VÓTÁIL UIMH. 1 MAR UACHTARÁN

CAMPAIGNING With John as President, USI will radically alter its campaigning strategy in order to deliver for students. The national march has become jaded and demands huge time and resources from students' unions with very little in return. If elected, John will recast USI as the most e!ective political lobbying body in the country. USI is not a headquarters in Dublin. We are a 30-strong collective of unions around the country and we need to utilise this to fully exert our influence. With John as President, the national march will be replaced with a new six month campaign focused on local lobbying, local media strategies and local protests in the lead up to Budget 2013. The key to USI’s success will be changing the message from ‘students are su!ering’ to ‘families are su!ering’ while appealing to parents, guardians and family members to become part of the campaign. John will work alongside parent associations, secondary schools and employers to add significant weight behind USI’s message to protect education. USI will produce lobbying packs that can be distributed by students’ unions to students a!ected by an issue so they can actively participate in the campaign.

COMMUNICATION John believes that USI needs to radically improve communication with students. With John as President, USI will produce fresher’s packs for all interested students' unions around the country. This would allow USI to include information on what we do and how students can get involved in our campaigns. John is also committed to the professionalisation of USI’s web presence (Website, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, etc.). This would not only entail revamping USI’s website (ww.usi.ie) but also hiring a Media & Communications Director to oversee USI’s media and communications strategy. Furthermore, while it is easy to assume that USI o"cers are proficient in the use of social media, John will ensure that o"cers receive basic training in the use of social media to ensure that USI’s communication with members is consistent, congruent and professional.

OFFICER TRAINING & ACTIVIST ACADEMY UOS (SU o"cer training held at start of year) is of great benefit to SU o"cers around the country. However, John will reform o"cer training in order to maximise the potential benefit to students. Along with education, welfare and union organisation modules, John will place an emphasis on lobbying skills when facing college authorities and politicians, conducted by former politicians and senior HEI (Higher Education Institutions) sta! in order to gain a true insight into how boardroom battles are won.

John will also include increased training on media relations and campaign planning. This will be coordinated by local and national journalists from across the media spectrum, ensuring that SU o"cers are best equipped to keep our issues at the forefront of national debate. Modules on negotiation and dispute resolution will remain but will have a greater emphasis on real world application. Activist Academy will improve dramatically under John's leadership with an emphasis on activists being trained to assist their own SU with local lobbying and campaigning.

TECHNOLOGICALUNIVERSITIES While Ireland's first technological university may be several years away, John will ensure that students' unions are fully prepared for any amalgamations that may take place. John has already started this work by engaging the National Union of Students, both in the UK and Australia, who have been instrumental in assisting students' unions with amalgamations in the past. With John as President, USI will be fully prepared to provide comprehensive, case-by-case consultation to each a!ected students' union, ensuring that proposed amalgamations maintain student representation rather than weaken it.

Furthermore, given the potential for political influence over the attainment of technological university status, John will utilise USI's political influence and media profile to ensure that quality should be the primary consideration. While it is impossible to fully eradicate the influence of politics, John will endeavour to ensure that when the eventual political decision is made, the designated criteria for technological university status should be the primary influence.

NUS-USI (THE STUDENT MOVEMENT IN NORTHERN IRELAND)On the back of the successful 'We Will March' campaign last year, John believes there is huge potential for further collaboration between USI and NUS-USI. John will ensure that SUs in NUS-USI are fully prepared to tackle the issue of fees should it ever arise again. He believes that we should be proactive and preemptive in our approach rather than just reactive.

John believes that political lobbying and a comprehensive media strategy are key to the work of NUS-USI. Accordingly, as USI President John would include former MLAs in UOS political lobbying training as well as tailoring the workshops on media to NUS-USI needs. Another area where John envisages further collaboration is the Defend EMA campaign, ensuring that students from lower socio economic backgrounds continue to receive support to stay in education. As EMA comes under review in Northern Ireland this year, Assembly members need to be made fully aware of its necessity to students, with political lobbying and a comprehensive media strategy key to this process.

NUS-USI (THE STUDENT MOVEMENT IN NORTHERN IRELAND)On the back of the successful 'We Will March' campaign last year, John believes there is huge potential for further collaboration between USI and NUS-USI. John will ensure that SUs in NUS-USI are fully prepared to tackle the issue of fees should it ever arise again. He believes that we should be proactive and preemptive in our approach rather than just reactive.

John believes that political lobbying and a comprehensive media strategy are key to the work of NUS-USI. Accordingly, as USI President John would include former MLAs in UOS political lobbying training as well as tailoring the workshops on media to NUS-USI needs. Another area where John envisages further collaboration is the Defend EMA campaign, ensuring that students from lower socio economic backgrounds continue to receive support to stay in education. As EMA comes under review in Northern Ireland this year, Assembly members need to be made fully aware of its necessity to students, with political lobbying and a comprehensive media strategy key to this process.

GRADUATEEMPLOYMENT John believes that producing a highly educated workforce is key to Ireland's economic recovery. Having succeeded in introducing 5,000 places for unemployed graduates on the national internship scheme, 'Job Bridge', John is committed to improving the employability of graduates, ensuring they are best equipped to make an impact in the working world.

As President, John will use his links with the Department of Education & Skills and the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation to introduce and implement a strategy for improving students' employability skills.

NON-AFFILIATES & REFERENDAUSI must provide a united front and every union must be an active member. If elected John will continue to highlight the benefits of USI membership to non-a!liated students’ unions and increase engagement with the further education sector to deliver representation for every student in higher and further education. John will ensure that USI are prepared for any potential referenda that take place next year. He will ensure that USI is ready to combat any misinformation campaigns so that students can make an informed choice based on the facts.

WHO IS JOHN? John is a 23 year old final year Law student in UCD. He is a keen sportsperson having been successful at national, provincial and county level in Gaelic football, soccer and basketball.

He enjoys surfing and tries to get home to Donegal at least once a month to pretend he can catch waves. In his spare time John loves to read everything he can get his hands on and his ambition in life is to be a barrister specialising in criminal and family law.

EXPERIENCE

Implementation Committee

Law

TV3, Morning Ireland, RTÉ Radio 1 (Morning Ireland), 2FM, FM104, Red FM, Q102, Newstalk, LMFM, Near FM, UTV Radio.

programme.

policy on graduate employment.

the general election in 2011.

2,000 nurses and midwives take to the streets in protest at payment cuts for students while on placement.

against the Minister for Education & Skills regarding cuts to grant payments.

the Minister and his sta" on numerous occasions.

having been a content advisor on student grants with the organisation this year.

PRIORITIESorganisation in the country.

December.

equality of access and quality of education are to the forefront of the national debate on funding.

university process including potential SU amalgamations.

a!liation campaigns and expanding F.E. membership.

interacts with members through a new website and social media.