Student Activism Conference 2011

12 of Warwick’s most politically active students travelled to Goldsmiths College, London on November 19 for the UK’s biggest ever student activism conference. Overall, approximately 5,000 students from across the country attended the conference, eager to debate issues affecting the youth of today.

Activists had the opportunity to attend more than 60 workshops held by campaigning organisations, trade unions and students from across the UK. Organisations including Oxfam, the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts (NCAFC), PlaneStupid and Save the Children were present and participated in engaging activist sessions for attendees.

Talks ranged from world issues such as ‘Re-thinking Gender’, ‘Oxfam’s GROW Campaign – how to fix the broken food system’ and sessions on global poverty, to topics directly effecting students today: ‘Hidden Course Costs’, ‘Campaigning for Fair, Paid Internships’ and of course, the highly topical: increase to student tuition fees.

Students were also given the chance to learn how to implement ideas via practical workshops like ‘The Right to Protest’ and ‘Building the winning campaign team’. These workshops dealt with how students should go about implementing their ideas, providing them with the necessary tools required to start a successful campaign. The event culminated in a rally, where students assembled to discuss the next steps for the student movement.

Responsibility for Warwick’s attendance at the conference lies with the Students’ Union (SU), who felt that the event would be the ideal opportunity for the politically inspired to learn how translate ideas to action. It appears that such a goal was achieved.

SU Welfare Officer Izzy John said: “It was definitely successful. I think that this kind of event – organised and supported by the National Union of Students (NUS) – really highlights how students can benefit from the services of the NUS. It’s exactly what they’re there for.”