Officer Q&A
Want to stand in our election but not entirely sure what the job involves? We asked your Full-time Officer about their time as officers...
What's your favourite thing about the job?
Chris Freestone, Societies and Services Officer: Representing societies and students in various meetings across the Union and University. Making decisions and then seeing the changes it makes put in action. Witnessing the dedication and hard work committees put into their society events and being able to help them with this when needed.
Gwyn Aled, Sports Officer: Being involved with the whole planning and decision making of the Welsh Varsity.
Chizi Phiri, President: I get to represent over 17,000 students and help to make a real difference to their student life. Whether it’s through running a campaign, organising an event or fighting the Uni on tuition fees. Knowing that I’ve made a contribution (big or small) to their student experience at Swansea makes me really happy.
Emily Rees, Education Officer: Being a figure that students feel they can come to for advice or help, and actually being able to help them as I’ve gotten to know all the right people through the job. When a student comes in with an issue, there's no better feeling than actually being able to say, "I can help, this is what we need to do and who we need to speak to".
Shona Johnson, Welfare Officer: Being able to efficiently support students who are vulnerable with the skills and contacts this role provides.
What part of your job is most challenging?
CF: Dealing with distressed students that come to me for advice. Sometime I can feel really out of my depth, but there’s a great team in the union ready to support me.
GA: Keeping on top of the thousands of emails I get!
CP: Accepting that I might not be able to complete everything on my manifesto and finding the work/social life balance. Being an officer can sometimes feel like a 24/7 job and it’s hard not to take work home with me.
ER: Making change takes too much time. Especially academically as any big decisions have to be approved by all the relevant people or committees which can be difficult as they don't meet that often. I'm working on important matters that I know will take longer to develop than my elected year, so it's having to ensure that work will continue!
SJ: When a situation I'm working on with a student doesn't have the outcome they'd hoped for. It's heartbreaking.
Have you learnt anything in this job?
CF: How much hard work goes into everything done by the Students’ Union, without people outside of it realising.
GA: Yes!! What haven't I learnt - pretty much learn something new everyday!
CP: What haven't I learnt?! This list could go on and on. Although what I've learnt the most in this job is that the small things can make a real difference in a student’s life. I've also learnt how to network and engage in small talk.
ER: The number one thing this job has taught me is that if you don't ask, you don't get. There's not point sitting and complaining about something you're not happy with, ask for help and ask for change.
SJ: Different groups will approach us as officers so that they can 'tick a box' saying that they've consulted with the student population, when in reality they haven't taken our input on board at all.
Do you feel like you've made a difference during your time as an Officer?
CF: Yes!
GA: I believe so, and hope others would agree. I’ve almost completed everything that I promised to do and I’ve managed make big changes in the Uni outside of my Sports Remit.
CP: I would like to think so!
ER: Yes! It's easy to see the more upfront physical differences the Officers make, but also, the differences students may not see that are changing their lives are just as rewarding for them and us.
SJ: Yes and no, I have done a few small things but there's always so much more work to be done.
Why did you decide to stand in the election?
CF: I enjoyed my time in Swansea so much and I really wanted to make a difference to the student experience. While being president of a society, I saw changes I wanted to make.
GA: I’d wanted to run for the role since my first year. Having started a club and worked on the Sports Executive committee, I felt like I had enough experience and that I was familiar with the issues facing sporting students in Swansea.
CP: Honestly? I wasn't ready to leave Swansea and I love the SU. However, now I'm definitively ready to leave.
ER: My friend suggested that I run as I'd been making change in our college for the past year, but as a student it can be restricting and trying to make change along side doing my masters was difficult. I knew that by running for Education Officer it would give me the opportunity to work full time on making change and bring student issues across to the Uni on behalf of students in an elected and respected role.
SJ: I wasn't satified with the level of support for mental health and other issues within the Uni.
Check out our officer job titles and more info about the election here.
Holi'r Swyddogion
Eisiau sefyll yn ein hetholiad ond ddim yn siwr am beth sy’n ofynnol yn y swydd? Dyma atebion ein Swyddogion Llawn-amser…
Beth yw dy hoff beth am y swydd?
Chris Freestone, Swyddog Cymdeithasau a Gwasanaethau: Cynrychioli cymdeithasau a myfyrwyr mewn amryw o gyfarfodydd ar draws yr Undeb a’r Brifysgol. Gwneud penderfyniadau a gweld y newidiadau’n digwydd. Gweld gwaith caled ac ymroddiad y pwyllgorau at eu digwyddiadau a gweithio gyda nhw pan fo angen.
Gwyn Aled, Swyddog Chwaraeon: Bod yn rhan o gynlluniau a phenderfyniadau Varsity Cymru.
Chizi Phiri, Llywydd: Cynrychioli dros 17,000 o fyfyrwyr a helpu i wneud gwahaniaeth i’w bywydau fel myfyrwyr. Rwy’n gwneud hyn trwy gynnal ymgyrch, trefnu digwyddiad neu frwydro yn erbyn y Brifysgol am ffioedd dysgu. Mae gwybod fy mod i wedi gwneud gwahaniaeth (mawr neu fach) i’w bywydau yn Abertawe yn gwneud i mi deimlo’n hapus.
Emily Rees, Swyddog Addysg: Bod yn berson i’r myfyrwyr ddod ato am gyngor neu gymorth, a gallu eu helpu gan fy mod i wedi dod i adnabod y bobl gywir wrth wneud y swydd. Pan fod myfyriwr yn dod gyda phroblem, hyfryd i allu dweud “rwy’n gallu helpu, dyma beth sydd angen ei wneud a phwy i siarad â nhw.”
Shona Johnson, Swyddog Lles: Gallu cefnogi myfyrwyr sy'n agored i niwed gyda'r sgiliau a chysylltiadau mae'r rol yn cynnig.
Pa ran o’r swydd sy’n fwyaf heriol?
CF: Delio â myfyrwyr dan bwysau sy’n gofyn am gyngor. Weithiau, mae pethau’n mynd yn anodd ond mae yna dîm gwych yn yr Undeb sy’n fy nghefnogi.
GA: Ymateb i’r miloedd o e-byst!
CP: Derbyn nad ydw i’n gallu cyflawni popeth ar fy maniffesto a chydbwyso fy swydd a fy mywyd cymdeithasol. Gall bod yn swyddog deimlo fel swydd 24/7 ac mae’n anodd peidio â mynd â’r gwaith adref.
ER: Mae newid pethau’n cymryd gormod o amser. Yn enwedig yn academaidd, gan fod rhaid i bob penderfyniad gael ei gymeradwyo gan yr holl bobl neu bwyllgorau perthnasol ac mae hynny’n gallu bod yn anodd gan nad ydynt yn cwrdd yn aml. Rwy’n gweithio ar faterion pwysig ond rwy’n gwybod eu bod nhw’n mynd i gymryd mwy o amser i’w datblygu na sydd gen i yn fy mlwyddyn etholedig, felly rydw i am sicrhau bod y gwaith yn parhau!
SJ: Pan nad yw canlyniad sefyllfa yn gadarnhaol i unigolyn. Mae'n drist iawn.
Wyt ti wedi dysgu unrhyw beth wrth wneud y swydd?
CF: Faint o waith caled sydd tu ôl i holl waith Undeb y Myfyrwyr, heb i bobl eraill sylweddoli.
GA: Ydw!! Beth nad ydw i wedi dysgu? Rwy’n dysgu rhywbeth newydd bob dydd!
CP: WBeth nad ydw i wedi dysgu? Gall y rhestr mynd ymlaen ac ymlaen. Ond yn fwyaf, rydw i wedi dysgu bod y pethau bach yn gwneud gwahaniaeth mawr i fywydau myfyrwyr. Rydw i hefyd wedi dysgu sut i rwydweithio a mân siarad.
ER: Y prif beth mae’r swydd wedi fy nysgu: os nad wyt ti’n gofyn am rywbeth, ni fydd hi’n digwydd. Does dim pwynt mewn eistedd a chwyno am rywbeth os nad wyt ti’n hapus am y peth. Gofynnwch am gymorth ac am newid.
SJ: Bydd grwpiau gwahanol yn dod ato ni fel swyddogion er mwyn 'ticio bocs' i ddweud eu bod nhw wedi gofyn i'r myfyrwyr, heb gymryd ein cyngor o gwbl.
Wyt ti’n teimlo dy fod ti wedi gwneud gwahaniaeth ers bod yn Swyddog?
CF: Ydw!
GA: Rwy’n credu fy mod i wedi, ac yn gobeithio bydd eraill yn cytuno. Rydw i wedi cwblhau bron i bopeth ar fy maniffesto ac rydw i wedi gwneud gwahaniaeth i’r Brifysgol tu allan i fy swydd Chwaraeon.
CP: Hoffwn i feddwl fy mod i wedi!
ER: Ydw! Mae’n hawdd gweld y gwahaniaethau corfforol mae’r Swyddogion yn eu gwneud, ond mae’r newidiadau eraill – efallai nad yw’r myfyrwyr yn eu gweld – yn newid eu bywydau ac yr un mor werthfawr iddyn nhw ac i ni.
SJ: I raddau, rydw i wedi gwneud pethau bach ond mae yna wastad fwy i'w 'neud.
Pam wnes di benderfynu sefyll yn yr etholiad?
CF: Mwynheais fy amser yn Abertawe ac roeddwn i am wneud gwahaniaeth i brofiad myfyrwyr. Tra fy mod i’n Llywydd o gymdeithas, gwelais i ba newidiadau roeddwn i am eu gwneud.
GA: Roeddwn i eisiau sefyll am y swydd ers fy mlwyddyn gyntaf. Ar ôl dechrau clwb a gweithio ar Bwyllgor Gweithredol Chwaraeon Abertawe, roeddwn i’n teimlo bod gen i ddigon o brofiad ac roeddwn i’n ymwybodol o’r materion sy’n wynebu myfyrwyr Abertawe sy’n cymryd rhan mewn chwaraeon.
CP: Yn wir? Doeddwn i ddim yn barod i adael Abertawe ac rwy’n hoff iawn o Undeb y Myfyrwyr. Ond nawr, rwy’n barod i adael.
ER: Awgrymodd fy ffrind ddylwn i sefyll am y swydd gan fy mod i wedi bod yn gwneud gwahaniaeth yn ein coleg dros y flwyddyn ddiwethaf, ond fel myfyriwr, mae’n gallu bod yn gyfyngol ac roedd hi’n anodd ceisio gwneud hyn a fy ngradd Meistr. Roeddwn i’n gwybod bydd sefyll am rôl y Swyddog Addysg yn rhoi cyfle i mi weithio’n llawn-amser i roi llais i fyfyrwyr ar draws y Brifysgol mewn rôl etholedig a pharchus.
SJ: Doeddwn i ddim yn hapus gyda lefel o gefnogaeth ynghylch iechyd y meddwl a materion eraill yn y Brifysgol.
Darllena'r swydd ddisgrifiadau a rhagor o wybodaeth am yr etholiadau yma.