’t afford to be there.

These factors make me worry that in the future block of 12 membership will become the preserve of those who can afford to do it, either because their parents support them, or because they have a nice little middle class trust fund stowed away somewhere.

Not working full-time in the office makes it difficult to work effectively. It’s more difficult to get to know the relevant staff and how to access resources needed. Apart from our travel budgets, we have no budgets of our own to fulfil the mandates we were elected on. That said, while these factors are obstacles to getting the job done, they are not insurmountable if you have a bit of initiative.

Those downsides not withstanding, I have loved every minute of being on the Block of 12 and I’m so grateful to those who voted for me last for giving me this opportunity. I’ve travelled all over the country, met many different students with different experiences, harangued ministers, heckled the opposition and hassled vice-chancellors. I was given the opportunity to visit Israel, attend the inaugural conference of the South African Union of Students and represented NUS UK at a conference in Poland; I’ve worked with student officers across FE and HE, from Russell Group to post-’92 institutions; I fulfilled my mandates and continued to tackle the issues I pursued when I was a sabbatical officer. I led our work on teacher training, responded to the government’s Youth Green Paper and played an active part, as far as I could, to oppose those aspects of the Immigration Bill that threatened the rights of our members. I’ve played an active role in the FE campaign and learnt more than I thought possible about the challenges and success stories of that sector. I’ve delivered speeches at lobbies and demonstrations and supported unions with campaigns locally. From each and every person I’ve met this year I’ve learnt something.

This year, I’ve been part of a Block of 12 that has generally justified why we need to retain it. Political diversity is important. I may not always agree with some of my colleagues, but debates on the NEC this year have been far richer thanks to the contributions of block of 12 members and long may this culture of debate, discourse and dissent continue.

But the block of 12 has not just been a talking shop. We’ve all been out there getting things done and undertaking the work you mandate us to do at conference. Sometimes this involved supporting full time officers with their work scheme; at other times it involved undertaking work of our own. All of us have had our part to play.

Before I conclude the last blog on the block, there are some people I’d like to thank for their support and encouragement during the past year or so. There are too many to list individually and I think I’ll save my sentimental ramblings for when I choose to leave NUS or the membership choose to boot me out(!). I would, however, like to thank my comrades on the NEC this year, James Knight, Jo Salmon and Judith Niven, the long-suffering but indefatigable Jenny Duncan and, of course Melanie Ward and Gareth Smith.

Gareth, you’ve been an outstanding chair of Labour students and an excellent friend. To those who think Labour students say one thing and do another, I wish they could have seen you in action this year, putting in the ground work with cabinet ministers, junior ministers and MPs alike to keep the cap; supporting students’ unions struggling with the AUT dispute; or lobbying Bill Rammell to take on Imperial over their ban on the veil. You’ve been everything a good chair should be and more and I know we’ll be friends for a long time.

Mel, the leadership you’ve shown in NUS Scotland and the campaigns you have fought and won for students has given us a benchmark to aspire to. I hope I can do my bit to make NUS UK as effective. It’s been great working so closely with you this year and I’m sad we won’t be listening to REM in a pub after NEC meetings anymore. Thank you so much for taking me to South Africa this year. I hope the work you started to build a meaningful internationalism campaign, not one that’s based on ridiculous and polarised debates at conference, can be continued during the year ahead.

Looking at some of the huge personalities and figures leaving NUS shortly fills me with some degree of sadness. I have enjoyed working with some of you more than others and in one of two cases we’ve had our fair share of ups, downs and downright blazing rows (haven’t we Kat?!). Nevertheless, I wish you all the very best for the future. I hope and know that we haven’t seen the last of many of you.

While my time on the Block of 12 has come to an end, I’m pleased that my time in NUS hasn’t. I’m looking forward to the year ahead, as NUS continues to change and adapt to an ever-changing educational landscape. I hope to play an important role in leading that change and responding to the challenges that lie ahead, as your next VP Education.

Wes

e wes.streeting@nus.org.uk

m 07738 477 353

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