REMEMBER TO VOTE FOR ME
WHO AM I?
My name is Samuel Shipp. I’m a year 2 Music Computing student. I am normally the most brightly dressed person in any room, but the competition at Goldsmiths is hot! I am a student rep for my course, so I have a history of advocating for students. My aim is to be approachable, and I have no qualms about passing on the sometimes-uncomfortable truth to those with the power to change things. On our course, we made online lecture recordings available, so that disabled and unwell students don’t get a second-class experience.
I was diagnosed with ADHD two years ago. Around the same time, I developed a chronic pain in my wrist which prevented me from typing and handwriting. I was pretty upset about the lack of facilities in the library for someone like me. That might sound dramatic, but I don’t want to be a prisoner in my own bedroom, and unable to work anywhere else. At the nadir of my dysfunction, I was unable to continue studying, and I was diagnosed with severe depression and anxiety.
Part of my recovery was identifying my purpose in life – to liberate everyone else who is lost in the darkness. Thankfully, I have made a full recovery. But so many members of my generation, and of our university, still suffer. Let’s bring a sense of urgency and vigilance to this pandemic of pain.
I spend most of my time working on campaigns to deliver change for disabled, neurodivergent, and mentally ill people. I was interviewed for Channel 4 News, on behalf of Open Britain, where I explained how young disabled people are being thrust into a state of anxiety and depression by the housing crisis, the cost-of-living crisis, and the crisis of healthcare.
WHAT I WILL DO
In the first liberation group meeting after my election we will vote on all of my policy proposals, and any other proposals people have.
- Goldsmith’s does not have internal mental healthcare provision. I don't think this is good enough. I want to start providing group therapy sessions to support members of our liberation groups, whilst we secure the resources for individual therapy.
- The fastest growing disability is ADHD. Positive-thinking ADHD life-coaching fundamentally changed my outlook on life and on my condition, so I will invite an ADHD coach to a special liberation group meeting. I will gauge liberation group demand for an autism coach, and more.
- Better advertisement for our liberation group, including posters and going into classes to explain what we do (if you feel comfortable doing this).
- I will campaign for the Office for Students 2019 report recommendations to help our disabled students be implemented.
- The university should require and support lecture capture. It is not consistently available, putting unwell and disabled student’s learning at risk.
- Lecturers should use microphones to record and project their voices.
- Visual aids should be high contrast and clearly visible.
- Repetitive strain injuries are an increasing problem in universities. The university should promote healthy seating positions, for example correct posture and typing safely.
- Sport is especially beneficial for disabled people, whether you are healing from a physical injury, or suffering from loneliness. I want to see a subsidised gym / leisure centre membership offered to all students, and more use of such facilities by societies and informal groups.
- The student union and the university should write an open letter to the government requesting an increase in the maintenance loan amount. Half of students now work part-time whilst they study, and the negative effects of burnout are disproportionately impacting our disabled community.