Monday 02-11-2020 - 15:45

What has your union done in the face of the covid-19 pandemic that has made you proud?

 

In the midst of the lockdown due to COVID-19 B&FC Students’ Union were quick to respond to the needs of the student body. The nation had been instructed to isolate themselves and it was a time of real worry, but we were blown away by the solidarity being shown up and down the country. We saw NHS workers returning from retirement and local people volunteering to help others. Online, people came together to keep fit; entertain each other and stay mentally wealthy in isolation. It is during this pandemic that communities came together for the benefit of everyone. This inspired the Students' Unions to launch the #ShowKindness campaign.

 

The #ShowKindness campaign aimed to celebrate the kindness being shown in the local community from students, staff, alumni and local Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre businesses. The Union promoted peoples’ acts of kindness on social media and encouraged others to get involved too. As part of this, a social media campaign was launched of inspirational quotes to keep our students motivated.

 

Realising that students might be feeling isolated from others during this time, the Students’ Union launched the #ShowKindness Hub. The hub was filled with lots of engagement activities for students to participate in from the comfort of their own homes. This included:

 

Mindfulness corner: Filled with activities to keep you mentally wealthy, including access to our student exclusive Meditation and Mindfulness group with Progress Coach, Safiyah Ally.

 

Cooking corner: Featuring yummy recipes from our B&FC experts for you to try at home and our list of top recommended YouTube chefs with options for everyone to enjoy.

Crafting corner: Inspired by our Students’ Union HE President who made adjustable face mask bands for the NHS. We created this corner with many crafting ideas to let you take some time for yourself and let your imagination run wild.

 

Virtual entertainment corner: Bring the best experiences life has to offer into your home with our links to live streams from some of the most popular attractions from all over the world.

 

Fitness corner: Fitness is something that should be fun for everyone. Not only does it improve your physical wellbeing, but it also keeps you mentally wealthy. Why not try out our B&FC Sports Centre Fitness Challenge, or look at one of our recommended fitness YouTubers! Don’t forget to have a little fun with your workouts and keep them varied, and remember to only take part in physical activity if you are fit and well to do so.

Break new ground corner: Have you always wanted to learn a new skill or talent. Why not try our breaking new ground corner? It has lots of different things to learn like British Sign Language, learning an instrument or even writing a book!

 

Parent/Carer corner: We understand that being a parent/carer during this time can be a whirlwind of emotions. That's why we've included some great resources for Parents/Carers with young children/teens.

 

Pulling together message board: This board offers students some reassuring messages from the college community of students, alumni and staff, but it doesn’t stop after you’ve read all the messages. Contribute your own and have it shared on our website.

Competitions: We know our students love a good competition and that’s why we’ve provided opportunities for you to win big. With LOVE2SHOP vouchers on offer you’re mad not to try your hand at bagging a prize.

 

Resources: This section has lots of external resources that are available for use during this unprecedented time.

 

After talking to the students, the Union also decided to launch the Big Blackpool Quiz to further the enrichment activities that students could get involved in during remote working. The ‘Big Blackpool Quiz’ is hosted on the B&FC Students’ Union social media, streamed from YouTube, each week on Wednesdays 8pm. The quiz has been used as a fundraiser to raise money for NHS Charities Together. The quiz has also had some guest celebrity appearances, including local stars from the West End, Dancing on Ice and Britain’s Got Talent. The quiz has been so successful that this has become part of the enrichment programme for 2020/21.

 

What support has your union received from your institution, and what else would you like them to do?

 

The College have done well in their response to COVID-19 ensuring there was support for students and staff as we entered the initial lockdown. The College ensured that students had the equipment and support to continue and finish their studies. This included regular daily keep in touch meetings for staff, whilst supporting remote learning for students. A number of key worker dependents and vulnerable students accessed our Bispham campus throughout this period with structured safety measures and guidelines in place.

 

The migration over to Microsoft Teams meant that more student voice meetings could be held between the Union and student body, collecting questions and making sure they were answered in a timely manner. At the time of the move, most staff had completed our in-house PowerUp! Programme up to Masters level, meaning the digital capabilities of colleagues were established to build the foundations of a seamless transition.

 

The College updated their COVID-19 frequently asked questions (FAQs) on the website on a daily basis, providing the relevant information for current students, applicants, apprenticeships and employers. This extended to staff as an employee handbook was updated daily with information to equip staff to tackle student concerns head on, and best prepare for the new academic year.

 

Changes that affect student policy are consulted and approved by members of the Students’ Union and there has been an exceptional increase in capturing the student voice, including several focus groups which are occurring weekly.

 

As we continue through this year the College will be looking to further capture the student voice to set actions and ensure that student concerns/issues are dealt with. The Union will continue to facilitate this and work to ensure students are at the heart of everything the College does.