Employer
Sheffield University Union of Students

Description
Union Reps. exist to provide a vital communications link between University teaching departments and the Students' Union. Duties include making students aware of Union facilities and events, performing research and gathering feedback on matters such as good and bad academic practice and campus safety, selling tickets and involving students in Union campaigns and petitions, and providing personal and academic advice, mostly by referral to a department or organisation that can help directly. There are also informal links between the Union Rep. and the Staff-Student Liaison Committee.

Monthly forums give Union Reps. from different departments the chance to discuss how their departments deal with issues and to ask questions of and update the Union on topical matters, as well as complete timesheets and feedback forms. Union Reps. are also used as part of focus groups within the Union and University.

The work was varied and to ensure a thorough job I worked in excess of the expected number of hours. Although the working times were flexible tasks usually needed to be completed at short notice.

The position was less than a year old when I started, and at that time there was no similar scheme in any other UK University•. As a result the concept was still finding its feet and creating its own identity to distinguish it from other support networks. Early work mainly involved displaying posters and gathering student research, though this slowly developed more into a role of Union-Department ambassador. By the time I left the position many students within my department were aware of the Union Rep. and starting to use them.

During my time as Union Rep. I developed my confidence and communication skills, I saw things improve after suggestions I had made or research that I had gathered, and I helped to publicise this new service and generate interest in the position.