Students Like You: Lead the way with Cop Shop

From committee member to full time elected officer Tasha Cork shares her journey in Staffordshire University and tells us how the support she received from the University the Student Union and the Staffordshire Police has helped her to her journey of success.

The start;

When I started university, I knew I wanted to do something different with my life, but I didn't necessarily know what that would look like.

Before university, I had worked in a number of different jobs around Stoke-on-Trent, from cleaning in schools and campsites to working as a picker and forklift driver in warehouses. I eventually became frustrated with the limitations of the jobs I was doing and knew that I wanted to push myself towards something more.

I had never had one particular career mapped out for my future. What I did know was that I wanted to help people and make a difference. As long as I could find a way to do that, I knew I would be happy. That was ultimately what led me to take the leap and apply to university.

Finding Cop Shop;

During my Foundation Year, I was definitely an overachiever! I wanted to get involved in everything I possibly could and make the most of being at university.

While looking through the different opportunities available, I came across Cop Shop. As a Policing and Criminal Investigation student, it seemed like a natural fit, so I started looking into how I could get involved.

That eventually led me to PC Gareth Richardson. At the time, Cop Shop's previous committee had graduated, and the society was effectively up for adoption. I turned up with a lot of enthusiasm and probably far too many ideas about what we could do with it. I'm fairly sure Gareth was slightly terrified by just how enthusiastic I was!

That meeting was the beginning of an amazing, occasionally stressful, but incredibly rewarding journey that has followed me right through to where I am today.

Finding my confidence;

I wouldn't describe myself as a particularly nervous student when I started university, but my confidence in things like public speaking was definitely limited.

Cop Shop changed that very quickly.

We attended almost every University Open Day, which meant regularly speaking to prospective students and their parents about the course, the University and life in Stoke-on-Trent.

Having to answer questions on the spot taught me how to communicate confidently with lots of different people, think on my feet and have conversations that weren't always straightforward.

Those are skills I use almost every day now.

Turning ideas into something that helped students;

Cop Shop also gave us the opportunity to do something practical with the issues we cared about.

One of the things I'm most proud of was our work around violence against women and girls (VAWG). We organised an awareness week and worked directly with Staffordshire Police and other organisations to bring information, conversations and support directly to students.

Through our pop-up stalls and events, we were also able to provide students with free safety equipment and use our platform to reinforce wider national safety campaigns.

The networking opportunities were incredible too. I met people through Cop Shop who I originally knew only in a professional capacity and who I am now lucky enough to consider friends.

What made it particularly special was seeing our work recognised at the Students' Union's Proud to Be Staffs Awards . Cop Shop received the Community Champions Award, and I was incredibly surprised to receive Member of the Year. Neither was something I expected when I first decided to get involved.

From Cop Shop to Students' Union President;

Looking back, I believe Cop Shop played a huge part in me eventually becoming Students' Union President.

Over two years, I had countless conversations with students about their experiences, concerns and the things they wanted to see change. I started to understand that representing students wasn't simply about speaking for them. It was about listening first and then finding ways to turn what they were telling you into action.

When I eventually decided to run for President, those conversations helped shape my manifesto. A lot of what I campaigned on, particularly around student safety, community and ensuring students feel heard, came directly from what students had told me.

I am incredibly grateful that those same students ultimately placed their trust in me to represent them as President.

My role today is obviously very different from being on a society committee, but so much of what I learnt through Cop Shop has followed me into it. I'm now representing students across the University, working with University colleagues and external organisations, sitting in meetings I never imagined I would be part of, and continuing to work on many of the issues I first became passionate about through the society.

My advice? Get involved.

University goes unbelievably quickly.

My biggest advice to other students would be to get involved and push yourself outside of your comfort zone.

You don't have to arrive at university knowing exactly who you want to be or what you want to do. I certainly didn't.

Sometimes one opportunity leads to another, and suddenly you find yourself doing things you never imagined you would be capable of.

If an opportunity comes along, take the chance. Join the society. Go to the event. Volunteer for something. Speak to someone new. Put yourself forward even if you're not completely sure you're ready.

I started university simply knowing that I wanted to do something that helped people and made a difference. I couldn't have predicted where that decision would eventually take me.

Cop Shop gave me somewhere to start.

We’re proud to be Staffs

We’re incredibly proud of Tasha and everything she has achieved since taking that first step here at Staffs.

Her story is a fantastic reminder of the opportunities that can come from getting involved, meeting new people and having the confidence to say yes — even when you don’t know exactly where that opportunity might lead.

If you're interested in getting involved with Cop Shop, building networks, growing skills and leading the way like Tasha, get in touch with us at StudentEngagement@staffs.ac.uk