Ross Strong - Welfare Officer

ross strong - welfare officer

Hi I’m Ross and I’m your Welfare Officer (again) this year! My role is to ensure that you can access whatever support you might need during your time at Birmingham, whether that’s from University services or beyond. Any issue that’s affecting you personally or having an impact on your studies is important to talk about as early as possible so we can make sure you’re getting the best out of your time here. Whether you’re trying to find the right professional service, don’t know how to get things back on track or just fancy a chat, drop me an email or come find me at the Guild and we’ll take it from there.

my blog

Officer Question Time Videos

Contact me

twitter icon to contact the welfare officer ross strong

facebook icon to contact the welfare officer ross strong

My manifesto

officer action plan - Progress Reports

The below outlines progress against key points in my Officer Action Plan. Click each heading to collapse / view progress updates. If you have any questions regarding these, I'd be happy to discuss. Please feel free to get in touch using the 'Contact Me' section above.

Ongoing

Establish Peer Support Service for ALL Students

Progress Status

25% Complete

The Student Mentor Scheme peer support model is high cost and is funded directly through accommodation fees; it is not possible to replicate this for all students. July 2016
Hosted a Student Minds campaigns training conference for Student Minds societies from different universities. Oct 2016
Working with Student Minds to pursue funding opportunities for their peer support programmes. Ongoing
Discussing other possible peer support formats and funding opportunities with Student Services.Ongoing

Complete

Compulsory Welfare Tutor Training

Progress Status

100% Complete

Working with the DPVC (Student Experience), support was gained from the University Executive Board to guarantee a compulsory minimum training for all Welfare Tutors. Aug 2016
I have discussed with those responsible for the training about offering additional sessions on particular student issues (e.g. LGBTQ issues) to further enhance training and will continue to pursue this. Jan 2017

Ongoing

Wellbeing Skills & Resources: Supporting Others

Progress Status

75% Complete

Distributed over 7000 “Supporting Your Journey” booklets during Welcome Week. Sept 2016
Launched an overhauled “Support” section on the Guild website with far more information Oct 2016
Speaking to Student Services about rolling out wellbeing workshops more widely to students and specifically in the lead-up to examsDec 2016
Have put together a support information pull-out pen as part of the Mind Your Head campaign which will relaunch during the exam period with wellbeing/revision packsMarch 2017
Currently working with the Sports Officer Georgie to develop a mental health in sport workshop to deliver to sports clubs. Ongoing

Ongoing

Expanded Sexual Health Testing

Progress Status

80% Complete

Signed a community partner agreement with Umbrella Health until 2020, providing free condoms, training opportunities and hopefully a self-test kit pick-up at the Guild. Sept 2016
30,000 condoms and 6000 information cards were distributed during Welcome WeekSept 2016
The free condom stand will now be a permanent feature in Guild AdviceOct 2016
Myself and the Guild Advice advisors completed a day’s training on contraception and testing servicesDec 2016
On 7th March we held a stall with Umbrella Health offering chlamydia self-testing kits for the first time, alongside information and advice from a sexual health outreach worker. March 2017
Currently working on establishing regular opportunities for students to get tested or pick up testing kits on campus March 2017

Complete

Mental Health First Aid Training

Progress Status

100% Complete

On Oct 31/Nov 1, a range of Guild staff, Liberation Officers and student volunteers received a full 2 day Mental Health First Aid course. Nov 2016
Working with Student Services at the University who are looking to appoint an in-house Mental Health First Aid trainer. Feb 2017
Looking into how the awareness and skills gained from MHFA can be disseminated to a much greater number of staff and students. Ongoing

Ongoing

Improved Support for Liberation Groups

Progress Status

50% Complete

Revamped the Guild’s Student Equality and Diversity Committee, updating the membership and electing two open places for students. Nov 2016
Working on the introduction of Equality and Diversity Reps across the University, with a number of students now recruited and trained from a range of Schools Dec 2016
Continuing to work with the University to implement gender neutral toilets, which has seen the introduction of a number of new facilities across campus.(ongoing) Reviewing how liberation issues are communicated and resolved within the Guild and University and how best to utilise my role and the committees I sit on as part of that process. Feb 2017