President of Wellbeing & Community

About my role

Read the President of Wellbeing and Community's full role description.

Hello there! My name is Bartosz and I am YOUR President of Wellbeing and Community for the 26-27 academic year. As PresWell, it is my role to represent student interests regarding diversity and inclusion as well as mental and physical health. As a Union representative, I work closely with the University, the local community as well as external partners on how to approach a range of issues including: mental health, harassment and discrimination, sexual violence, physical health, and safety. Part of my role involves me sitting on various working groups that advance policy work on key issues or that evaluate and fulfill charters such as the Emily Test, Athena Swan or the Race Equality Charter. I am lucky to be supported by a range of officers whom I meet with in our dedicated Wellbeing Forum to discuss how student representatives can drive work on these issues. 

If you ever have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me on my email [email protected] :) 

Recent News Articles:

St Andrews Ranks Third Highest for Sexual Misconduct Reports Among Scottish Universities

Wellbeing and Community Forum

The SRC (Student Representative Council) was divided into the Societies Forum (chaired by the President of Student Opportunities), the Education Forum (chaired by the President of Education), and the Wellbeing and Community Forum, which is chaired by the President of Wellbeing and Community. These three forums will meet at least once a semester at an All Student Forum. Each forum is open to anyone who would like to attend. For more information, please refer to the Change Program, available on the Union website or here.

The Wellbeing and Equality Forum will meet twice a semester, minimum. The Wellbeing and Community Forum includes the following networks (which will be represented at the Wellbeing and Community Forum by their elected officer) and individual officers (elected officers without a network):

Networks on the Wellbeing and Community Forum:

• BAME (Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic) Student Network
• EACES (Estranged and Care-Experienced Students) Network
• CCMFL (Carers, Commuters, Mature and Flexible Learners) Network
• DSN (Disabled Student Network)
• International Students Network
• Saints LGBT+ Network
• Wellbeing Network

The Equality Working Group

The Equality Working Group will meet twice a semester to discuss ways of tackling barriers and advocating against discrimination for marginalised and disadvantaged students. This working group allows for volunteer officers to work closely alongside the PresWell and University staff to advocate for equality, diversity, and inclusion and work on initiatives like the Zero Tolerance Policy and Saints Solidarity. The members of the Equality Working Group are as follows:

• BAME Students' Network
• Carers, Commuters, Mature and Flexible Learners
• Disabled Students' Network
• Gender Equality Officer
• International Students' Officer
• Saints LGBT+
• Widening Access and Participation Officer

The President of Wellbeing and Community also works closely with the University on equality issues, representing students on University committees like Equally Safe (gender-based violence prevention); Central EDI Committee; Race, Ethnicity, Religion, and Belief Group; and the Interfaith Steering Group. They are also a member of the Race Equality Charter, Athena SWAN Gender Equality Charter, and the Emily Test Charter self-assessment teams.

Wellbeing

The President of Wellbeing and Community works closely with the University on student welfare, health and wellbeing. They are the main Students' Association contact with Student Services, attending meetings such as Student Services Open Forum. They also sit on the Community Council Health and Wellbeing Subcommittee. They also oversee some volunteer officers and subcommittees focusing on student welfare:

• Student Health Officer
• Wellbeing Network
• St Andrews Nightline (partnership)

Mental Health

The President of Wellbeing & Community is the Students' Association's lead on the Student Mental Health Agreement - a collaboration between the University and the Students' Association looking at joint projects to support students' mental health and wellbeing.

The President of Wellbeing & Community also represents students on the University's Mental Health Strategy, and Suicide Safer Strategy.

Physical Health

The President of Wellbeing & Community works closely with the Student Health Hub to support access to health care, and supports projects like Saints Sport: For All and Healthy Body, Healthy Mind.

Sexual Health

The President of Wellbeing & Community supports condom distribution across the University, distributes free reusable period products, and promotes sexual health resources, clinics,and education alongside the Wellbeing Network. They also lead on the annual Students' Association campaign for sexual assault awareness week.

Safety

The President of Wellbeing & Community works on safety, including night out safety schemes like Ask For Angela, Raisin and May Dip safety, drink spiking prevention, and promoting bystander intervention. They also regularly attend the Scottish Government's Ministerial Roundtable on Spiking, the Emily Test Charter conference, the Athena Swan Implementation Group, and other meetings to represent students' safety interests.

StAnd Together

Alongside Student Services, the President of Wellbeing & Community works closely with the three strands of StAnd Together, a joint inititative between the Students' Association and the University that develops peer-led approaches to support and awareness on important student welfare issues.

• Got Consent?: events, training, and workshops on consent, SGBV, and bystander intervention.
• Got Limits?: events, workshops, and resources on alcohol and drug safety and inclusivity.
• Got Support?: trained peer supporters meet students one-to-one for coffee, a chat, or to accompany them to events to help combat issues like social anxiety and loneliness.
• Got Solidarity?: promoting solidarity and bystander awareness for abuse, harassment, discrimination and hate incidents.

Previous holders