Consultation: | Young Greens AGM 2020 |
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Agenda item: | E.3. Green Students Co-Convenor |
Proposer: | Billy Wassell (Cheltenham) |
Status: | Published |
Submitted: | 07/16/2020, 14:14 |
GS2: Billy Wassell
Which role are you applying for?
- Which role are you applying for?:
- Green Students Campaign Committee Co-convenor
Candidate Statement
The Covid-19 pandemic has further accentuated the sheer ignorance and discontent shown towards students by almost every part of society.
Students were hung out to dry by private renters, left to fend for themselves academically by their universities and were still charged for their summer term as if a global pandemic wasn’t taking place.
As part of the Young Greens Student Committee, I want to re-connect our party, as well as society, with the student population. It is high time that the exploitation of students was stopped. During this pandemic, students were nurses in hospitals, students were paramedics in ambulances, students were staff in supermarkets. Despite students playing a major role in helping keep the country afloat, next to no financial, emotional OR academic support was shown by the Government or universities.
Throughout history, university students have been a major player in bringing about political change. Now it’s time for us to play our part. I am demanding that the political classes take notice of students and stop neglecting us.
If I were elected, I would make sure campus campaigning was a radical, pioneering process. I want to see university campus campaigning take the lead on political movements such as the climate emergency, protection for renters and racial equality. I believe that we can make university campuses the place where major shifts in attitudes and politics occur.
My vision includes:
- National campaign for ALL universities to divest from fossil fuels
- Increase PoC and LGBTQIA representation on both student and governing bodies
- A mass campaign to get every student signed up to a union
- Potential refunds for loss of quality of teaching due to Covid-19 – making sure every student knows what they’re entitled to and what the process for refunds is
- Protection from private renters and youth unemployment through unionisation
- National campaign to improve university sustainability
I am currently Chair of Cheltenham Young Greens, Treasurer of my University’s LGBTQIA Society as well as Social Media Officer for my University’s Green Team. The range of these roles highlights the scope of the transferable skills I have - such as organisation, communication, initiative and creativity.
My extensive participation in University societies and student bodies gives me an insight into how student organisations work, what makes an effective student campaign and has given me various contacts in external student organisations.
My University – the University of Gloucestershire – is ranked the most sustainable university in the UK by People and Planet. Attending and being involved in environmental societies at the University of Gloucestershire has given me the crucial knowledge and the perfect model needed to be successful at one of my campaign points of improving the sustainability of UK universities.
The key to all of my points of action is building a solidarity and connection with universities up and down the country. Having a united student voice will enable the student population to make the drastic positive change they want to see on their campuses. If elected, I will work tirelessly to make this unified student voice a reality.
Links
- Twitter:
- @BillyWassell_
Supporters (minimum 2 required)
- Supporter 1 Name:
- Lawrence McNally
- Supporter 1 Local Party/Affiliated Group:
- Cambridge Green Party
- Supporter 2 Name:
- Martin Osborne
- Supporter 2 Local Party/Affiliated Group:
- Brighton & Hove Green Party
- Local Party:
- Cheltenham