Hello Everyone,
My name is Andrew Wilson,
I am the Current disability Officer for the Union of Students.
After a very successful year as the current disability Officer,
I am re-running for the role so I can continue raising awareness and continue my success’s for the next academic year.
So far as Disability Officer I have successfully advocated for a wheel chair user, who had issues with halls of residence.
From this issue I managed to get a health and safety review launched into halls of residence.
I also managed to secure a seat on the Monthly University fire safety meeting to which I offer an outside perspective of that of a disabled student to which I managed to achieve new fire safety signage within the halls of residence.
I successfully advocated for Blackwell’s vouchers to be more cost effective by securing book bundles and making sure student had sufficient discounts and access to books.
I also advocated in association with the library to help and gain access to e-text books.
I am currently collaborating with Kortext who is the e-text book provider to improve disability access to their platform and helping make improvements.
I am extremely vocal outside the university as a student /ambassador / and officer helping raise awareness of the needs of disabled students and all students in general.
I successfully collaborated with the transport department whereby all disabled students with a permit and blue badge have access to all barriers via the ANPR so they do not need to request access specifically, this has increased the number of accessible points of entry and exit to the university.
I am looking forward to launching my insight program at the start of the next academic year. Which will help other people and academics understand students on a personal level by increasing awareness.
I will be aiming to increase student interaction with the union and raise more awareness of disabilities and DSA assessment help.
Finally I will be looking into how the Union of Students Interacts with the National Union of Students, with a specific focus on why we are tied to their suppliers thus causing higher prices when using local suppliers could be cheaper, which would mean greater financial saving for disabled students and students in general during this cost of living crisis.
Doing this would help disabled students save money which they would be able to spend somewhere else. I also want to take the next step and discuss options with the University as to why disabled students do not have a reasonable adjustment made by the university to allow them to spend the Blackwell’s voucher else where such as if they have a specific e-book supplier preference.
And finally because I am extremely Vocal about the rights of disabled students I have been invited to speak at a the Secret life of Students national conference on behalf of the disabled students at the University of Derby, In London in march this year.