#suarts

I have no words to describe how it feels to get paid for doing what you love.

Two months after I started studying BA (Hons) Film Practice at LCC, I was just learning about the Arts SU (called SUARTS at the time), and as soon as I saw the job offer on Tumblr saying that they were looking for a student to join their team, I knew it was for me.

I had experience working only in customer service, and my mind was asking me desperately to get into something more creative (having undiagnosed ADHD made it even more difficult, as non-creative jobs can make me feel extremely bored and apathetic). Working as a Communications Assistant at the Arts SU sounded so amazing, creative and fun, that I was dying to get the job. But when I first saw the advert, my first thought was:

I am not good enough.

It took me a while to get myself together and fill in the application form as everything I wrote sounded like I was making it up just to get the job. But I was just highlighting all the things that I was proud to have achieved, and basically wording, in the most professional way I could, how excited I was to get the job. I also gathered the courage to ask my tutor to write a recommendation, and when I got the interview I tried really hard just to be myself and show them how much I had to offer. And let me tell you, when I got the phone call saying that I got the job, I think I got something stuck in my eye, if you know what I mean.

And since my very first day working at the office in Holborn I have loved this job every single day. I have written articles, I have gone to amazing events, I have taken pictures, I have searched for GIFs, I have interviewed really cool people, I have had really nice food and drinks, I have filmed, and I have been part of a really nice team. And I can’t describe how incredibly it feels to be paid for doing something you love.

(And I’m not even mentioning how it feels to be awarded for doing something you love!)

And I am taking so much with me. Now I am looking for a job, the kind of job that will be the thing I do the rest of my life, my career, my dream. During my three years at UAL I got to know myself better and I have learnt that I want to be a film editor. Thanks to have been working for two years and a half at Arts SU, I feel confident enough to continue my career and I am aware of my value.

Thanks to this role I am proud to say (and I did so last week at an interview for an editing job) that I filmed and edited a very important event that took place at the British Museum, and the museum’s management liked the video so much they didn’t even ask for any changes. I can show all the amazing pictures I had the opportunity to take during events such as ‘The Other Garden Party’. I can even say that thanks to my article “Being an International Student at UAL” two people contacted me to tell me they were inspired by it, and they were going to start new degrees, thanks to my article.

I couldn’t be more grateful, and, hoping that the next Communications Assistant can learn and get even more than I did from this great role and this wonderful team, I say goodbye, for now. My graduation ceremony will be happening soon and I am very excited about it, so I’ll leave you with my favourite picture from the ones I took when I covered the Graduation Ceremonies last year at the Royal Festival Hall:

The client of this project is UAL. UAL’s purpose is to educate their students in the fields regarding art and design. UAL values creative and practical learning. It has three core values: “Theory-Method-Practice”.

The objective of this project is to awaken interest and inspire students at LCF to get involved with the evolution of technology. By doing this, the goal is that they can find new ways to use technology as a part of their education, and hereby their products and designs.

The target market of UAL are students gifted with competences within arts and design. The target audience wants to be more than a student - more than their studies. They want to have fun, learn new skills and grow in both educational and personal skills.

Earlier this student facing club has been represented with the metaphor of “ping pong”. As result, the students thought that the club was a sports club. Therefore this idea of the club has to be changed.

A “competitor” to this club is the Arts Students’ Union (SUARTS). This is the student union for all campuses at UAL and hosts a variety of events. Within these events and offers, they have for example set up a buying website and handles selling and buying procedures when students want to sell their products/arts/designs. UAL also offers a society “UAL Society” which consists of small communities  “... of groups of students who share a common interest, and they provide opportunities for you to meet new people, develop your creative practice within an artistic community”.

Over the last two years the Students’ Union has had a lot of wins for students. From not raising tuition fees to continuing students, to 24 hour library opening hours at CSM, to gender neutral toilets on all campuses.

Whilst the four of the full time officers (that’s myself - Welfare, Ana - Campaigns, Hansika- Education and Leah - Activities) work as part of a team and often very collaboratively we also have certain remits that we work in.

Here are some of the wins we’ve had for Welfare since I’ve been in office for the past two years. It’s worth saying that none of this could have been achieved without the help and support of not only those who work in the Union, but students’ themselves. Without having 900 responses to our mental wellbeing survey, and students’ protesting on University Mental Health Day we would not have come so far for mental health support. Without the powerful quotes from trans students at UAL we wouldn’t have got gender neutral toilets. 

It’s important to remember that when we work and organise together - we can have big wins. Arts Students’ Union exists to defend and extend your rights, don’t forget to get in touch with the incoming Welfare Officer Katy if you have any issues or campaign ideas for next year. 

Summer is the perfect time to do things and look for new activities. And if all you want to do is to be a couch potato, then we are sorry because you’ll have to look for new excuses, cause the money won’t be one anymore. We present you the ultimate Suarts Discounts Guide for this Summer!

* Do you like going to the cinema?

Well, who doesn’t. Now it’s the time! And there’s actually a few pretty cool films coming up. NUS card holders will get 25% off at ODEON cinemas!

* Are you a music person?

Do you have a really annoying neighbour? Loudly enjoy your favourite music non stop with a freaking 50% off on Spotify!

* Do you like traveling? 

Now it’s affordable! (To find inspiration click here) Get a 25% off at National Express!

* Do you like pizzas? 

Yeah, that was a silly question. Well, get up to 40% off at Pizza Express!

* Any birthdays coming up?

Get them (or for yourself) the best present! Get a 5% off at Amazon!

* Do you do groceries every now and then?