Its handover time already which is extremely strange because it feels like it was only yesterday that I was receiving mine! This is definitely a period of reflection and its crazy how much I know now in comparison to this time last year.
When I started the role, I had little knowledge of how the Guild and the University was run, but luckily I had a fantastically supportive network to answer my never-ending list of questions. Like with any job, I learnt quickly because I had to!
It’s definitely not been the year I pictured when I ran to become an Officer in February 2020, when Covid-19 was a small news item. Lots of my manifesto ideas became overshadowed by more serious concerns that needed urgent attention, meaning my priorities shifted. There have been countless challenges to rise to, and although they’ve sometimes been difficult to manage, they’ve often brought with them big wins! So although it wasn’t the year I imagined, it’s certainly been a memorable one.
I’ve no doubt that Aaliyah Simms, my successor, will do an amazing job in the year to come - she’s bringing fresh ideas and expertise in different areas to me, which is really exciting.
It’s been a privilege to be Welfare and Community Officer at such an important time for students, so thank you for giving me this opportunity and to everyone who has helped and supported me along the way! Bye bye Birmingham, it’s been a blast!