Interview with Odette Yende - VP Welfare

Part of our elected officer series

Image description - Young black woman wearing a cream jacket, standing against a green leafy background

What is your name and what did you study/are you studying at UCLan?

Odette Yende, I studied interior design

What is your role in the Student Union?

VP Welfare Officer

Why did you choose to get involved in Student Government?

I wanted to be able to make positive change for all students within the university .

What are your main goals for the 2021/22 academic year?

I want to focus on accessibility – working to ensure that the campus is accessible for ALL students & that events are accessible and showcased as accessible.

Sexual health – working to destigmatise STI check ups and better showcase UCLan Medical centre’s STI drop in sessions

Mental Health – Working on quick referrals to the relevant organisations

Student hardship – Working on introducing student foodbanks

BAME awarding gap – Working in collaboration with the VP Education officer to decolonise the curriculum

Who is your disabled role model?

Daniel Radcliffe he suffers from dyspraxia, a neurolog

ical condition which impairs organisation and movement and yet has positively impacted the lives of so many people from his work on screen as Harry Potter.

How are you going to use your position to support disabled students?

By working to ensure that the campus is accessible & that events are accessible and showcased as accessible.

If you could wave a magic wand and change one thing at UCLan, what would it be and why?

The treatment of international students. I would want them to get the most out of their university experience for the price they pay.

By the end of the year, one thing you want to have achieved is…

Leave a long lasting and positive change for students at the university.

What message would you want to give new students at UCLan for 2021?

Make the most of every opportunity that comes your way. The time you spend at university is yours for the making. Push yourself outside of your comfort zone as you will surprise yourself, meet new people and experience new things.