Our Students Union V6

Our Students Union
2020 - 2021

New Strands @ BPCSU
You may have noticed that BPCSU have had a bit of a makeover. We did this in
order to make everything easier for you our students.
Our Voice is the strand that
will give you the voice you
deserve and allow you to be
properly represented at The
College. This was formally
known as Student Voice.
The Our Union strand is
dedicated to everything
about BPCSU. Check out
the Our Union section of
the website to find out
more about BPCSU and
everything it does.

www.studentfirst.org.uk
your one stop shop to Student Life
Keep in Touch. Get Involved. Keep Up to Date. Get Active.
The Our Advice Strand will
contain the new Student Advice
Portal which is packed with
useful information and Advice
that you might need. The portal
houses a range of information
from staff at The College and the
services we offer as well as
useful information that we think
you will might need. We have a
section dedicated to advice
blogs on things that they are
passionate about.
The Our Opportunities
strand is the fun strand it
will have information on all
events, activities and clubs.
It will also have everything
that BPCSU is currently
doing within its campaigns
that BPCSU runs through
the year. This strand has
Volunteering opportunities.

Our Voice
Our Voice, Our College
OVOC covers everything that lets
our students have a voice. This can
include the Our Voice, Our College
Weeks, Focus Groups or Conference.
If it’s asking you as a student for
your view it will be covered under
Our Voice, Our College.
Our Voice, Our College Weeks
They are four set weeks throughout
the academic year, dedicated purely
for students to give your views on
student experience.
Our Voice, Our College
Conference
It’s an annual event where all reps,
ambassador, executives and students
have the opportunity to meet to help to
improve the college. This is where
students can discuss issues
regarding anything. Students also had
the chance to meet a member of the
Board of Governors so they could find
out more about how the College is run.
OVOC Conference is on 10th March 2021
OVOC Weeks
16th to 20th November 2020

www.studentfirst.org.uk
your one stop shop to Student Life
Keep in Touch. Get Involved. Keep Up to Date. Get Active.
Our Voice, Our College Focus Groups
They are created from the top three
themes from the OVOC weeks. Each
focus group will be facilitated by the
Head of that area the focus group is
relating to (for example if the focus
group was concerning student support
the Head of Student Support would
facilitate). This means that students
get to meet and discuss the issues they
have with the staff that can implement
the changes directly.
Your Big ideas
On the student first website
there is a page where students
can submit their ideas. If there
is something that you are really
passionate about and would
like to see happen at The
College, then submit your idea
at Studentfirst.org.uk.
Get like-minded students such
as yourself involved and watch
as your idea turns into a reality
with the help of BPCSU.

Our Voice
Representation
BPCSU Elections
Each year BPCSU run student elections in
order for current students to campaign
for positive change at the college. These
students represent the views of the
students within their remit and form part
of the Our Voice, Our College Committee.
Once elected though a cross campus vote
these students become the Student
Executive Team, they are elected on a
manifesto (a range of points that they
want to change for you, them and all
other students at The College) which
they campaign for throughout the
academic year.

www.studentfirst.org.uk
your one stop shop to Student Life
Keep in Touch. Get Involved. Keep Up to Date. Get Active.
Student Executive Committee
The Student Executive Committee is a
group of students that are elected each
year by you to work with us in making
big decisions for the Students’ Union.
Student Exec’s work with staff to make
sure we make students time at the
College the best it can be.
You can be a Student Officer
Some of these are Clubs and Societies
Officer, Green Impact Officer, Mental
Health Officer, ESOL Student Officer,
Foundation Officer, Inter Faith Officer,
LGBTQ+ Officer, Equality Officer,
Community and Engagement Officer, Site
Officer, Sixth Form Officer, Volunteering
Officer and International Officer.
Ambassadors
Student Ambassadors are there
to represent students and be
Ambassadors for the College.
You could be a College Ambassador,
a Mental Health Ambassador or a
Higher Education Ambassador.
You can be a Senior Executive
These are BPCSU President, Vice
President Welfare, Vice President
Further Education and Vice
President Higher Education.

Our Voice
National Union of Students
The National Union of Students (NUS)
is a voluntary membership organisation
which makes a real difference to the
lives of students and its member
students’ unions.
Visit the NUS website for
more information on what
they do for you!
https://www.nus.org.uk/
NUS champions students to shape the future
of education and create a better world. They
promote, defend and extend student rights.
They fight discrimination, isolation and
injustice. Through practical information and
national action, they make sure students can
thrive.
They support and strengthen students and
their unions. They are developing research
that influences national policy. They are
taking on all the issues that affect students’
lives now and in future.

Our Opportunities
TOTUM Card
TOTUM, the new name for the NUS
extra card, brings you over 200 UK
student discounts ranging from
Amazon to Zavvi and comes with
1-year Free International Student
Identity Card unlocking over
42,000 international discounts.
Over the next twelve
months, TOTUM will also
launch new payment and
financial features, making
TOTUM integral to student
life.
Students can download the TOTUM app
for free, but to get the most out of
TOTUM, you’ll need to purchase the card.
The integration of the two products will
allow you to access exciting discounts
and local deals and provides proof of ID.
To find out more, visit:
https://www.totum.com

Our Opportunities
Get Involved
BPCSU are here for you and work to offer affordable trips, free events,
volunteering projects and tons of other opportunities.
Each year BPCSU run tons of events and activities to get
involved in, from trips through to on-site events, volunteering,
campaigns, fundraising, clubs and societies.
We also offer a range of Student Voice roles that can have a
huge positive impact on your student life, development and
your CV. The Hub is where you can meet the BPCSU team and
book activities. We know that being a student isn’t cheap and
money doesn’t grow on trees so BPCSU subsidise trips to make
them as affordable as possible. All the Money BPCSU generates
throughout the year goes back into supporting you.

www.studentfirst.org.uk
your one stop shop to Student Life
Keep in Touch. Get Involved. Keep Up to Date. Get Active.
Charity Of The Year
Each year the students pick a charity of the
year for the college to support. This year
students felt mental health is an important
contemporary issue that needs addressing,
and voted for Rethink Mental Illness to be
our Charity of the Year.
Rethink Mental Illness is a charity that has been
supporting people for almost as long as 50 years.
Being one of the largest charitable providers of
services for people living with mental illness,
they are well placed to make a direct impact on
the care people receive.
To see more please visit their website: www.rethink.org

Our Opportunities
Green Impact
BPCSU understand that Green Impact is
important to our students and the
environment because of this we campaign
for change in order for The College to
reduce its carbon footprint.
In 2019/20 it was agreed by the Student
Executive Committee that BPCSU would
continue its Green Impact campaigns. So
in 2020/21 BPCSU want to make more
change happen at The College and we
need your help.
For all events and important dates
go to: Studentfirst.org.uk
Social Responsibility Days
At BPCSU we are focusing on
reducing our carbon footprint. As
part of our student executive
manifestos, we host fun activities
and events in which students can
attend where they can voice their
own opinions and ideas, on ways
that we as the college can
become more environmentally
friendly.
Tuesday 13th October 2020
Thursday 25th March 2021
Thursday13th May 2021

www.studentfirst.org.uk
your one stop shop to Student Life
Keep in Touch. Get Involved. Keep Up to Date. Get Active.
Volunteering
Volunteering is great for meeting new people
and improving your CV. In addition volunteering
can enhance your studies and give you real
knowledge of your local community and the
causes you care about. There are so many
positives to volunteering that we can’t think of
a reason not to join BPCSU Volunteering!
Whether you have just an hour to give or a
whole day there are tonnes of opportunities
throughout the year to get involved with!
News and Blogs
Go visit the news and blogs
page on the student first
website where you can get up
to date news and the latest
blogs from the student union.

Our Advice
Our advice covers:
Careers Advice and Guidance
Welfare
Mental Health
Physical Health
Sexual Health
Safeguarding
Personal Development
Child Care
Accommodation/ Housing
Learning Support
Students With a Learning
Need or Disability
Students with an EHCP
Exam Support
LGBTQ+
Equality and Diversity
Student Finance/ Money Matters
For all your advice needs visit Studentfirst.org.uk

www.studentfirst.org.uk
your one stop shop to Student Life
Keep in Touch. Get Involved. Keep Up to Date. Get Active.
Our Advice Blogs
Visit the Our Advice blogs page on the student first website where you
can read what advice your fellow students have and you can write blogs
on what you are passionate about, in order to help others.
You can blog about:
What things help you/
what you find helpful
Activities you find relaxing
What you enjoy about the Student Union
Advice if other students want to start a new hobby.
E.g. If you’re good at photography, you could write a
blog about basic uses of a camera or photoshop.

Our Advice
The College provide a lot of support for students within Student Experience,
there is a wealth of knowledge and experience so that students can get the help
they need and deserve when studying at The College. Our advice covers a wide
range of support and guidance.
Welfare Support
The college provide support
for mental health, physical
health and sexual health.
A Self Referral Form can be found on
the Student first website if you would
like to refer yourself to the Welfare
team.
Learning Support
The college provide support for
any learner who requires additional
learning support whether they be full
or part time students, HE students,
apprentices, students whose first
language is not English, students
with a learning need/disability or
students with an EHCP.
They offer help with exam support,
support in class, support in their
study centres, 1:1 or small group
workshops, support with assistive
technology, they loan resources and
equipment, a quiet study space, a
sensory room and lunch club.

www.studentfirst.org.uk
your one stop shop to Student Life
Keep in Touch. Get Involved. Keep Up to Date. Get Active.
Safeguarding
You have the right to be and feel
safe. Safeguarding is important
to the college and is committed
to embedding Safeguarding
across the whole college.
Home Life
If you are in an unsafe environment
or having difficulty funding your
home, this can cause stress and have
an impact on your wellbeing. The
college offers advice and support for
your home life and relationships.
International Students
Studying in a different country can be
difficult sometimes for students who
study with us from abroad.
There is a range of advice an guidance
on home sickness, international student
health, settling into the UK, staying safe
in the UK and international student
money.

Our Advice
Careers Advice and Guidance Support
The careers team can help you with choosing a career,
course or apprenticeship, and provide support to make
sure the choice you make is the right one. They can
also support you to progress to the next level of course
within the college, as well as help you with making
decisions about your options in the future.
Student Finance
Student Services can provide you as
a potential student, parent or carer,
with a wide range of information,
advice and financial support to help
you access and succeed on your
course.
The BASE
It’s a free to use service for
students whilst they are at the
college and for up to one year after
they have left. The BASE consists of
an expert team which can help to
find you apprenticeships, whether
its for while you are studying or
once you have completed your
qualifications.

www.studentfirst.org.uk
your one stop shop to Student Life
Keep in Touch. Get Involved. Keep Up to Date. Get Active.
Equality and Diversity
We celebrate the fact that our
students and staff, our partners
and friends, are from different
social and ethnic backgrounds;
women, men and transgender;
black and white; of all ages,
cultures and faiths; lesbian, gay,
bi-sexual and straight; disabled
and non-disabled; from nearby and
further afield.
British Values
We actively promote the British
Values of democracy; individual
liberty; the rule of law; mutual
respect and tolerance of those
with different faiths and belief,
as outlined in the Government’s
Prevent strategy.
We recognise how British Values
have a place in our own
expectations, vision and values,
and see that they underpin what
it is to be a citizen in a modern
and diverse Great Britain.

Our Union
What is student union
Bournemouth & Poole College Students’ Union (BPCSU) is a non-profit
organisation that provides thousands of students with a voice. We are here
for you and we work to offer affordable trips, free events, volunteering
projects and tonnes of opportunities. There are hundreds of ways to get
involved and being a student automatically entitles you to all the benefits.
Make the most of your college experience and join BPCSU on your next
adventure.
Social Spaces
BPCSU offer a range of social
spaces for students who study
at The College. We purchase
new equipment, games and activities
that students ask for
through Our Voice, Our College.
The Hubs
The Hub at North Road is room 49
The Hub at Lansdown is room 506
The Hub opening times are on
Studentfirst.org.uk.

www.studentfirst.org.uk
your one stop shop to Student Life
Keep in Touch. Get Involved. Keep Up to Date. Get Active.
BPCSU Governance
BCSU has a range of documents that allow us to
run, give us purpose and allows us to do what we
do best. Make The College better for our students.
BPCSU Strategic Plan
Our vision is for the BPCSU to be recognised as an
excellent and outstanding Students’ Union within
the College, externally by our partners and by our students.
Some of the Bournemouth and Poole College Students’ Union’s core
values are to be open, creative and professional. Therefore, we are
always looking to improve the service we provide to students.
In order to realise this vision, we have several key aims in our
strategic plan for the upcoming four years.

Contact us
BRIAN STEWART
Student Engagement Coordinator
Stewartb@bpc.ac.uk
01202 205327
TASHA STEELE
Student Engagement Officer
Steelen@bpc.ac.uk
01202 205 216
GET IN TOUCH
01202 205737
Studentsunion@bpc.ac.uk

www.studentfirst.org.uk
your one stop shop to Student Life
Keep in Touch. Get Involved. Keep Up to Date. Get Active.
Visit our online shop where you can book and
purchase tickets for events and trips.
SOCIAL MEDIA
BPCSU will keep you up to date on all the Latest
information, Events, Activities and promotions
on Social Media.
Add our social media channels and keep up to date
DROP IN
The Hub at Lansdowne,
Room 506
The Hub North Road,
Room 49
@BPCStudentExperience
@BPCStudentExper
@BPCStudentExperience
BPC Student Experience