An officer as outstanding as Rhiannon is not very common to find.

Rhiannon has led the SU through what has been a very challenging year, with government cuts starting to take effect, The 5 yearly Constitutional review and implementation of a trustee board, A number of high profile college issues and the full force of the SU’s reduced block grant now affecting the union.

Rhiannon has Worked with the Executive team and the college to ensure that students are fully aware of the union and what it does for students and additionally the benefits of NUS Extra which has seen a sales increase of around 17% this year and has offset the effects of the Students’ Unions block grant reduction, allowing the Union to maintain all of its services regardless.

Her campaigns have included Go Green Week, another EMA is possible and the Equal Marriage Campaign, which have had a massively positive effect to students at York College. She has also assisted along with the union and the college with successful campaigns such as anti-smoking, drug awareness and sexual health. Not only this, she has been the student leader for the Green Impact Award, in which York College was one of three FE student unions across the country to achieve the Gold standard.

However, it hasn’t always been about successful campaigns and awards. Rhiannon has always had the interests of York College students at the heart of everything she does. She has handled and managed every single problem that has been thrown at her fantastically, and has an amazing “nothing is a problem” attitude when she successfully sorts out students’ issues. Rhiannon has been an integral part of the Unions work to improve support services at the college, working closely with the managers responsible for pastoral support and student services to implement a safety net system and leading on our “drop in don’t drop out” campaign. This kind of joined up thinking has clearly worked; we have seen a dramatic improvement in the college’s student retention levels.

Not only has she been a brilliant support for students at York College, but she has also provided outstanding support for the officers on the executive committee. She has made sure that they are always comfortable with the tasks which they are doing, that their lives as well as the students are happy at York College, and not only with their college lives, but their personal lives as well. She has also used excellent managerial skills to ensure that the executive committee have a productive and comfortable workspace in the office, making sure that there is enough space and facilities so that the SU can reach its full potential.

Rhiannon’s work has not only stopped internally within the college. She organised a successful regional networking day in February, boosting connections with other further education student unions in the Yorkshire and Humberside region. This has been brilliantly useful for all SU’s in the Yorkshire areas, who often deal with similar issues to us at York College, and has made contacts for advice and pulling together for the benefit of the student movement. This demonstrates that Rhiannon is not only completely dedicated to the students at York College, but dedicated to all students in the student movement.

Rhiannon’s dedication to the student movement has been proved by her successful elections

Working with Rhiannon this year has been an absolute pleasure, her insatiable desire for the Union to always be the best it can has rubbed off on the whole team enthusing everyone involved. Rhiannon desire to see the union succeed has won her respect from all quarters in the College and even further afield.

Rhiannon has been key to building a more vibrant student movement across the whole city of York, through her work with Higher York, York St John Students’ Union, York University and the City of York Council. This work is already leading to benefits for all students in the City and has built a relationship with partners that will lead to continued benefits that her successors and students will see for years to come.

Overall, as a non-sabbatical, to juggle her studies and all her outstanding work within the SU, it would not be an understatement to say that Rhiannon is a phenomenal officer. Myself, the rest of the executive committee and indeed many of the students at York College agree that Rhiannon is one of the best FE officers you could wish to find, and not only that, a wonderful friend. In the eyes of York College Students’ Union executive committee, there is no other officer in the country more worthy for the award of best Further Education Officer of the year.