Reading SU Impact Report 2022/23

ImpacT REPORT

2022-2023

table of contents 4

Introduction

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Our Strategic Plan

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Our members

8

Being the voice of students

10 Supporting students to succeed 11

Creating a sense of belonging & community

14 13 Making University life fun 14 Change priorities 16

Income & expenditure

18 Thank you & what’s next?

Celebrating impact & looking forward to what’s next!

As we reflect on the past year, we are proud of the impact we've collectively made on the lives of all students at the University of Reading. Helping students have the best time, and focusing on improving the lives of every student every day, has been at the heart of everything we do.

The Students' Union is more than just a place; it is a vibrant community where everyone is welcome. We strive to inspire and empower students to change the world, creating a platform for good that fosters equality, freedom of expression, and a sense of belonging.

This impact wouldn't have been possible without the incredible support and collaboration of each member of our community. We are immensely thankful to everyone who has contributed to our mission, whether through voicing their opinions, engaging in positive change, or simply by connecting with others.

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Yet, as proud as we are of our achievements, we know that there is always more to be done. Our commitment to providing social spaces, amplifying voices, offering support, creating a democratic platform, equipping students with transferable skills, and raising funds for the benefit of students remains central.

As we look ahead, we are excited about what the future holds. The journey to enhance student experiences and pave the way for brighter futures continues!

Together, we will continue to build a community that embraces diversity, celebrates change, and ensures that every student feels heard, supported, and empowered. A place where all students belong.

Thank you for being a vital part of our journey. Here's to what's next!

Strategic Plan 2022-2025

Helping Students Have the Best Time Our Strategic Themes

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We will ensure an effective voice on the issues facing students and harness the collective power we have to achieve positive change.

We want to help students on their journey. We do this through providing support, advice, employment and personal development opportunities

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4

CREATING A SENSE OF BELONGING & COMMUNITY

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MAKING UNIVERSITY LIFE FUN We want to ensure students have the best time here at Reading, making memories for life.

ull pla f e

n

We will facilitate opportunities for students to come together and encourage participation in our activity.

It takes time to feel part of a community and we recognise our role in helping make this happen in an inclusive way.

SUPPORTING STUDENTS TO SUCCEED

Read th

BEING THE VOICE OF STUDENTS

or click here

WHO IS IT ALL FOR?

You! Our Members 0.1% not specified

Our 24,000+ student membership is made up of...

53.6% female

7.2%

LGBTQ+ students

46.2% male

0.1%

non-binary or other gender identities

16.3%

students with a disability declared

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38.6%

BAME students

26.5%

international students

73.4% home students

0.1% unknown

53.3% white students

8.1%

unknown

47.2%

postgraduate students

52.4%

undergraduate students 0.4% other

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1

BEING THE VOICE OF STUDENTS

11,591 votes cast by 1,900 voters in the February Leadership Elections 2023.

238 votes cast in our June ByElections 2023.

Over 1,600 students elected to represent students’ interests.

Increase in Full-time Officer candidate diversity

15.5% disabled students

44.2%

23%

mature students

international students

36.4%

ethnic minority students

8.7% LGBTQ+ students

We worked with UoR to strengthen self-certification for the exceptional circumstances process - now increased to 5 days.

Course reps led impactful change, including improving exam timetables, encouraging timelier feedback and improving work placement opportunities.

We celebrated excellence in teaching through 364 nominations from students in the Excellence Awards.

Through 6 “Living Black in Accommodation” workshops, students shared their experiences and contributed to reshaping the narrative for a more inclusive future.

11,591 votes cast in our

Leadership Elections

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1

BEING THE VOICE OF STUDENTS Fueled by student insights, we crafted our TEF submission to help improve education for our students. Through data collection — from inclusive focus groups to comprehensive surveys targeting diverse voices — we gathered 263 invaluable student perspectives.

We held a referendum on our NUS UK membership and a majority voted to leave!

We held our first Reading University Student Sustainability Summit, uniting academics and students to tackle the climate crisis head-on. Through engaging presentations, workshops, and discussion panels, we provided a platform for student voices to shape a brighter, greener future.

263 students fed into our

TEF submission Together with students, we wrote our first submission to the OFS on the University's Access and Participation Plan. Sharing student voice and insight which will shape the future of access and participation initiatives for the next four years.

Our engagement with students on social media - one of our key places for campaigning and sharing student success skyrocketed from 3.8K to 2.3M. Notably, our main Instagram followers increased by 75.6%, from 4K to over 7K.

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2

SUPPORTING STUDENTS TO SUCCEED

Through our Advice Service: 993 students were supported Students were £161,220 better off 246 students were helped through an Academic Misconduct process 141 students were helped through an Appeal

We launched the Black Leadership Programme and 18 student leaders attended. This initiative, featuring leadership skills sessions led by an award-winning coach and careerfocused workshops, aimed to empower students of Black Heritage Background and equip them with essential leadership skills.

51 students received advice on housing contracts 47 students who had a disrepair issue received advice 91 students were supported with UK student funding issues

Students were

£161,220 because of our

Advice Service

Since September 2022 we have paid student staff £343,222, this equates to over 32,000 student staff hours!

Little Learners Nursery achieved a ‘Good’ OFSTED rating and provided care for 117 children including the children of 23 students, 62 UoR staff, 14 Reading SU Staff and 18 parents and carers in the local community.

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CREATING A SENSE OF BELONGING & COMMUNITY 2,984 students joined societies (1.3% ↓ from 21/22 as groups reestablished post-pandemic) 2,637 joined sports clubs (11.4% ↑ from 21/22) 308 involved in volunteering opportunities (69.2% ↑ from 21/22) 1,160 student leaders undertook voluntary committee member roles: 540 on society committees 556 on sports committees 64 on volunteering committees

The Activities Fund was established and received 46 applications. We successfully distributed £7,277 to 35 students, to help them sports and society memberships.

We created a bookable student space in the Student Opportunities Hub which took 142 bookings with 5 student groups having weekly sessions in there.

Captains Club was introduced to bring together committees to exchange best practice and build community. From socials to activities like dodgeball and pizza evenings, the Captains Club is all about creating a vibrant and supportive community.

5,929 Students involved in

Student Opportunities

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3

CREATING A SENSE OF BELONGING & COMMUNITY Our 11th annual 'Relax with RUSU' (soon to be re-branded!) provided over 40 events promoting positive mental health practices during exam season.

Our "Wellbeing Fair" welcomed local support agencies and provided students with a chance to make local connections and access vital support.

We remain dedicated to fostering inclusivity, with a strong focus on supporting underrepresented groups. Our event line up included Reading Student Pride events, a vibrant celebration of the LGBTQ+ community and our Black History Month programme which provided an exploration of Black history and culture. A particular highlight was the first Black Arts Showcase which provided a captivating platform to celebrate the richness of Black creativity and talent.

The mobile petting farm was a highlight with over 600 students and staff attending!

277 attendees surveyed rated their stress levels decreased by 38.6% having attended the mobile petting farm!

We facilitated three university landlord forums to improve communication, inform landlords about student housing regulations, and encourage improved landlords for students in the local community.

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MAKING UNIVERSITY LIFE FUN We hosted a year-round mix of events, from club nights and quizzes to live music, patio sessions, film screenings, roller discos, LGBTQ+ events, and more.

Themed weeks, like Pride, Black History Month, and International Women’s Day, connected our events program to broader SU campaigns.

Across our evenings in the venue, we had a total attendance of over 91,500.

Over 800 students attended our annual Varsity sports competition hosted this year by Oxford Brookes. The event featured a range of indoor and outdoor sports, attracting a large audience of athletes and supporters. Despite the results not going in Reading’s favour, it was an engaging day of spirited sporting activity!

91,500 Our Summer Ball drew a crowd of over 3,500 students to bid farewell to the academic year. The SU and meadow transformed into student festival, complete with fairground rides, food vendors, and music acts.

attended

evening events in our

venues 13

CHANGE PRIORITIES To enable us to continue to increase our impact and deliver effectively for students we created a programme of change, linked to our strategic plan, across 5 key areas: 1. Spaces 2. Brand & Identity 3. Digital Systems 4. Student Voice & Support 5. Building Community

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Progress has been made across our change programme with more to come.

Further resources have been allocated to the third phase during academic year 2023/24 and the SU Senior Leadership Team will review these to ensure impact is measured and any revisions which need to be made can be incorporated.

AREA

PROGRESS

Spaces

Welcome Area re-decorated including new Welcome Desk & Officer space created combining 3 x rooms

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Brand & Identity

3

Digital Systems

SUMS (new membership system) onboarding and new website designed - launched in August

4

Student Voice & Support

Some aspects incorporated into digital systems as part of SUMS and website launch; others postponed to 2024/25

5

Building Community

Funded a temporary role, focused on community in halls, now integrated into other staff remit; Voucher payments for Black Leadership Programme participants

Branding re-design completed & re-brand launched including staff workshop, building signage and new brand assets and merch

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INcOME

TOTAL: £5,109,712

STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES (CLUBS & SOCIETIES) £569,720 | 11%

MARKETING, FRANCHISES & SPONSORSHIP £307,217 | 6%

GRANT INCOME £1,727,335 | 33.8%

LITTLE LEARNERS £833,499 | 16%

OTHER £42,193 | 1%

SOCIALS, VENUES & EVENTS £1,629,748 | 32%

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EXpENDITURE

TOTAL: £5,179,172 MARKETING, FRANCHISES & SPONSORSHIP DIGITAL & COMMUNICATIONS

£171,233 | 3%

£287,450 | 6%

GOVERNANCE £115,736 | 2%

AFFILIATIONS

ADVICE

£47,679 | 1%

£309,346 | 6%

STUDENT DEMOCRACY £418,523 | 8%

SOCIALS, VENUES & EVENTS

LITTLE LEARNERS £761,990 | 15%

£1,870,307 | 36%

STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES (CLUBS & SOCIETIES) £1,196,908 | 23%

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WHAT’S NEXT? 2024 Applications Open

Leadership Elections are your chance to make your voice heard and improve student experience at the University of Reading. So, if you're passionate about life as a student here, apply for a role!

Mon 15 Jan - Fri 2 Feb

Campaigning Period!

Thurs 15 - Fri 23 Feb

Meet the Candidates!

18:00 – 21:00 Mon 19 Feb

Voting Period!

19 Feb – Fri 23 Feb

Results Night!

MOR T U

E

FIND O

19:00 Fri 23 Feb 2024

readingsu.co.uk/elections

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WE COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU Thank you for all you’ve done to help us improve the lives of all students, every day. Here’s to another awesome year of Reading SU!

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR MEMBERS, STAFF & READING SU COMMUNITY enquiries@rusu.co.uk

readingsu.co.uk