Yesterday I explained what Brighton SU has to offer the 7000 or so new students who have started with us this week. I didn't really however go into the details about my area of work, the Wellbeing Zone.
The Zone was only set up a year and a half ago to fill a void that has been missing from Brighton SU for quite a while, what was traditionally known as Welfare. However as the Union was deciding upon a new structure, it became clear that the traditional SU welfare role would not be relevant to Brighton SU.
The 1980's model of welfare was always around providing services for students, specifically around sexual health, child care facilities and a student advice centre. Now don't get me wrong, this services are as needed for students now as they ever have been, more so in some cases. However we have always had a very good working relationship with the University of Brighton, so when they offered to take our Welfare services allowing us to concentrate our resources in other areas, the Union at the time agreed, as long as they were able to have a continued role directing the services work.
Therefore the old model of the welfare sabb controlling the welfare services didn't seem to fit as there are no welfare services! And so Wellbeing was born.
The Wellbeing Zone is all about the holistic view of the student experience, realising that ensuring services should be provided for students, but that the SU in many cases is not the best mechanism for delivering these services. Te Zine works very closely with the University and local businesses and arms of local government to ensure that the best services are offered to Brighton students.
The Zones tag line read something like this:
To promote and develop the physical, mental, spiritual and environmental Wellbeing of all students at the University of Brighton.
All these terms are used in the broadest possible meaning, so environmental Wellbeing is not just about the green standards but also about the students environment in which we live and work, is it productive, does it feel safe and all manner of other aspects of the environment. Spiritual Wellbeing is not just about ensuring students of faith are provided for but goes beyond to look at students without faith, and the sense of self of an individual and how this can effect everything in their lives.
There are also loads of ways students can be involved with the Wellbeing Zone, whether as an Elected rep, a Peer2pier Volunteer, Cash Volunteer, by Running a campaign or at least telling us Your views.
Tomorrow I'll introduce you to the Wellbeing team :)
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