CG explained that the Zone has a strategy to make sure everyone is working towards the same goals and to make it possible to measure where we are at and look back at the end of the year and see what we have achieved. It includes key things to work towards this year and in the future. It is also useful to point to as an explanation of what EE does.
CG said that EW has pointed out that the strategy says “Ensure that RAG creates a relationship with their chosen charities” however this is not measurable. CG said this is probably something Rag can work on.
JB asked what the end goal is and said that is what the objective should be. ie: We will know it’s working if more money is raised. JB said that at Zone Committee level this is probably alright as it is.
CG said this would be an aim for the EE Zone and that RAG would be responsible for delivering it.
CG suggested the objective is changed to say “build mutually beneficial relationships.”
CG and AG said that RAG are exploring getting internships in charities and getting charities working with students. JB said it could be a problem as charities don’t have a choice about being a RAG charity so we may not always be able to ask them to do things. (Currently students nominate charities and it is then voted on)
AG said for it to be mutually beneficial we would probably have to change how we choose charities in future.
JB said we can always work with charities which are not our core charities.
AMENDMENT: Change “Ensure that RAG creates a relationship with their chosen charities” to “Ensure that RAG creates productive relationships with their chosen charities” in the Objectives.
CG said that the objective that currently says “Audit current Enterprise activities and support appropriate projects” could be a problem as it is not possible to audit all enterprise activity and while it is only small this should be changed to read “Audit current Student Enterprise activities and support appropriate projects”
AMENDMENT: Change “Audit current Enterprise activities and support appropriate projects” to “Audit current Student Enterprise activities and support appropriate projects”
JB said that as an overarching comment she spends a lot of time fielding complaints from the community and that most of the focus of the EE Zone comes out of those problems and as such the EE Zone helps to balance the focus. JB said that we need to work out how to deal with the root of the problems. JB has spoken to Public Affairs in the University and we need to talk about the cause of the problems, rather than just try and solve the symptoms.
JB said something needs to be added about students being part of the community and being residents and help them become part of the community.
CG suggested that the data collected about problems from complaints comes to the EE Zone and we use that to steer the areas we work in.
JB said that EE should be involved in the Shh campaign. The Shh campaign is run across a lot of unions and is about trying to quiet people down when they are coming out of venues. It is now run by commercial staff in SUSU, however if students want to get involved the EE zone is the way forwards.
JB said that the strategy covers this by saying “Students will become equal citizens within their neighbourhoods” however something more specific needs to go in the Zone plan.
JB said in the past we met with residents associations regularly and got the heads of the residents associations in to SUSU a few times a year which this was our opportunity to talk to residents about the good things and the bad things.
ACTION: CG to add residents meeting or working with residents associations to the EE plan under ‘partnership working’.
VOTE to approve the EE strategy (as amended):
For: 2 / Against: 0 / Abstain: 0
PASSED
GD & KN left the meeting
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