RSU Strategic Plan
2022 - 2025

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Welcome
Roehampton Students’ Union is the representative body for students at the University of Roehampton.

It is led by students, and we honoured to be part of a diverse, vibrant, and supportive community. The students’ union has faced some challenges in recent years, but we are now proud to present our new strategic plan for the next three years.

In 2021 we embarked on a research exercise and listened to thousands of students through surveys, forums, and conversations. The insights discovered helped us to develop an understanding of what students think is important and what they need from their students’ union now, and in the future. We also know how incredibly difficult the last few years have been for students and that the future presents challenge as well. This too has guided the development of the plan.

We have set some ambitious objectives that are challenging and powered by our values. We are inspired by our student officers, leaders, and volunteers and have a passion for student representation, empowerment, inclusivity, and support. We believe that by meeting these objectives, students will benefit and be thriving in the very best university experience at Roehampton.

We hope you enjoy reading our plans!

Farrah Black

RSU President (2020-2022)

Mark Gillespie

RSU Chief Executive

Our Mission

We represent, support, and develop students from all backgrounds at Roehampton and enable them to have the best possible university experience.

Our Vision

To create a truly inclusive community and an environment where students at Roehampton can thrive.

Our Values

Approachable

To be student facing and support students,wherever they are.

Empowering

To provide students with the means to shape and own their experience.

Representative

To anchor a true reflection of Roehampton students in our decisions and actions.

Inclusive

To recognise people and their perspectives, and to pursue equal opportunities for everybody.

Passionate

To care about what we do and show it through action.

Fun

To be in the moment and savour it together.

Our Foundations

Operations & People

Our systems, processes and procedures will be accessible and easy to use by everybody. 

We will seek and adopt best practice to ensure what we do is relevant, relatable to students, and effective. 

We will commit to support, nurture, and develop our people to help them reach their potential.

A Responsible Students' Union

The systems that support our governance will be robust, transparent, and enable effective decision making by our trustees. 

We are committed to environmental, social, and financial sustainability and will embed policy and procedures to preserve these commitments.

We will communicate with students proactively to keep them informed, honestly, and with factually when reporting our impact.

Relationships

We will implement and build on a new relationship and services agreement with the  university. 

Develop partnerships at all levels across the university to increase our reach and awareness of our mission. 

We will engage our local and wider community to share our impact and seek opportunities for students.

Our Objectives

Student Voice

RSU will effectively communicate the needs of students from all backgrounds to challenge the university to deliver an outstanding student experience.

Actions
  • RSU will develop improved student voice and academic representation systems, and empower students to challenge the university to meet and exceed students’ needs and aspirations.
  • Develop RSU’s democracy to be more inclusive and improve its connections with the university to ensure the student voice is heard.
  • Student feedback channels will be more proactive, responsive and better designed to include the views of all Roehampton students.
Success Looks Like
  • RSU will develop improved student voice and academic representation systems, and empower students to challenge the university to meet and exceed students’ needs and aspirations.
  • Develop RSU’s democracy to be more inclusive and improve its connections with the university to ensure the student voice is heard.
  • Student feedback channels will be more proactive, responsive and better designed to include the views of all Roehampton students.
Measurement(s)
  • RSU will develop improved student voice and academic representation systems, and empower students to challenge the university to meet and exceed students’ needs and aspirations.
  • Develop RSU’s democracy to be more inclusive and improve its connections with the university to ensure the student voice is heard.
  • Student feedback channels will be more proactive, responsive and better designed to include the views of all Roehampton students.
Student Development and Co-Creation

Students will have access to high-quality opportunities which build confidence and truly add value to their university experience.

Actions
  • RSU will help students to create and lead more of their own activities and ensure these are offered in a way that students can participate in them regardless of their background and identity.  
  • Establish new systems that clearly define how RSU works with and supports the development of student volunteers.
  • Source and deliver opportunities and training that are highly relatable to the world beyond university, have defined learning outcomes, accredited where possible, and enhanced by technology.
Success Looks Like
  • Students will identify and articulate transferable skills gained through student opportunities created through RSU.
  • Students recognise the value and benefits of co-creating extra-curricular activity through the students’ union as an essential part of their student experience as well as their life experience.
  • Students have agency to co-create their university experience in ways that are enabled by partnerships RSU forms in the university and wider community.
Measurement(s)
  • 75% of students involved with RSU feel they have the skills to create and lead activities at Roehampton.
  • 1 in 2 students that create and lead activity through RSU secure graduate level employment.
  • 90% of students feel that training delivered through RSU helps build confidence andtransferrable skills.
Inclusivity and Belonging

RSU facilitates a sense of belonging across the university and empowers students to be socially responsible and conscientious citizens.

Actions
  • RSU will empower students from all communities to be represented, and will celebrate the diversity and the identities of all students at Roehampton.
  • RSU will promote, demonstrate and evidence social consciousness and support students to act positively on environmental and social sustainability issues.
  • RSU activities will be designed responsibly with greater accessibility in mind. They will be better informed by student feedback and operate in more approachable and safe environments.
Success Looks Like
  • Liberation ,equality, diversity, and inclusion initiatives are anchored in all RSU activity,and when working in partnership with the university.
  • Students proactively engage with issues that they care about both at university and in the wider world by demonstrating a commitment, through action, to environmental and social sustainability.
  • Students know how to become involved with RSU and take part or lead activities across the university and in their communities.
Measurement(s)
  • 80% of students feel they belong at university and know how to get involved with RSU.
  • 1 in 3 students is involved with a student-led activity, a society, or a volunteering project.
  • 80% of students know RSU’s role in driving environmental sustainability and social consciousness.
  • More than 90% of students agree RSU spaces are safe, fun, and inclusive.
Supporting Students

RSU will provide effective and accessible services for students, and work in partnership with the university to ensure support is available when and where students need it.

Actions
  • RSU will design services that students tell us they want and that are based on their needs, expectations, and future aspirations.
  • RSU services will be more visible and accessible, and we will promote these effectively in the physical and virtual spaces that students use.
  • RSU will strengthen partnerships and communication systems with key university services to ensure all students can quickly and easily access the help they need.
Success Looks Like
  • Students know what support RSU offers and can access it in a way and at a time that suits them best.
  • Students are satisfied with the quality of support they receive from RSU and believe it helps them stay at university.
  • Students indicate their overall wellbeing has improved after receiving support from RSU, or services it refers them to.
Measurement(s)
  • 80% of students say RSU is highly visible, approachable and helpful.
  • More than 90% of students that engage with RSU services and support are more likely to stay and progress through university.
  • 80% of students receiving RSU support say it positively impacted their student experience.
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