Jamie Grant

I’m Jamie, your Vice President Communities, and currently standing for re-election. I’ve been in post for the last year - and what an amazing year we’ve had!

Saving the 4-week student bus pass; gaining a fair deal on rent; expanding Clubs & Societies storage and training; engaging with the City Next Door; supporting our environmental projects; representing students locally, nationally and internationally - to name a few things achieved! I’ve knowledge of the role, the people and the challenges ahead. Will you grant me #onemoreyear?

If re-elected as VP Communities, I aim to make progress in the following areas:

Call Stirling Home

Students are a massive stakeholder in Stirling’s future. Let’s get heard and involved in our community:

• Engage with First Bus and the University to collaborate on a bus service improvement plan. Staff and students have had enough. It’s time to get round the table, and improve services.

• Advocate for student consultation in repairs, refurbishments and developments in University Accommodation. I’ve toured them myself; let’s listen & act.

• Defend student interests to future private property developers in the city - students need a say.

• Consult with all members of our diverse community. International, mature, postgraduate, LGBT+, disabled, commuter - we all share Stirling together. Ensure that our values of equality, diversity and inclusion are upheld, and everyone is valued, respected and heard.

• Continue our relationship with Forth Valley College, supporting students there and strengthen ties.

• Champion our environmental projects, pushing for investment in sustainable technologies.

Mental Health Support

Feeling well means doing well. The Union is here for you, and here’s how I believe I can help:

• Refresh and Relaunch the STEER student support programme, now in its 10th year: Student support by students, for students. Volunteers are paired with their peers and foster new friendships with Union support. Funding is in place. Let’s tweak, promote, recruit and support!

• Roll-out Scottish Mental Health First Aid Training to as many students as possible - with the aim of at least one trained individual on every Club/Society committee.

• Open a dialogue with the on-campus Airthrey Park Medical Centre - how can things improve?

Clubs, Societies & Volunteering

Thousands of students volunteer to do incredible things. I want to be here to help it happen:

• Work with the University to bring a functional room booking system under the Union’s control, improving the user experience.

• Create a clear and accessible online volunteering hub, dedicated to promoting opportunities for our students, offering resources and signposting to funding.

• Commit to a comprehensive review of the Club/Society experience. We de-cluttered the website this year; we should streamline paperwork and procedures as much as practical. Assess our current spaces - studios, offices, cottages, storage. Are they fit for purpose?

• Support employability; students want development and training to hone their transferable skills. Work with university partners to promote and encourage participation in Careers Service workshops and initiatives. Develop students’ CVs and future careers.