Term One 2020/21 Achievements
This year has been a tough one, when the news has felt constantly doom and gloom, it’s been up to members of communities around the world to bring a ray of sunshine into our days. The Swansea University community has been no different. We’re super proud of the achievements we’ve made as an SU and what our students have accomplished in the first part of 2020/21.
Here’s just a few things we’re proud of in this first term of 2020/21:
Way back in September, the new academic year came with a very different start to what we’re used to. But thanks to the support of our Events team and the University we opened the DockYard, to give students a place to social in a COVID-safe way.
Your Societies and Services Officer, Georgia-Rose, and Trans and Non-Binary Officer, Viviane, set up the TNBS, a support group for trans and non-binary students to meet people and get peer support.
Georgia-Rose wasn’t finished there, working with your Welfare Officer, Liza, they began delivering Consent Workshops, starting as part of society committee training and then expanding into monthly events.
In October, your Education Officer, Theresa, and BME Officer, Rodrigues, set up the BAME Student Advisory Committee to give our BAME students a greater say in University decisions. Committee members have since been selected and are now in place to make their voices heard by the SU and the University. This started during the month where we ran our Black History Month campaign, in a year where the Black Lives Matter protests emphasised the need for more education around inclusivity, equality, and diversity, Theresa along with an incredibly committed team of students worked to make Black History Month available online. This was achieved through running webinars with the help of the University, developing resources for students to better educate themselves, and shining a spotlight on historical black figures and modern-day role models, as well as trailblazers in Swansea.
Further in October, the Welsh Government placed the country into the Firebreak Lockdown. We worked with the University to put on virtual and socially distant activities during this period. We were able to make use of the facilities we have in Swansea, and to give students who may be isolating a chance to interact and meet new people.
Our annual Movember campaign was another great success. With the help of student fundraisers, we shattered our original target to raise £30,000 by finishing at over £67,000. Your Sports Officer, Georgia, with the support of the elected officer’s team and SU staff, put on a series of online webinars and workshops aimed at encouraging men to be open about their mental and physical health, and to regularly check themselves and see a doctor if they need to.
During November and December, your Welsh Affairs Officer, Katie, has teamed up with your Students with Disabilities Officer, Miles, to put on Disability History Month. This campaign focused on educating students on disability awareness, breaking misconceptions, and educating on ableism and microaggressions.
Finally, throughout the entirety of 2020, our Advice and Support Centre has remained available to provide help to students when they need it. This year has been a struggle for many, and having a listening ear and someone to pass on helpful advice has been appreciated more than ever.
We hope you have a relaxing and safe Winter break, and we’re all looking forward to welcoming you back in 2021, for what we hope is a more normal year.
The SU offices are now closed until Wednesday 6th January 2021, but If you need to contact us during the break, pop us a message on social media and we'll get back to you as soon as we can!
Llwyddiannau 2020
Mae eleni wedi bod yn un anodd, pan mae’r newyddion wedi bod yn drist ac yn negyddol yn gyson, mater i gymunedau ledled y byd yw dod ag ychydig o heulwen i’n dyddiau ni. Ni fu cymuned Prifysgol Abertawe yn wahanol. Rydyn ni'n falch iawn o'r cyflawniadau rydyn ni wedi'u gwneud fel UM a'r hyn y mae ein myfyrwyr wedi'i gyflawni yn 2020.
Dyma rai o’r pethau rydyn ni’n falch ohonynt yn nhymor cyntaf 2020/21:
Yn ôl ym mis Medi, daeth y flwyddyn academaidd newydd gyda dechrau gwahanol iawn i'r hyn rydyn ni wedi arfer ag ef. Ond diolch i gefnogaeth ein tîm Digwyddiadau a'r Brifysgol, agoron ni’r DockYard, i roi lle i fyfyrwyr gymdeithasu mewn ffordd ddiogel.
Sefydlodd eich Swyddog Cymdeithasau a Gwasanaethau, Georgia-Rose, a’r Swyddog Traws a Di-deuaidd, Viviane, y TNBS, grwp cymorth ar gyfer myfyrwyr traws a di-deuaidd er mwyn cwrdd â phobl a chael cefnogaeth gan eu cymheiriaid.
Nid oedd Georgia-Rose wedi gorffen yma, gan weithio gyda'ch Swyddog Lles, Liza, dechreuon nhw ddarparu Gweithdai Cydsynio, gan ddechrau fel rhan o hyfforddiant pwyllgorau cymdeithasau, yna eu hehangu i ddigwyddiadau misol.
Ym mis Hydref, sefydlodd eich Swyddog Addysg, Theresa, a'ch Swyddog BME, Rodrigues, Bwyllgor Cynghori Myfyrwyr BAME i roi mwy o lais i'n myfyrwyr BAME ym mhenderfyniadau'r Brifysgol. Mae aelodau'r pwyllgor nawr wedi cael eu dewis ac maent bellach ar waith i sicrhau bod eu lleisiau’n cael eu clywed gan UM a’r Brifysgol. Dechreuodd hyn yn ystod y mis lle gynhalion ni ein hymgyrch Mis Hanes Pobl Dduon, mewn blwyddyn lle pwysleisiodd protestiadau Mae Bywydau Du o Bwys yr angen am fwy o addysg ynghylch cynwysoldeb, cydraddoldeb ac amrywiaeth. Gweithiodd Theresa ynghyd â thîm o fyfyrwyr anhygoel o ymroddedig i wneud Mis Hanes Pobl Dduon ar gael ar-lein. Cyflawnwyd hyn trwy gynnal gweminarau gyda chymorth y Brifysgol, datblygu adnoddau i fyfyrwyr addysgu eu hunain yn well, a thynnu sylw at ffigurau du hanesyddol a modelau rôl modern, yn ogystal ag arloeswyr yn Abertawe.
Ym mis Hydref, gosododd Llywodraeth Cymru'r wlad yn y cyfnod atal byr. Buom yn gweithio gyda'r Brifysgol i gynnal gweithgareddau rhithwir i gadw pellter cymdeithasol yn ystod y cyfnod hwn. Roedden ni’n gallu defnyddio'r cyfleusterau sydd gennym ni yn Abertawe, a rhoi cyfle i fyfyrwyr a allai fod yn ynysu ryngweithio a chwrdd â phobl newydd.
Roedd ein hymgyrch Movember flynyddol yn llwyddiant mawr arall. Gyda chymorth myfyrwyr, chwalon ni ein targed gwreiddiol o £30,000 gan godi dros £67,000. Cynhaliodd eich Swyddog Chwaraeon, Georgia, gyda chefnogaeth y swyddogion etholedig eraill a staff UM, gyfres o weminarau a gweithdai ar-lein gyda'r nod o annog dynion i fod yn agored am eu hiechyd meddwl a chorfforol, ac i wirio eu hunain yn rheolaidd a gweld meddyg os oes angen.
Yn ystod mis Tachwedd a mis Rhagfyr, mae eich Swyddog Materion Cymraeg, Katie, wedi ymuno â'ch Swyddog Myfyrwyr ag Anableddau, Miles, i gynnal Mis Hanes Anabledd. Canolbwyntiodd yr ymgyrch hon ar addysgu myfyrwyr ar ymwybyddiaeth anableddau, cael gwared ar gamsyniadau, ac addysgu ar allu a micro-argraffiadau.
Yn olaf, trwy gydol 2020, mae ein Canolfan Cyngor a Chefnogaeth wedi parhau i fod ar gael i ddarparu help i fyfyrwyr pan fydd ei angen. Mae eleni wedi bod yn frwydr i lawer, ac mae cael clust i wrando a rhywun i roi cyngor defnyddiol wedi cael ei werthfawrogi yn fwy nag erioed.
Gobeithio y cewch chi wyliau hamddenol a diogel, ac rydyn ni i gyd yn edrych ymlaen at eich croesawu chi yn ôl yn 2021, am flwyddyn rydyn ni'n gobeithio sy'n fwy normal.