Go Green Week: What is it all about?

Added on 04/02/2010

The 8 -12 February will be the UK’s third national week of student action on climate change in schools, colleges and universities. This year Go Green Week will be bigger and better than ever before, as Go Green Week comes to the 20 Universities participating in the NUS led Degree Coolers programme.

Degree Cooler unions have already been taking action locally to change student and staff behaviour, but Go Green Week will see more innovative action taking place to help solve climate change and begin the transition to low-carbon universities. There is a plethora of activities planned, from Carbon Speed Dating, to swap shops, local sustainable food stalls, green graffiti events, fashion shows, bicycle workshops, and a whole host of other activities.

Degrees Cooler Go Green Week activities will run at the following uni’s where they will seek to carry out;

• 20 carbon speed dating events which will engage over 4000 people
• 20 Degrees Cooler food, waste, energy and travel projects.
• 2000 individuals signing up to 10:10
• 10,000 people learning about climate change

The theme for Go Green Week this year is Love Your Climate, and participating People and Planer groups, students’ unions and Colleges/Universities have some great events to link into this special occasion. Degrees Cooler is limited to 20 participating Universities, but if you are not studying at these institutions there is still plenty you can do for Go Green Week.

For more information on the events, actions and fundraisers taking place for the third national Go Green Week check out the other stories in our Go Green Week campaign section.

Carbon Dating

Every Can Counts

Switch Off in Go Green Week

Go Green Activities

10:10 and Go Green Week

People and Planet

Blitz for Burma

Added on 29/01/2010

In a matter of months students who were imprisoned 21 years ago for peaceful protest in Burma could see their lives radically transformed with your help. By Autumn 2010 you could be a part of the movement which helps free these prisoners and sees them take part in establish the first elections in Burma since 1990.

We want you to get involved because we believe that together with you and your students, we will have the maximum impact. We need your involvement and would like your help in finding volunteers who could lead this day of action locally.

How you can help

All we need your union to do is commit to undertaking a day of action in mid March on Burma. We have information, printed campaign materials, including beer mats, bookmarks, posters, leaflets and hand stamps, expert speakers, free films and viral videos What we need is your passion, a little of your time, and your students. The resources we have produced are powerful, truthful and inspire people to take action.

We need your help in spreading these materials far and wide. We need a team of volunteers on each of your campuses to 'blitz it' for Burma and cover the campus in these eye catching materials. Once your campus is covered it’s time to engage more of your students, encouraging them to take action by signing petitions on and off-line directed at the Junta. We know from our friends at Amnesty International that this action does work and is effective.

Event invitation

In order to make the action successful NUS, Amnesty and the Co-op are hosting a free training session for volunteers where you will be able to meet former political prisoners from Burma and hear from them first hand about their experiences.

Where: Old Street, London
When: Monday 1 March
Cost: Free
Register: www.surveymonkey.com/s/blitzforburma

We believe this campaign could have significant benefits in complementing your local action, and help drive participation in your union.

We hope you are excited by this initiative, and I look forward to receiving your response and comments on this campaign.

United Against Fascism (UAF) National Conference 2010

Added on 28/01/2010

Unite Against Fascism is holding its annual national conference on Saturday 13 February at the TUC Congress Centre in central London.

Date: Saturday 13 February
Time: 9.30am to 5pm
Venue: TUC Congress Centre, London WC1B 3LS

UAF Conference Flyer

This will be a crucial event for everyone who opposes the fascist British National Party and wants to prevent it from making gains at the next general and local elections. It will also be a focus for all those resisting the rise of racist anti-Muslim groups such as the English Defence League.

The climate of racism against immigrants and Muslims, together with harsh and uncertain economic circumstances, have created conditions that have allowed the Nazis to grow. The BNP has been steadily building support over the past few years, culminating them gaining two MEP seats at the last European elections. Now BNP leader Nick Griffin intends to stand for parliament in Barking, a constituency where the fascists already have 11 councillors.

But the BNP has not gone unopposed. In the past year Unite Against Fascism has organised dozens of high-profile protests, rallies and campaigns against the Nazis. We helped disrupt Griffin's press conference, blockade the BNP's annual rally in Derbyshire, and most recently organised a huge protest outside the BBC studios when Griffin appeared on Question Time. UAF groups around the country have also regularly opposed the EDL in cities such as Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds.

The next six months will be vital for turning the tide against the fascists. UAF stands for uniting everyone who wants to fight back against the BNP and EDL - black and white, gay and straight, people of all religions and none. Come along to our conference and find out how you can join the movement.

Register now!

Fees are £25 for organisation delegates, £10 for individuals, or £5 for unwaged/students.

 To book please call 020 7801 2782 or go to www.uaf.org.uk

Holocaust Memorial Day

Added on 27/01/2010

Holocaust Memorial Day is the international day of remembrance for the victims of the Holocaust and of other genocides.

Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) is the international day of remembrance for the victims of the Holocaust and of other genocides. On it, we commemorate victims, honour survivors and commit to tackling prejudice, discrimination and racism in the present day. We encourage nations to conquer genocide and atrocity and individuals to stand up against hatred.

HMD is marked each year on 27 January – the anniversary of the date of the liberation of Nazi death camp Auschwitz-Birkenau. HMD sets out to motivate people to make sure that the horrendous crimes committed during the Holocaust and in more recent genocides, are neither forgotten nor repeated, whether in Europe or elsewhere in the world.

Across the country events will be taking place. To find out more about the events in your area, or how you can commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day click here.

If you are interested in inviting a Holocaust survivor to speak in your Union you can contact the Association of Jewish Refugees   or the Holocaust Education Trust.

Further information and resources

For more resources please see the following links:

www.holocaust-history.org
www.holocaustsurvivors.org
www.aegistrust.org/

General Election 2010 - Vote for Students

Added on 21/01/2010

We are delighted to announce that we will be launching NUS’ General Election 2010 Campaign on Monday 1 February.

The forthcoming General Election will be closest election since 1992- making the student vote even more important. This is why it is crucial that students’ unions register, educate and mobilise students for this election.

Our websites

Our General Election Hub on OfficerOnline will have all the latest information and resources on the election. You can access materials now; however more resources will be available on the official launch on 1 February and throughout the campaign. Add this to your list of favourite websites as we will be updating this on a weekly basis.  

On our Hub you will find all the information you will need on: 

1. Our ‘Vote for Students’ branding;
2. Running student registration drives;
3. Educating your members on the issues;
4. Helping you get your members go out to vote on polling day.

A central aspect of the campaign will be our brand new ‘Vote for Students’ website. This will ask individual students to pledge to use their vote to protect students’ interests at the General Election. We will be using this data to educate members of where there candidates stand on the issues of fees and also to pressurise candidates in the run up to the election.

What we are asking you to do:

We are asking each students’ union to set a target for the number of students they can get signed up to the website. Please read the attached FAQ and contact your Regional Organiser or Development Worker to discuss your students’ unions target. We are asking all students’ unions to internally agree their targets and inform their RO/DW by 30 January.

Frequently asked documents (FAQs)

We have produced a frequently asked questions (FAQs) document which will provide more information on the Vote for Students website along with information on what you can expect from NUS in the run up to the election. Make sure you read through this document and let us know if you have any questions/concerns.

If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to get in touch with your Regional Organiser or Development Worker who will be happy to help.