Niamh Bone

Hi, I’m Niamh and I’m running to be your Welfare officer.

I’m a Geography Student, Engineering and Physical Sciences Student Council Representative, President of the Geography Society and a passionate mental health campaigner. You can find me out catching waves with QUB surf club in my spare time.

I have been a 4peer mentor for 8 years, this taught me to listen and understand the root of problems., I have been heavily involved in the Moving Forward for Greg campaign with QUB Rugby which has raised thousands of pounds and awareness for mental health charities across the UK and Ireland. 

As a student councillor, I have been elected to the SU Management Board as well as the environmental and ethics committee. I have been involved in student activism surrounding the QUB accommodation rent increase. Recently, I spoke for a motion on bereavement support for PG students. I have lobbied for increasing the student wellbeing presence on campus, but I want to serve the student community better and having learnt how the SU works,  I want to be your welfare officer to have the ability to push my plans for student wellbeing.

I have watched for years as myself and my friends were continually failed by student wellbeing, it is time for change!

Mental health

• Increasing the Inspire free counselling from the current 4 sessions

•  Mental health first aid (MHFA) training for students and staff

• Formation of on campus student support groups for bereavement, alcoholism, addiction, gambling, anxiety, depression and loneliness

• Establishing bereavement leave for all students

• Raising awareness for seasonal affective disorder (SAD)

• Academic anxiety support through more marking deadline accountability to lecturers

• Working to deliver on the results of the OMNI survey 

Sexual health

• Bringing Sexual Health and Guidance (SHAG) week to campus

• Extending the free period products to every bathroom around campus to fight period poverty

• Independent Victim Support Advocates (IVSA) on campus to support the victims of sexual violence through their studies

Housing

• Continuing to fight to reduce QUB accommodation rent

• Campaigning for the removal of off campus discipline fines for noise complaints as it breaches students’ right to private life.

• Reestablishing the student renters group to fight against crooked landlords and letting agents, charging you illegal fees or not protecting deposits

• Lobbying government for better renters rights to align more with protections renters have in the rest of the UK

• Stop the vilianisation of students by engaging with anti-student groups

• Promote MarksOutOfTenancy.com  to give honest reviews of your houses and landlords. 

• A university guarantor scheme for international and estranged students

General wellbeing and safety

• An overhaul of exceptional circumstances to an online system which updates you on the progress of your application and new due date

• Forming a ‘Yellow pages’ phone book of support resources online so you know where you can access support

• Home alone life skill lessons to help you with the transition to living away from home

• Increasing access to funding such as the University’s Hardship and Student Support fund and creating a student parents & carers fund

• Drug harm reduction kits, education and change of university policy to prevent eviction for QUB accommodation

• Make anti spiking kits available to all students and mandatory for clubs and societies socal events.

As always I am here to listen and you can message any questions, concerns or suggestions by dm-ing the campaign insta @niamh4qsuwelfare 

I hope to earn your vote on March 6th - 9th to deliver on these policies!