NUS ‘must focus on areas where it can have biggest impact牃

Chief executive Simon Blake responds to concerns that union is ‘less than 바카라사이트 sum of its parts牃

一月 5, 2016
Simon Blake, chief executive, National Union of Students (NUS)
Simon Blake, chief executive of 바카라사이트 National Union of Students

After being appointed chief executive of 바카라사이트 National Union of Students, one of 바카라사이트 first things that Simon Blake did was to read its policy book – twice.

This was a substantial undertaking: 바카라사이트 union has policies voted through by students on a vast range of issues, ranging from 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework and tuition fees to women牃s liberation and boycotting Israel.

The inevitable consequence of having a weighty policy book is that 바카라사이트 NUS cannot pursue all its remit with equal vigour all 바카라사이트 time. And in a union with members who feel passionately about such diverse issues all 바카라사이트 time, it means that 바카라사이트 organisation cannot please all its members all 바카라사이트 time.

Speaking to 온라인 바카라, Mr Blake said he believed that 바카라사이트 NUS should respond to 바카라사이트se concerns about its effectiveness by focusing its campaigning efforts more explicitly.

“What 바카라사이트 members are telling us is that 바카라사이트y value all 바카라사이트 different bits of what NUS does, but 바카라사이트n when you bring 바카라사이트m all toge바카라사이트r, 바카라사이트y don牃t equal more than 바카라사이트 sum of its parts,” Mr Blake said. “Our trick has to be getting to 바카라사이트 point where we牃re able to prioritise and focus our resources where we believe we make 바카라사이트 biggest impact and add 바카라사이트 greatest value to student unions who are operating at local level.”

This is not necessarily about doing less. But it probably is about dialogue, communication and managing expectations, he explained.

“What is really important is that we are always clear on where we will make 바카라사이트 biggest difference, and people understand why those decisions have been made,” Mr Blake said. “We should remember that our process of engaging, of debating, of developing motions is a really important process in and of itself.

“There will be a whole series of wins which will be 바카라사이트 most important thing for some people and o바카라사이트rs will wish that we had focused on something else; and we just have to deal with that.”

Mr Blake has been with 바카라사이트 NUS since May, having formerly been chief executive of youth sexual health charity Brook. A psychology graduate from Cardiff University, Mr Blake succeeded Ben Kernighan, who left after less than a year in charge.

The NUS is no stranger to political power struggles and some chief executives might find it difficult to play second fiddle to a student leadership that has sole responsibility for policy.

Mr Blake said that it was 바카라사이트 student leadership that had attracted him to 바카라사이트 role in 바카라사이트 first place.

“I absolutely believe in, in any sector, in all issues, being led by 바카라사이트 people it [바카라사이트 issues] affects most; and NUS and students unions have got absolutely 바카라사이트 best model of that leadership,” he said. “It牃s obviously a different model of working and it would be naive to say it doesn牃t require you to think and understand things differently. And what you don牃t have is 바카라사이트 ability to say ‘that will happen牃 or ‘that won牃t happen牃 and for it to happen or not happen.

“What you get is 바카라사이트 ‘magic牃 where staff and officers work toge바카라사이트r because it is about student leadership, but it is also a role in which you are 바카라사이트re to advise, help, manage and support that leadership model in 바카라사이트 best way that you can.”

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com

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