5 Reasons to Run for Elections
If you’re passionate about making change for students, then the position of a Full Time Officer could be perfect for you. Our FTOs are paid £27k to represent students, whilst making a lasting and influential change at Bristol University.
We have seven FTO roles on offer, each extremely important and each providing you with the opportunity to improve student life in Bristol. To decide which role is right for you, why don’t you take look at each of the job descriptions.
Now if that isn’t convincing enough, here are some MORE reasons to apply – the clock is ticking…
Nominations close on the 20 February!
But, why should you run for Election?
❎You’re passionate about democracy and representation
At Bristol SU, we are a democracy – so you’ll be elected by your peers to represent them. You’ll be joined by a community of hundreds of different reps who stand up for student courses, halls of residence, and integral aspects of student life such as health, well-being and living costs.
Being selected by your fellow students is hugely rewarding and working as a FTO at Bristol SU will give you the platform you need to make lasting change for students. You’ll also have the unique opportunity to learn more about democratic systems and how they work from the inside – so you can make an impact on the outside.
🔊You’re an activist who wants to improve the experiences of Bristol students
You probably find yourself from time to time thinking, “I wish someone would do something about that...”
Is there something you would have changed in your experience, that now given the chance you can make happen? If so, you should consider running for a role.
As we all know, nothing lasts forever and by being elected you will find yourself in unique spaces with experienced, higher-education community members. This will be the perfect chance to say how you and the students you’re representing feel, whilst outlining what changes you want to see at the SU and wider university.
Students need individuals to come forward and give them a voice – from course reps to FTOs. These roles can help you create the change that’s needed to improve the lives of over 30,000 Bristol students!
📢You are keen to be a future leader, who wants to develop leadership skills
Perhaps you are the President of a society, or the captain of a sports team. Maybe you’re the person who always speaks up in seminars. Either way, if you have a passion for making things happen then you would make a perfect leader here at the SU.
Through an elected position, you will learn how to create positive, communal impact, whilst gaining valuable leadership, organisation, and project management experience.
Ultimately, you will aid in leading a multi-million-pound organisation – making sure it can do anything and everything for its students. Many of our FTOs have utilised the skills they learnt during their time in the role and have gone on to be leaders in different sectors – how cool is that?
Don’t let this opportunity be the one that got away!
🤗You care about your community
As an elected representative, you will have the power to better represent all students, raising the voices of those who may be quieter than others. We want ALL communities to be heard.
Perhaps you have plans to work to remove current language barriers for your community, to better develop representation. Or you want to make the university and SU more inclusive, through societies, courses or all areas of student life. Either way, you’ll play an essential role in engaging the SU and university with your passion for the student community, bringing it to the attention of others, and making everyone’s experiences a whole lot better.
So, if you want your experiences to both be seen and heard, then this role is the right one for you.
Not keen on a full time role? Why don't you check out the new Student Commmunity Organiser roles, they might be right up your street!
⭐You want to receive training and experience for your future career
On the one hand, some students know exactly what they want to do after they graduate. It might be a graduate scheme, or a full-time job. On the other hand, they have no clue (and that’s okay too!). By representing the student community, you will develop skills that will help you stand out from the crowd in the competitive job market. You’ll receive training and 1:1 mentoring from politics and representation experts, as well as guided by SU staff.
Networking isn’t just something that’s done by simply connecting with people on LinkedIn or having a chat at the office. It’s so much more and you’ll be surrounded by various individuals throughout, meeting different people from the community and officers at other universities who share the same goals as you. You will even get to work alongside Russell Group Networks and Regional Networks – there’s no other role quite like it!
What makes this role truly special is only a handful of people can say they’ve done it. So, if you’re keen to get ahead of the game and receive professional training for the future then look no further. Plus, you’ll become a trustee of a charity that represents over 30,000 members.
Sounds sweet, right? Then what are you waiting for – nominate yourself today.
