VP Welfare February Blog

Hey guys, January felt like it went on forever, but we made it through, and I hope you’re all settling into the new term. The days are (very slowly) getting longer, and we’re inching closer to spring. if you’re anything like me and thrive in the sunshine, brighter days are on the way! As always, I want to keep you all updated on what I’ve been working on, so here’s the latest. But as ever feel free to get in touch if you have any questions!

S.H.A.G Week

S.H.A.G Week 2025: Bigger, Bolder, and Better Than Ever! 🍑

This year at Essex SU, we took Sexual Health Awareness and Guidance (S.H.A.G) Week to new heights, and I took charge in organizing and delivering a jam-packed week of events and campaigns across all three of our campuses — Colchester, Southend, and Loughton.

I made it our most inclusive S.H.A.G Week yet! Every resource or activity that week designed to be relevant regardless of gender or sexual orientation, ensuring that everyone felt represented and supported.

To reinforce our commitment to inclusivity, we proudly displayed LGBTQ+ and Trans Safe Space cards at every event, sending a clear message that all students were welcome, valued, and respected.

Understanding the importance of making sexual health conversations accessible to all, I collaborated with the Faith Centre to ensure they had a presence at our fair. Their stall provided a welcoming space for students from all backgrounds to engage in open, non-judgemental discussions about relationships, wellbeing, and sexual health. It was a great reminder that these conversations are for everyone, no matter their beliefs or experiences.

With a focus on promoting healthy relationships, breaking stigma, Body positivity encourage STI testing, and provide resources to educate our members about sexual health on key topics like consent in a way that felt approachable and inclusive. here's a glimpse of what we achieved:

✨ SexpositiviTEA Party: We kicked off with an afternoon of fun, open conversations, and of course, some creative penis and vagina biscuit decorating! It was a light-hearted way to talk about sexual health while picking up practical tips and advice.

✨ Sex Toy Bingo: This was hands down one of the highlights! Think music bingo with a twist – 141 students packed the SU Bar for a lively night of laughter and sexy prizes. The vibes were immaculate, and guess what? It was such a hit that we’re bringing it back next term — by popular demand!

✨ S.H.A.G Week Fair: I brought together a selection of stalls and activities, including Essex Sexual Health, Robin’s Cancer Trust. Students could chat, ask questions, and access vital resources. One major hit was our VTEAM Wellbeing Ambassadors’ STI Symptom Shootout game, promoting awareness in an interactive way.

✨ Period Pain Simulator: Collaborating with our Women’s Officer and Student with Disabilities Officer, we brought back the popular period pain simulator. It was a powerful way to raise awareness about menstrual health and emphasize that excruciating period pain is not normal. The conversations it sparked were invaluable.

✨ Body Positivity Day: This was an absolute feel-good day! We hosted an empowering catwalk on the squares, encouraging students to celebrate their bodies with confidence. A photographer was on hand to capture those amazing moments, and we even had a sponge-throwing station at negative body words.

✨ Burlesque Workshop: The fabulous Daisy Diamonds led an inclusive and empowering burlesque workshop that had everyone feeling fierce and fabulous.

✨ Sexy Sip and Paint: Creativity and laughter flowed at our Sip and Paint events in Colchester and Southend. With saucy inspirations and plenty of paints, students unleashed their artistic side, resulting in some impressive (and cheeky) masterpieces.

✨ S.H.A.G Week Quiz: Across all three campuses, we hosted a trivia night with rounds on the history of sexual health, pop culture, and STIs and viruses. It was a fun and interactive way to educate while enjoying a competitive spirit!

✨ Shag Week Podcast: I had a blast recording the Shag Week podcast with Lily May, diving into conversations about sex, relationships, and student experiences. The big debate? Physical vs. Emotional cheating which is worst — and let me tell you, opinions were flying!

Leading the organization and delivery of S.H.A.G Week was an incredible opportunity from concept development to logistics, marketing, student engagement, and stakeholder collaboration, every aspect of this week required careful coordination and I could not have done it without the support from everyone who helped so a massive thank you to Jeni, Sophie and Rob from engagement team. Lorna, Ellie, Izzy and Sophie thank you for all the marketing support on this. Shoutout to Vir for Helping film and edit the Podcast. Thank you, SU Advice, for you continued support with all my Campaigns. Alex and Rachael thank you for supporting my crazy idea to do Sex Toy Bingo in the Bar.

Southern Union Conference

• Attending the Southern Unions Conference was a great opportunity to engage with other sabbatical officers across southern SU’s sharing best practices and learning from each other’s experiences. Gain insights from industry experts on student engagement, leadership, and policy-making. I even managed to educate
• Discuss innovative event ideas, some of which I hope to implement at Essex in the future.

This conference reinforced the importance of collaboration and knowledge-sharing among student unions, and I walked away with new perspectives and ideas such as the finical priorities paper idea which i presented to the other student leaders and Directors in the next Executive Management Board.

Consent training Evaluation Group

Consent training is so important, but let’s be honest it needs to be engaging and actually useful, not just a box-ticking exercise. I’ve been working on reviewing our current sessions to make sure they’re relevant, informative, and something students actually take something away from. If you’ve attended one and have any thoughts on how we can improve, I’d love to hear them!

Student Experience Committee

This is where I get to raise issues that really matter to students, from academic struggles to general student life. I’ve been making sure your voices are heard at these meetings because, at the end of the day, everything we discuss should actually improve your experience here. Here are some of the topics we discussed:

• Cold Teaching Spaces: I raised serious concerns about freezing lecture rooms, and Helena acknowledged this shouldn’t be happening. The issue will be escalated to the Education Committee.
• University Budget Cuts: Concerns were raised about the impact of Voluntary Severance Scheme (VSS) and budget cuts on students. The university will start logging all changes/cuts and who they need to communicate with. We’ve pushed for this process to be centralised and shared with SEC.
• Campus Navigation Issues: Student feedback on finding their way around campus has worsened, with 21% saying it was the worst part of their first month. The university is working on a new app, Maze Map, which could improve navigation and even help report issues like cold rooms.
• Welcome Strategy: We pushed (again) for a more joined-up approach to Welcome, so departments and the SU can coordinate better. There’s agreement that we can set priorities for the next Welcome—suggestions welcome!
• SVGs Online in Term 3: Attendance at Student Voice Groups (SVGs) has dropped, so we asked for Term 3 meetings to be online. The university confirmed this is possible and will communicate it to departments.
• Personal Tutor Survey: We suggested moving the survey earlier so the feedback can actually be used in time. Also flagged concerns over question wording, which may be confusing students who have timetabled tutor sessions.
• Faith Centre Review: With 57% of students identifying as religious or spiritual, the university has done a light-touch review of the Faith Centre and is implementing some quick wins.
• Nursery Spaces: Demand for nursery places is rising, and the campus nursery waiting list is growing. We’ll be helping to spread the word that student parents should apply early to secure a place.
• LGBTQ+ Safety Concerns: I raised concerns students have shared about safety on campus, and both Richard and Helena have asked to be kept in the loop.
• Shared Spaces Issues: Students are reporting problems with common rooms, particularly cleanliness. The issue seems to be more about staff shortages than budget—student staff recruitment has been suggested as a solution.
• Campus Services Updates:
• Microwaves & Kettle now available in Stem and Root.
• New Canteen Menu is proving popular.
• Catered meal package will be offered in accommodation next year.
• Year-round campus facilities: Discussions on keeping more services open outside term time, including hot food options.