Hello, my name is Matthew (he/him) and I am a third year Politics, Philosophy and Economics student. I have spent the previous four years at Goldsmiths and believe myself to understand the issues which matter most within the student body.
I am standing for election as your Campaigns and Activities Officer on a platform which commits without compromise to uphold and represent an ethos of diversity and inclusion, something I strongly believe to exist at the core of Goldsmiths University student body. Furthermore, I will actively seek to foster a community which represents and defends the wider interests of the student body through student-led initiatives and engagement with those it represents.
Addressing the Cost of Living Crisis
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Having worked at a foodbank in my hometown of Wrexham, I am familiar with the nature of the Cost of Living crisis and how it impacts individuals. I do not believe the University to be, at present, offering adequate services for students which address the growing financial burden shouldered by living and studying in London.
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Such inaction is a desertion of the responsibilities of welfare of its students, which the university has a commitment to.
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I will lobby the university on the means-tested grants currently offered, which lag significantly behind comparable University of London campuses. Alongside this, I will seek to establish a Student Foodbank in order to provide tangible and necessary support to students who find themselves in times of hardship.
Provide Proactive Support
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Issues of social justice exist at the heart of Goldsmiths. It is vital that the student body is emboldened to speak out against the injustices it sees by the representation it receives from its union.
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Awareness campaigns on issues which impact the BAME and LGBTQ+ communities to foster an environment in which the student body feels supported.
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In creating an open forum through both online and in-person measures, I will proactively seek to represent the student body in such a fashion which actively represents the interests of Goldsmiths students.
Foster an Inclusive Sporting Environment
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Having held numerous roles at Goldsmiths Football Club, from playing to coaching to holding the position of Social Secretary, I am well aware of the issues present across sporting societies and the lack of community which has been present throughout the sporting collective of Goldsmiths.
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As such, I will commit to embolden and bring together the sporting communities of Goldsmiths in order to foster a wider family which encompasses the whole of the sporting community. Through holding monthly forums with sports leaders, I will seek to liaise closely with those who most intimately understand their societies in order to curate a collective body which actively seeks to uphold an ethos of inclusivity throughout the sporting society.
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Issues such as homophobia, transphobia and racism have during my time at Goldsmiths been noted across a number of sports clubs yet the nature in which such issues have been addressed has, in my view, been wholly inadequate. As such, a disciplinary process which engages in confronting such issues is a necessary step in allowing the sporting body of Goldsmiths to flourish as a safe space for all.
Should I be fortunate enough to be elected as your Campaigns and Activities Officer, I make an unwavering commitment to the upholding of the values which Goldsmiths proudly embodies. I will seek to cultivate a student experience which listens to and actively supports those who reside within it. The 3 pledges I have made in this manifesto exist as concise, though many more initiatives and actions will be taken as I seek to empower the collective student body.
Thank you!