Tuesday 27-07-2021 - 16:28

Well, what a year it’s been… 

Ewan Swift looks back on his year as your Welfare and Liberation Officer.

We’ve seen a global anti-racism movement, an A Level fiasco, a second wave, much needed acknowledgement of classism at Durham, declining student mental health, an even worse third wave, critical discussions around women’s safety, so many issues with housing, a culture war around freedom of speech, and the list goes on… 

It’s really not been easy being an SU Officer when it feels like the world around you is crumbling, when you’re sat at the same desk virtually rushing from meeting to meeting to respond quickly to chaos and put out fires, all whilst trying to juggle the priorities you set out to achieve. It’s only at the end when I can look back reflecting on the craziness that I realise just how impactful the work we have done as an Officer team, and how much I have learned and grown over the past year.

The pandemic didn’t stop us from creating progressive change 

From getting the University to acknowledge that housing is one of the biggest mental health stressors that students face, and act on this, to fighting tooth and nail to ensure the accommodation fees review went ahead. I’ve had frank conversations around drug harm reduction, the need for a greater focus on postgraduate mental health, and how we need to remove barriers to support for student sex workers. We also ensured that active bystander training went ahead virtually, despite worries around funding, with our wonderful team of facilitators training over 700 more people. And we’ve even fought for students on a national level, working with the local MP and parish council to tell the government that we demand better support.

What I am most proud of, however, is how this year’s team have pushed the University into spaces more progressive than I ever thought I’d see from an institution like Durham. From the Culture Commission, to decolonising the curriculum, sustainability and an original postgraduate access and participation plan, everything this team has done has been recognised, celebrated, and supported by the University. And this is not just by luck, it’s by a team that has acknowledged the power of building strong relationships, constructively challenged the University, and worked collectively to achieve change.

Personally, I see my biggest achievement in working with common room presidents and SSDP to show the University just why a zero-tolerance approach to drugs is harmful and advocating for a harm reduction policy. Drug use and addiction is something that has personally affected my family, so to be given the space to advocate for drug harm reduction and see the University to commit to reviewing their policy and moving towards this stance is something I will forever be grateful to be a part of.

More often than not, bureaucracy gets in the way of progress  

All of this, however, hasn’t been without its frustrations. I’ve had to sit in meetings where staff have prioritised the social mixing of students based on class over actual financial accessibility of accommodation. I’ve had to push back when the University tries to ignore the effect of expanding student numbers on the housing rush. And ultimately, I’ve had to realise that more often than not, bureaucracy gets in the way of progress. 

Change can feel like a monumentally slow process, and it often is. I’ve been in Durham for five years now and whilst I’ve seen a lot of cultural change happen, it’s also been five years of very similar frustrations. I only hope that the positive work continues through the collective efforts we make as a student body to ensure that the University listens to us and always strives to do its best for the most marginalised members of our community.

The real injustice is our lack of perspective

Sadly, however, my time in this role has shown me just how fractured and blinkered we can be as a student body. How we can spend obscene amounts of time and energy debating democratic processes, standing orders and who should be on what committee, all at the expense of actually tackling the everyday injustices some of our students face. Of course, these things are important, but so is perspective.

It goes without saying that the RON campaign leaves a traumatic stain on my time in Durham, a time where we truly saw ourselves at our worst. But with all the emotional scars I have spent the past year healing from, it’s not something I want to dwell on. Instead, what this past year has shown me is just how powerful we can be as a united student body, when we acknowledge the artificial divides we draw, and collectivise in our common experiences. Yes, Durham University has cultural issues, but it is our behaviours that help to set those toxic cultures. Something for us all to reflect on, I think.

It’s been a wild ride, and now it’s time to get off 

But wow, five years in Durham! I’m definitely more than ready to leave now, albeit to go and do a PhD, but you will be in the wonderfully capable hands of Jonah who will no doubt create the changes we need to see with grit and humility. It’s tough work, but you’ll do a fantastic job.

I’d like to thank my staff supports Nicola and Imogen who definitely haven’t had an easy job this year with making sure I don’t do too much and putting up with my caffeine fuelled rambles. Without you both keeping me grounded and cheering me on, this year would have been much less bearable.

And finally, I have to thank my fellow Officers who have taken this year in their stride in spite of all the challenges, kept me sane amongst the crises, and just been the most down to earth bunch I could’ve ever hoped to have worked with. We’ve pushed progressive agendas without being afraid to be the dissenting voice in the room. To me, you truly are the best of Durham.