Yes, for those of you with eagle eyes, I am unfortunately leaving post slightly early as I have been offered a job that I would be foolish to turn down. So I am sorry to tell you all this, YES I am finally leaving student politics, and hitting the real world.
When I sat down to write this piece, I wasn’t sure whether to write something witty or sad or philosophical, you know, to part my final words of wisdom on all you students and student officers in Wales, but I thought, I am just going to write this as I see fit, so apologies in advance for any rubbish that I spout, no more than normal I guess!
NUS Wales has moved on massively since I started and will continue to develop and grow after I’ve moved on. In my opinion the last eighteen months have seen radical changes under the leadership of Katie Dalton, and I am for one, thrilled to see me leaving an organisation that is fighting fit and winning for students. We’ve had a really successful couple of years and I don’t think we’re in any way good enough at telling our members that we’ve done a good job.
Take for instance Katie’s work on the National Bursary Framework. This has been a challenging journey for the HE sector in general in the past year. But due, in part, to the fantastic work that NUS Wales and Katie herself achieved, through active engagement with HEFCW, both DCELLS Ministers (Jane Hutt and Leighton Andrews) and other stakeholders, NUS Wales managed to secure a National Bursary Framework for Wales. This is a significant win for students which mean an equality of outcome in student support to all students in Wales. I have sat next to Katie all year, and have seen how she stood up for students and fought for what was right. To me NUS Wales’ work on the National Bursary Framework has been a perfect example of student representation at its best, and I just hope that the Minister and the Government see the value of this new framework, a model that I know Lord Browne is actively looking at as part of his review of higher education funding in England. How fantastic would it be to see NUS Wales achieving something that the rest of the UK will follow?
Talking of lobbying and engagement, NUS Wales has started significant change this year in FE representation. It’s true that I was never an FE student, and in all fairness many could claim, what would I know about FE issues? Well quite a lot actually!
I also was proud to launch the NUS Wales Vision for FE to set out where we thing college education should go over the next decade. And, finally, I am proud to have seen FE student engagement within NUS Wales grow while I’ve been here and I set you all the challenge of keeping this growth going after I’ve moved on.
By engaging with students, the sector and the Government, NUS Wales has helped to transform FE representation in Wales, for the better, and this is something that I am incredibly proud of. Since being in post NUS Wales has worked hard with stakeholders like ColegauCymru and others to win a real chance for change with the new FE Learner Involvement Strategies Guidance.
By engaging and working with a population that makes up nearly 70% of our membership, NUS Wales has really delivered on changing the way these learners engage and learn in their institutions, and I can’t wait to see this work go from strength to strength under Michaela next year. I am proud that I have achieved all the goals I set out for FE this year, and I really do hope this success continues.
I want to take this opportunity to throw in a few thank you’s before I leave. Firstly to you, the membership. You have made my time in this role fantastic, and I just want to thank each and every officer and student who I have met, who has come to conference or a training event or has inputted into any lines of our work. I have been lucky to be given this opportunity to represent you on a national level, and I hope you feel I did a good job.
Secondly, to all the stakeholders I have worked with during my time in office. ColegauCymru, in particular to the Chief Executive, John Graystone, who has been a huge supporter of what we have done this year. I would also like to thank all the officials we have worked with in the Welsh Assembly Government for their support in helping us change the scenery of FE representation this year.
Finally, a big thank you to everyone at NUS and NUS Wales. NEC, it’s been an adventure and thanks to each and everyone of you, the staff at NUS HQ and NUS Scotland, a big thank you for putting up with me and my Welsh tendencies, I know understanding me is a huge challenge, and you all did ok I think!
And a massive thank you to the NUS Wales staff, you are absolute legends. We would not have achieved anything this year if it wasn’t for all your hard work and patience in dealing with me. Students across Wales will forever be indebted to you. I guess I better say thanks to Katie and Estelle too, who have been a constant annoyance with their banter, and I guess for their support too in everything I did!
That’s me done. I hope I have achieved what was expected from me during my time in office. It has been one hell of an experience. Next stop is a job as a Research and Policy Officer with RNID Cymru, I guess I am one graduate who can put their degree to some use!
Thanks again,
Lleu