Hayden Tsang

Vice President
Hayden

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Email me | Hayden.Tsang@staffs.ac.uk
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Hi all,

I’m Hayden and I am one of your Vice-presidents for the 22/23 academic year, also one of last years elected officers in 21/22!

 

I graduated in BSc Hons Cybersecurity in 2021 at Staffordshire University

Current Coach for the University American Football Team - Staffordshire Stallions, come down and say Hi!

 

Few interests/ hobbies I like: Memes, Video Games, Anime, Sports, Casual Gym Goer, Cheffing it up and more!

 

I’m really excited to work with this year’s team  to achieve what we want in our Union priorities and see the future of our next academic year at Staffs

 

Pronouns: He / Him / His

My 2021/22 Manifesto

1. Physical & Mental Health

I think Mental health is an ever-ongoing battle everyone faces including myself and recently I've had to battle with my physical health too. My go to solution for mental health has been exercise. I believe it is a great activity that a lot of people forget about and do not treat it the way it deserves to be. I have primarily spent my life staring at screens and interacting with electronics. This year those numbers vastly increased due to Covid. In all honesty, spending a bit of time working out at home and just going for walks have kept me going.

 

In response to both physical and mental health, I personally want to push on the opportunities for all students to get better access to the on-campus gym. Push for 24/7 student accessibilities of wellbeing services efficiently and being able to get those services to who needs it.

  • Exercise and fitness are one of the key solutions for mental health and provide several benefits like relieving stress. I believe to push for 24/7 access to gyms which will allow students to help fight back against mental health as well as general fitness for all

  • Most students use Pure Gym due to the 24/7 aspect, but it is safer for our students to use our own onsite gyms rather than those away. This can also help students who cannot sleep/struggle at night times and hopefully give them some relief

  • I want to work towards better 24/7 student access for wellbeing services and make the process for students to get help more efficient.

  • In the future I will look into putting in place funding in the Wellbeing services for those students who might need the extra help. This could include campus gym access or sports team memberships

  • I want to get more advertising for societies. This year a lot of memberships suffered due to Covid. I want to bring that back up and allow students to broaden their relations with each other ? 21/22

  • Work on the implementation of a new committee position into sports teams – ‘Wellbeing Officer’ to help all members and have someone they can contact if they need it to signpost ? 21/22

  • Potential partnership with other GP's such as the Shelton Primary Care. Push for more access to doctors and higher availability ? 21/22

2. Representation & Value for Money

As a student at Staffs, I have been well included to all the events I have attended and met a lot of people. Each year here, I have seen good representation for all and I want to strive to keep it at that and make it better so all students can have the experience they want when they come to our University.

 

With the past year, I think I can speak for all, that it was not worth the £9,250 we paid for University, therefore I want to work on ensuring that this coming academic year is worth it. I will show you the things you are paying for and get to make the most out of.

 

I want to work and potentially get interactions with parties outside of University that could affect the price we paid for the last academic year. I personally don’t believe it was worth the same price as a “normal” academic learning year.

 

As this is a large and important category, I have broken it down into four key areas; Inclusion, Housing, Access and Sports Teams.

Inclusion

I want to work on the university in progression of this next academic year for all students. Making events such as welcome week better for those coming to our University and those who missed out the past year due to Covid. I want to ensure inclusion for all students and include options for those who don’t live on campus.

  • We need a bigger, better, and more inclusive welcome week ? 21/22

  • I myself have struggled with mobility issues and have found areas around campus difficult to gain access too, therefore I want to push for these to change

  • Commuting students should have access to rent a room to stay on campus when they have important sessions/exams to attend ? 21/22

  • Continue to push inclusion for all students. The union has been doing a good job pushing these issues, so we need to continue to support our LGBTQ+, disabled students and all other demographics through new officer teams here at Staffs

Housing

In my first year, I lived in Leek Road Halls, Royal Doulton Blue Flat 3 and surpirsingly I enjoyed it! I believe it was one of the better furnished halls, however, they all can be vastly improved! Especially the majority of who will live in them are first years, so it should be refurbished for the first-year experience and the price they pay for.

 

Not everyone will go to University straight away, so providing the option for new students that are over a certain age to opt for flats for mature students to feel more comfortable.

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  • Refurbishment for Leek road halls and Clarice Cliff to enable students to have a better experience to university

  • Having a mature student flat with other students over a certain age range would be beneficial for helping certain demographics of students feel more comfortable in their first year at university ? 21/22

Access

With Covid’s appearance, it had become apparent that student accessibility for their needs towards their course such as access to specific equipment and areas. I have hopes to push longer access to the post-covid campus and allow students to access what they need for the price they pay.

 

As a student in my final year around this time, exam period is close, and the access of the library is key for many others, but a regular break is also needed. I want to introduce break zones/rooms within the library to de-stress. Open a canteen area with microwaves and kettles for hot drinks and quick foods to eat without having to leave all the way back home.

  • I want to create access to a break zone for those students using the library who are not within a close distance. Working towards things like kitchen facilities and resting zones for students to de-stress, especially near exam and hand-in periods

  • We have free outdoor space around the campus, so why don't we use it such as adding more picnic benches and outdoor areas for students to use while they are on campus ? 21/22

Sports

While at Staffs, I am a member of the Staffordshire Stallions American Football Team who kindly took me in and treated me like family. We Stallions members get gym membership discounts with the campus gym, so why other sports teams aren’t offered the same?

 

Did you as a first-year student know what is included in your 9k you pay a year? Thanks to previous officers, we have guides that provide information on what you have access to, however, we do not have anything like that in regard to the sports side when you pay for a membership. I want to help make that clearer for students and encourage them to join different teams.

  • With feedback from sports teams, we need better transport organisation and more clarity

  • We need more information on where our money with sports teams goes – such as things like our insurance and how does it work

  • There should be more gym discounts when you are part of a sports team

  • Sports hall times are always filled, we need more equipment and areas for teams to play outside or more access to social sports during key times like summer

  • Ensure you as students have clearer communications with lecturers and have the right access to what you need when you are stuck

3. Safety & Opportunities

#NoExcuse in Staffs, I believe the Union take pride and are proud to be Staffs. We have had excellent campaigns such as the #NoExcuse, but I think we can make it better! By picking up what was left and halted due to Covid, I want to create a better campus for the future of all students at Staffs. I want to encourage and create behaviour change, as at the end of the day, you are in control of your actions, whether that be treating another positively, to standing by when someone is attacked.

 

We are #ProudToBeStaffs, and I want to continue that for those who really want to get the most experience out of their courses, including features like cross-dynamics between courses. It could improve the experience to simulate real life workflow. Give students a better understanding of how the work-life can be postgraduation and give them that much more experience when they get there.

 

We are one of the best Union’s across the country and want to make sure we can continue the great job. I want to make sure all students can have the opportunities for wider undergraduate placement and postgraduate schemes to help getting out there and making use of your degree!

  • Self-defence classes for all ? 21/22

  • Improvement of current system like Ask Angela and Union Angels

  • There is an app called “What 3 Words” that helps students when they might not have access to other support when alone

  • Clearer communications with head of courses to mention safety systems in place for freshers at the start of the academic year ? 21/22

  • Access to emergency alarms/whistles for induction days for students ? 21/22

  • Help support the new Safe zone application that is being implemented in April 2021, and making sure students know how it works, and how to feel comfortable with our security team ? 21/22

  • Push for wider job opportunities for our students for placement and postgraduation ? 21/22

  • Cross dynamics between courses such as accounting and business management to simulate the real-life working environment

  • More refereeing and coaching opportunities within sports groups ? 21/22

  • More accessibility for all students to participate in extra training certificates, such as: First aid, fire training, Microsoft courses, Cybersecurity etc. If you are paying £9,250 to be at University, why shouldn’t there be extra certificates for you to aim for and get while you’re here to get yourself ahead. It is all about self-improvement and making yourself better for your future ? 21/22

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4. Sustainability

The best way for this is for everyone to do their part. From my first year here in 2018, there have been no recycling bins for halls. The number of recyclables that went into the waste bins were tremendous. Simply adding these can help a lot for our future and becoming more sustainable as a University.

  • Implementation of recycling bins for student halls ? 21/22

  • More litterbin and recycling around campus to reduce littering as the simple fact that if there isn’t one ? 21/22

  • Donation of excess jars to the union for other students to use at the student store next to ember lounge on campus. Encourage the less waste packaging we produce ? 21/22

     

Updates from me.

Here is what I am working on, what I have completed and what I still have to do:

Hayden 1Hayden 2

 

Hayden 3Hayden 4Hayden 5Hayden 6

My 2022/23 Manifesto

1. Development and Wellbeing

  • Continuing the front on Physical/ Mental Health Provisions
    • No matter what, the mental health of our students should stand forefront of our prioritise, but we cannot simply put a box around it and call it a day, this will be a forever growing and evolving issue that should be addressed for our students, whether that be, the University moulding its service to our student body, or ensuring students know where to be signposted and feel listened to
    • Physical health such as exercise will always have a special place in my heart, as it is and always has been my go-to for clearing my head and making my mental health and physical health better, even if it is a little bit.
    • I am soon having my operation for my knee as it has now been over 2 years since I had suffered from a severe injury in American Football, and that has affected my ability to exercise, thoughts and prospects on using my knee in physical needs later in my life and subsequently my mental health
    • I want to make physical health an option for all students to feel like they can do, not limited to the “sporty lot”, whether this be “Beginner” focused times for those that are nervous or find the gym/ working out daunting
    • I still strongly believe that any of the sports clubs should be something that all our students should have access to regardless of skill level and finances, if you have an interest and find it fun, you should be able to go do it
  • Improving/ changing GP Services for students
    • Finalising the services, we have far too long been under Harley Street, why is the University supporting and utilising a service that has no attention for our students, I have first-hand experience with HS, and that should not be the case. We should be able to be seen by the GP that the University is pushing students to sign up with, and if that’s not the case, it is time to say goodbye to HS and connect with a different practice that CAN see, support, and service our students that come to study at Staffs
  • Time to talk, support and give support sessions
    • The key to preventing the small case to developing to a big case that is hard solve, is simply tackling it from the start, with key support groups to start the conversations and make time to talk for our students and help them before it escalates to another level
    • To support our students with pre-existing tools such as Rest and Reset Lounges to make them feel supported, and hopefully feel empowered to support others in similar situations
  • Substance Abuse and Addiction aid/ Harm reduction
    • Raising more awareness for this topic
    • bringing in resources for self-care
    • noticing the signs of substance abuse or addictions,
    • if we cannot stop you, then we want you to be at bare minimum safe if you are going to do it
    • drug amnesty areas and follow up support

 

  • providing resources to help you grow and develop as an individual after University and more!
    • This would be apart of the growing strong game changer, and I want to add/ expand skills you will need as you leave university and become an independent adult. These skills and resources would include but not limited to:
      • Nutrition
      • Money Management
      • Taxes
      • How to build and keep a good credit score
      • Establishing a job/ career
      • Accounts
      • Insurances
    • There is already a lot of good things in this game changer, and it is a shame to not have been able to promote or work on it as much, but this is the perfect chance to get it going again, revitalising areas and adding more value to what is important to you when you leave university as a fully independent adult

2. Safety and sustainability

  • Students’ safety first, anywhere, anytime
    • I started and achieved a 24/7 safety initiative for the whole of our London campus within 6 months, I want to further enhance this with our students in stoke anywhere and anytime on the campus to a finer level, as well as our Stafford campus
    • Student safety should not be second, third, or fourth on the list, it should be a clear priority as it is our students that keep the life of campus, how are they supposed to live and create that sense of community if they don’t even feel safe to be on it
  • Getting our safety teams more connected with students
    • I was able to join the back end of the security changes on the Stoke campus, this being our security team, being changed to a “safety” team by being more visible around campus, change of clothing to have a friendlier feel, and patrolling more frequently around the campus and local area
    • However, they should be first hand understanding the student concerns as it is their role to enable students to feel safe on campus, this is your space, so why should you feel safe on it?
    • Holding more forums, events, and closer interactions with our safety teams to understand what the current or future climate of our student safety is
  • Making Safezone more accessible and reliable for students
    • I worked on and helped promoted the implementation of the University bespoke free safety app “Safezone” that came into play in April 2021
    • I want to continue raising its awareness, and implement more transparency and visibility of the app for our students, to understand its use and how it can keep our students safe, and make campus a safer space
    • Far too much our students might call or even use the Safezone app to connect to our Stoke campus control centre where our safety team is, however, by the time they arrive, the culprit/s or issue is already passed with no proper resolution, that shouldn’t be the case and I want to make Safezone more reliable for our students
  • Transparency on how sustainable campus is, what needs to be changed, and what you can do
    • There is no transparency for our university on how sustainable it is, and is resorted to being labelled “113th” on the people and planet charts for university in the UK, this should be changed and this can start by letting students know how sustainable/ eco friendly are the buildings on campus, or things like Catalyst roof being completely fitted with solar panels and understanding how much of the solar energy is being used to power the building
  • Staffs has been listed 113th on the "people and planet 21/22"

3. Academic support, accountability, and opportunities

  • Implement standards such as compulsory academic mentoring training for staff to get it right from the start!
    • Implementing a standard such as a compulsory academic training for academic staff so they can support most student issues on the spot appropriately rather than downplaying issues or ignoring them as they do not know. This can also include being able to signpost appropriately, training for competency on race, gender, disabilities, LSS’s etc
  • Hold the university and union to accountability. Students have the right to know and a say if it is not right
    • In my last year as your Vice-president, I have been able to grasp insight to more than the regular student on the ground thanks to my 20/21 peers. I strongly believe if the University or Union has stated to committee to something, then they need to hold it up, whether this be executives, high end staff, academics, Union senior management, or even the Officers.
  • student accountability, a part of higher education, it is holding yourself accountable to grow and develop as an individual
    • In my opinion, it is very easy to point fingers and blame others when there is a mistake or something that you believe should be done has not been done. However, that will not get anyone anywhere, this is higher education for adults that have chosen to further educate themselves to take accountability of their actions and lives, to be better, making the change yourself than waiting around until something happens
    • I want to raise the student body, inspire them, and help them grow as individuals, know that their own voice is more than enough to get things going, to hold yourself accountable, because if you aren’t going to start it, no one else will for you
  • Ensuring university hold up their end of the bargain for their written policies
    • To make sure when the University has written policies that they hold their end of the bargain such as LSS’s, student support for wellbeing or other, lecture captures, extra support for students that are a given not a loose thread that they can let go of anytime
  • University to offer developmental opportunities such as micro-credentials
    • With your degree, you can learn the core principles and some aspects give you chances to lead or work in team settings, however, that might not be enough, so I want to lobby with the University for the implementation of “micro-credentials”, being small, tailored bite sized courses for you to choose and develop yourself along side your chosen degree for postgraduation, making you more employable

4. To Lead and Change

  • I want to use this year to lead, aspire, and inspire students. letting them know they have the power with their voice to make a change
    • I want to try to visit every society, and sports teams I can for the coming year, to show that it doesn’t matter what shape, size or colour you are to join something you are interested in, and help you shape your voice
    • I want to show staffs students that you are the individual who can make a difference starting with yourself, inspire them out of this nihilistic culture and show them that there is more than just being a bystander, this is your education, your life at University, and your future, so rise up and make the stand to make the difference
  • Address the cultural ignorance at staffs, and provide the time to make a change for it, to truly become a connected university
    • There is far too many issues at staffs that is ignored and covered with this “it will be fine” plaster, just for it to rip off and erupt in greater force. A lot of this is down to ignorance and little to no understanding of having an open mind which causes conflict that cannot be resolved
    • Cultural ignorance is one of the worst, the number of subtle comments with closet racist and xenophobic intent when they don’t even realise is disgusting, and it should not be tolerated at all. I want to bring in an opportunity to have people of colour and other races to sit down and talk, to have a human library event where you have a chance to speak to someone else, a person’s experience and background so you don’t make immediate assumptions or think about the comment you might have made without thinking twice
    • Workshops, and or training to be culturally competent because I believe that Staffs is for all, I want our international, POC, and more students to be feeling apart of the community rather than our overwhelmingly white/ British student audience being out on our campus events and activities
    • This includes staff and students to be understanding and clearly seeing the issue or being empathetic to the raised concerns, so you can just go to anyone at the University and know that you will be supported no matter who you turn to
  • To be truly able to say #proudtobestaffs
    • If I can achieve these 18 points, then I want to say that I can truly say I am #proudtobestaffs

 

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