Wellbeing

Helen Cooper (she/her/they) - Wellbeing

“Helen is the voice for student wellbeing and liberation”

Their role focuses on making sure our students are as happy and healthy as possible.

E-mail: suwellbeing@aber.ac.uk

About the Role:

The Wellbeing Officer is responsible for:

Representing the student body on matters relating to wellbeing, including student support, welfare, equality and diversity.
Co-ordinating activity and campaigns relating to student wellbeing.
Informing policy within the University and Students’ Union on matters relating to student wellbeing.
Supporting and developing a network of students on wellbeing matters by chairing the Wellbeing Zone.
Working with the Chief Executive, Officers and AberSU’s senior management team to achieve and shape strategic aims and outcomes.
Attending appropriate University Committees.
Attending regular meetings with relevant University departments to further the development of student wellbeing.

University Committees/Meetings Attended:

Student Experience Committee
Accessible Aber
Equality Champions
Peer Guide Network Meeting
Department Disability Coordinators Meeting
Drug and Alcohol Strategy Group Meeting
Trans Implementation Policy Group
Attendance Monitoring Group
Plastic Free Aberystwyth University Meeting

Current Priorities:

Below you can find a list of priorities Helen is working on this year as well as their current progress on them.

Provide gender affirming services in the SU for trans and gender non-conforming students: Establish a gender affirmation fund, used for cosmetic purposes and subsidising cost of passport and license changes. Continue work on the Beyond the Binary project by ensuring there are products available for students to access. Provide support and community through events such as Trans and LGBTQIA+ Meet and Greets, Support Circles and Transitioning Talks Promotion of the Transgender Network
Improve Student Wellbeing Services on campus: Work with Student Services on implementing Suicide Prevention action plans and re-writing or reviewing policy relevant to student safety and wellbeing. Run a Wellbeing Week * Consistent wellness sessions held in the Students Union to provide outlets that aren’t just focused on supporting a student, so they perform well academically. Promote active listening and work on providing mental health first aid for students. Work on across campus communication.
Preventing S/H, S/A and Spiking and supporting survivors: Anti-spiking kits for behind bar and distributed at relevant Meet and Greets. Run consent training session for committee membersPaste (Presidents, Wellbeing and Social Secretaries)

AberSU should continue to support trans and gender diverse students by providing gender affirming products. * ----------
We should host an annual SHAG Week. * ----------
University and SU to take a stand in supporting Pro-Reproductive Rights Universally. * ----------
Stopping spiking and supporting survivors. * ----------

*denotes policy as passed democratically by Aberystwyth students. Find out more here.