The Students’ Union exists to advance and improve the education of all students at the college, to promote and protect the welfare of its members and to encourage, inspire and co-ordinate student clubs, societies, sports and social activities.

This year the Students’ Union have stepped up actions on all of these issues and have had major successes and wins for students. These have been achieved with just one full-time officer, no full-time staff support and a small budget. The SU have continued to develop influence with the College, contributing to all major college panels and committees, with student voice feedback a standing item on all teaching, learning and quality bodies of the college. The SU have developed excellent relationships with local schools through outreach and mentoring schemes, working with the college youth worker and students in local schools to provide sports, recreational and other activities.

The Students’ Union started the year off the back of the most successful elections to date, with an increase in turnout of around 300%. The SU have continued to increase participation in the democratic structures with a consultative re-write of the constitution, including the introduction of autonomous liberation officers for Women, LGBT, Black and Disabled students. This has put liberation at the heart of everything the SU does and has led to a surge in participation from liberation students - in the 1st term SU elections there were 24 candidates standing for the 4 liberation officer positions. Turnout in these elections was also the highest in the Students’ Unions’ history.

The liberation officers have run inspiring campaigns and events throughout the year, beginning with a full calendar of events for Black History Month from film screenings to crafts, culminating in a celebration event where students presented profiles on influential Black historical figures and showcasing talented local Black student musicians, including a gospel choir from a local school. The SU Womens’ Officers organised events for International Womens’ Day, with an ‘inspiration wall’ of women through history in the Social Zone. The SU also introduced and implemented a ‘zero tolerance to sexual harassment’ policy. For Disability Awareness week SU officers shared their own experiences as disabled students, welcomed a local signing choir to the college and showcased an exhibition of poems, artwork and stories from disabled students at the college. For LGBT History Month the SU ran stalls focusing on bi identities, trans identities and women in the LGBT movement, with a rainbow handprint activity engaging hundreds of students. The SU LGBT officer also coordinated the ‘Daddy loves Santa’ NUS LGBT equal marriage campaign, delivering over 350 cards signed by students to lobby the local MP in just 24 hours. The MP subsequently agreed to meet with representatives of the Union ahead of the vote in parliament.

For the first time in the College’s history the SU has sent students to every NUS Liberation campaign conference.

The SU have also commemorated Holocaust memorial day, welcoming Holocaust survivor Zigi Shipper to the college and organising a delegation of students to visit Auschwitz to educate on the dangers of fascism and share their learning with other students at the college.

The SU have arranged several free social events for students, with a 100% increase in student-led sports, clubs and societies; activities to mark Blue Monday; ‘MidKent’s Got Talent’ – a talent contest showcasing the incredible talents of students at the college; charity gigs with student performers and many fundraising events, raising hundreds of pounds for local and national charities.

The SU have continued to take a planned approach to campaigning and events, with regular meetings of the executive committee, student reps and course reps. Student reps have received training and workshops on planning and setting objectives for the SU and have taken the learning from NUS training events and passed this on to other student officers throughout the college to promote best practice. The SU identified a need to increase governor knowledge and engagement with student life, and have planned and implemented several strategies to address this, with ‘student insight’ profiles at Governing Body meetings, link governors and a dedicated session for governors at the Student Voice conference.

The introduction of a student council has allowed students the opportunity to scrutinise and give feedback directly to their elected representatives and to improve the work of the SU. Course reps also hold meetings twice a term where they can discuss issues and feedback directly to SU representatives. The SU has introduced ‘you said, we did’ posters across the college to promote key changes as a result of student feedback.

The 1st term elections also marked the election of the SU’s first Sustainability officer. With the introduction of this position the SU have been able to run several high-profile campaigns and events in conjunction with the newly established ‘People and Planet’ society on campus. This includes campaigns and actions for Go Green Week and Fairtrade Fortnight, with stalls, interactive petitions and action days. The SU also joined with DoNation.org.uk – a website where students were able to donate an action to reduce their environmental impact. The Students’ Union coordinated their first ever submission for the NUS Green Impact awards, achieving a silver award.

The SU has run several high-profile and impactful campaigns this year; mobilizing hundreds of students to lobby every MP in the county (twice) over the introduction of FE fees; introducing and implementing the first ever ‘no platform for fascists’ policy; lobbying the college for provision of Halal and Kosher food; organising with course reps against students being fined for handing in work late; organising a coachload of students to attend NUS #Demo2012; lobbying every MP in the county to vote for equal marriage; winning the introduction of a collaborative student charter – written in partnership between the college and SU and winning an agreement from the college for a pilot of anonymous marking, with a view to rolling this out across the entire college.