Student Union
After the new student union was elected, I got the opportunity to interview them. The first two questions I had were the same for each member of the SU, ‘What were the policies/changes that you outlined in your campaign?’ and ‘Now that you have been elected, how do you plan on implementing your campaign promises?’, and the latter two questions were personalised to each role. I emailed everyone in the Student Union, and secured opportunities for interviews from Bella, Faith, Khalid, Lily, Kai and Lizzy.
Faith Hill, Events Coordinator
Q. What were the policies/changes that you outlined in your campaign?
‘In my campaign, I strived for inclusivity and create community where people feel comfortable talking to the student union so they can balance fun along with college work. I also outlined my plans and ambitions for different events such as culture day, sports day, a spirit week, alumni events and activities where people can make new friends and a real sense of community is created, such as an induction event.’
Q. Now that you have been elected, how do you plan on implementing your campaign promises?
‘Now that I have been elected to the role, I plan on hosting a range of events which are considerate to others' opinions through polls, as I believe student opinion is valuable. I promise to adhere to student needs, and I want to be a face that people recognise, as well as a voice that people can relate to. I intend to bring new ideas and host events that are beneficial and exciting.’
Q. What kinds of planning take place when organising an event?
‘In order to organise an event, thorough planning is needed, depending on the capacity. For instance, if we as a union wanted to host a talent show, this takes long-term prep; however, I am dedicated to plan events effectively and as often as we feel they are needed or beneficial. However, in saying this, events led by the student union are accessible to everyone in the college, and, therefore, need great capacity. (Events could be in the process but cannot be enacted immediately)
Q. How do you plan to spread awareness of upcoming events?
‘To spread more awareness and publicity on upcoming events, I intend to talk to students and inform them of where to go, as well as what is going on, whilst posting on the SU social media accounts to spread the information and displaying posters around college campus.’
Lily Rudge, Marketing and Public Relations Officer
Q. What were the policies/changes that you outlined in your campaign?
‘I would say that my campaign was more focused on me as a person than specific policies that I wanted to introduce, but one thing that I did mention that I did mention was opening up new channels of communication to make it easier for students to share ideas and news with the SU, and vice versa. I also expressed that I aimed to make college and our social media presence more widely representative of students’ backgrounds, interests, and individuality, as well as simply creating a more fun, welcoming environment for students.’
Q. Now that you have been elected, how do you plan on implementing your campaign promises?
‘The first action I’ve made has been creating a Student Union Snapchat account, which when it is fully set up, will allow more students to access news and events that we choose to promote through stories and other posts (which will also be posted on TikTok and/or Instagram). In terms of my aim to make our socials more inclusive, I haven’t yet had the opportunity to put this into action, but soon I’ll start having more influence on what gets posted, which is when I will start considering how effective changes can be implemented. However, I don’t think much work is needed in this area, as the current SU does an amazing job at representing the whole college community.’
Q. In an everchanging digital world, what is the most important social media platform for
the Student Union's public relations?
‘I don’t think that there is one specific platform that is more important or should take priority over all the others, as each of them have their own strengths. For example, TikTok is the best way to create the fun, creative videos that are most effective for encouraging students to take part in activities or just creating a positive, comfortable atmosphere at college. Instagram is great for posting images, posters or videos of any upcoming or previous events, as well as easily reposting things from other platforms, and Snapchat stories are really easy to reach a huge number of people, both through the specific SU account and the KEDST2026 community story that has almost 1000 members. The most important thing/aspect is to acknowledge the different strengths of each platform and cater our posts to these differences to make communication as effective as possible.’
Q. To what extent is it important to keep up with online trends when promoting the Student Union?
‘I think keeping up with trends is really important when promoting the SU because one of our main aims is to seem relatable and easily accessible to students so that we can help them as effectively as possible without there being any sort of apprehension, and taking part in trends is really helpful for this. Not only does participating in trends improve how students view us, but it also makes our promotion of events more effective through fun and engaging videos/ posts.’
Lizzy Sutherland, Welfare and PT Liaison Officer
Q. What were the policies/changes that you outlined in your campaign?
‘In my campaign, I outlined that I wanted to be the person people could come to if they have any problems or if they need any help with revising or classwork. I also highlighted the fact that the college is a very welcoming environment; I want to carry that on for the next set of year 12. I also said that I had the idea of having a suggestion box or a google form that people could put if there are any things they’re worried about of problems they’ve seen in the college, and we would talk about it in our student union.’
Q. Now that you have been elected, how do you plan on implementing your campaign promises?
‘Now that I have been elected, my plans to implement my ideas is that after April, when we take over the student union. I’m going to propose the suggestion box or google form idea in one of our meetings and see if it would be possible to do. As well as if people need to talk to me about something they can email me or come to the student union office.’
Q. What is the most common college-related mental health problems students encounter during their time at college?
‘I think the most common college-related mental health problem is probably anxiety with exams and revising as well as getting the grades they need. The strategies I have to manage this are that people can come and speak to me, but I also am thinking of creating some posters and putting them round the College to remind people to not stress and that they need a good balance between college and a social life and there is also the possibility of posting on social media as well as getting the grades they need’
Kia Thomas, Equality Diversity and Inclusion Officer
Q. What were the policies/changes that you outlined in your campaign?
‘During my campaign, I focused on uniting the college through various events that celebrate the rich diversity of cultures we have here at KEDST. My main goal is to ensure that every culture is acknowledged and appreciated. I plan to organise events for occasions such as Chinese New Year, Pride, and other important awareness and celebratory months. I truly believe that every student at this college deserves a voice. That’s why I am deeply committed to creating spaces where students can share their opinions, ideas and perspectives. My goal is to ensure that everyone feels safe, heard and accepted within the college.’
Q. Now that you have been elected, how do you plan on implementing your campaign promises?
‘I plan to use my personal experiences, including the challenges I faced with bullying as a transgender individual, to drive positive change and contribute to the success of this college. I am constantly researching to find innovative activities and strategies that we can implement, making this year truly memorable for everyone. Well organised events require extensive planning, preparation and budgeting and I am committed to working closely with the other Student Union members to develop an efficient system that ensures every event is well-organised and successful. To make sure all events, initiatives and activities are of the highest quality, I am always open to feedback from both students and teachers. By listening to your ideas and suggestions we can grow together as a Student Union and create a more inclusive and engaging college experience for all.’
Q. Which institutions/activities in the college currently demonstrate a clear demographic bias?
‘I strongly believe that this college has made significant progress in eliminating demographic bias, creating an environment that is truly inclusive and representative of the entire community. The Student Union is a prime example of this, bringing together individuals from diverse ethnicities, genders and backgrounds. This diversity allows us to draw upon a wide range of perspectives, fostering innovative ideas and ensuring that every student feels heard and valued.’
Q. What are your plans to limit these biases?
‘I strongly believe in the power of communication. If any student has experienced or witnessed bias within the college, I strongly encourage them to speak directly with the Student Union. Our mission is to transform the Student Union from merely an event-organising committee into a powerful tool that ensures all students feel included, supported, and heard. Together, we can work towards a more inclusive and equitable college experience for everyone.’
Bella Hoto, Community Outreach and Volunteering Officer
Q. What were the policies/changes that you outlined in your campaign?
‘My aim was to make sure we all continuously contribute to charitable causes throughout the year consistency.’
Q. Now that you have been elected, how do you plan on implementing your campaign promises?
‘I want to work with Women’s Aid, Samaritans Purse, RSPCA, Macmillan.’
‘Fundraising events quizzes, bake sales, raffles’
Khalid Rufai, Student Journey Officer
Q. What were the policies/changes that you outlined in your campaign?
‘My only campaign idea that I mentioned was to create a flower bed somewhere in the dragon garden so the campus would probably approve more colourful and brighten people's day. Overall, it's just to make the college look better and brighter.’
Q. Now that you have been elected, how do you plan on implementing your campaign promises?
‘Regarding the flowerbed it's already been taking care of by the environmental enrichment, but I'll still find a way to help as much as possible and get more students involved so I'll provide more information on that at a later date. It also goes without saying that you'll be seeing me at many of the events that the SU are setting up so I can help out as much as possible.’
Q. What are the top three most common problems you see new students have when settling into college?
‘I myself didn't have any issues when settling but I can think of a couple that other students might have had. One of the problems I think students face, when settling into college, are socialising and finding new friends as it's a new environment where no one really knows anyone. There was a large number of Y12 students around the college and in Stourbridge town on my first days and it's possible that some people might feel a bit overwhelmed. The second issue is something I think everyone including the Y13s can relate with. The majority of the students that go here take the train and it often has delays making them unreliable and late. It would be nice to give new students some time to adjust to this as many students probably didn't usually take trains before joining King Eds.’
Student responses have been modified to correct spelling, grammar and punctuation as well as to improve readability