Our 2022/23 Impact Report looks back at a year of new projects, campaigns and opportunities for our students.

From launching Skills Week in Birmingham and London, to helping students tackle the cost of living crisis, we introduced a brand-new line-up of free and student-budget-friendly events through Give It A Go, alongside brand-new student internship programmes. Take a look at some of our highlights from across the year below.

Student Opportunities

• 408
  Events
• 3K+
  Student Sign-ups

This year, we ran 408 events, with over 3K student sign-ups. Here are a few of our project highlights from across the year.

45 Welcome Events

Here's to our member making Welcome 2022 the best yet! We had an absolute blast meeting them across our campuses through 45 Welcome events. From big nights out and bouncing Freshers Fairs to chilled-out meet-ups and socials, there was something for everyone to get involved in and make the most of their Welcome.

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91 Give It A Go Events

We have delivered 91 free and low-cost events as part of Give It A Go. This includes fencing taster sessions, water sports, trips around Wales, theme park visits, and so much more, we’ve had an action-packed year.

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Free Bicentenary Events

Anja, Amber, and Sim, our student intern team, delivered 21 free events to celebrate the UWTSD Bicentenary. From friendly quiz competitions and exploring the ancient remains of castles, to dancing the night away at the Bicentennial Balls, they helped mark this special occasion in style.

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Improving Students' Employability

298 students on our Birmingham and London campuses took part in our Skills Weeks, a programme of daily workshops, training, and guest speaker sessions aims to develop skills that aid students’ future employment. 

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Y Clwb Refurbishment

Early this year, we were thrilled to introduce you to Y Clwb - Carmarthen's brand-new on-campus club. Over the summer, our team rolled up their sleeves and got stuck in renovating your Carmarthen club - making it better than ever, and now we're ready to reveal it to you in all its glory. It was more than just a lick of paint - although there are massive murals on the walls. There was a new bar, a massive dance floor, improved lighting, a disco ball, neon lighting, living walls, and loads of funky seating and furniture. There have been drinks, there's been music, and there have been loads of great nights out.

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Clubs & Societies

• 420 
  Student Member
• 29
  Clubs & Societies

This year, 420 students joined one or more of our 29 student-led clubs or societies. We also saw a 220% increase in the number of retained student groups. Moving to a new centralised system meant that groups were able to elect 94.5% more committee members than last year and we saw a 220% increase in the number of retained student groups. Giving students an even bigger opportunity to try new things and create connections

Advice Service

• 767
  Students Supported
• £7.6K
  Financial Gains

Our Advice Service supported students through 448 cases and enquiries in Term 1, 93% more than the previous year, followed by a further 319 cases and enquiries in Term 2, 69% more than the previous year. Our Advice Team also helped students secure bursaries, scholarships, fee discounts and compensation worth a total of £7,600.

Student Voice

Biggest Turnout To The Elections

This year, hundreds of students turned out to vote in our elections, breaking the record for the biggest voter turnout in our history across our Autumn Elections, Spring Elections, and our By-Election.

Autumn Elections

• 5,087
  Votes Cast
• 871
  Voter Turnout

Spring Elections

• 8,368
  Votes Cast
• 1,141
  Voter Turnout

By-Elections

• 419
  Votes Cast
• 419
  Voter Turnout

 

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Student Inductions 

Our inductions are one of the key ways we tell students about what we do and how we can help them - we delivered 105 inductions with 1,792 students engaging with our interactive presentation.  

• 105
  Inductions
• 1.7K
  Students Engaged

Campaigns

Cost of living

We supported — and continue to support — students through the Cost of Living crisis. We created our Cost of Living hub to help our members find support and stay informed about the latest developments. It brings together information on accessing funding, finding advice, and the different ways we’re supporting and representing students. We also lobbied MPs and worked with the University to expand bursaries and grants, helping to make sure students had access to the support they needed.

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Black History Month

Rhobyn, our Black Students Part-time Officer for Lampeter Campus, led an inspirational Black History Month panel discussion with Emily-Rose Kumi, a well-being advisor for our London campus, and Javorne Campbell, a 2nd-year student at Lampeter Campus. A time for change: action, not words - that's the theme of this year's Black History Month. Our panellists celebrated Black heritage and talked about lived experiences, current issues, well-being, and decolonisation.

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Students Support Sanctuary

We launched the UWTSD Students Support Sanctuary group to raise awareness of the barriers faced by refugees and asylum seekers in the community, and to support the University’s bid for University of Sanctuary status. The group has volunteers at our Swansea and Lampeter Campuses, they visited a refugee drop-in in Swansea, and conducted an awareness-raising pop-up at Lampeter.

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35 Paid Internships

We launched 35 paid internships across the SU, INSPIRE project, and Civic Mission project. There were loads of roles across all our campuses. From project work to design and communications, to sustainability and beyond. Some internships had a £1,000 tax-free bursary, and others paid £11 per hour. They were a great way for members to gain experience and earn money while they studied.