Lauren Moore

Hello, I’m Lauren Moore and I am standing to be your next student Welfare officer. I am currently in the senior status law program at Queen’s, graduating in 2023. Having an anxiety disorder and depression, I understand the difficulties students face with their wellness journey while away at school.

And having already completed another degree, with a double major in Law and Politics, I have a lot of experience in adjusting to university life and would be happy to aid you in any way I can. I aim to ensure that every student feels heard, valued, and understood. We are more than just numbers and it is crucial that we enjoy our time at university. Each and every person at Queen’s has something amazing to offer.

I will always consider race, sexuality, gender, age, disability and religion to ensure that everyone has equal opportunities. I personally want to spread awareness of and create accessibility for mental health issues. I will do everything I can to help direct you to the best support here. I want to create an atmosphere of acceptance and a safe space for everyone, on and off campus. These are my specific aims if elected.

Firstly, I would ensure all students feel safe no matter where they are by giving them emergency alert buttons. These are commonly found in personal defence keychains. As many forms of self-defence are outlawed in the UK, I believe it would be a great idea to provide these free alert buttons in case any student was ever in a troubling situation. I would aim to discuss the best option to get these distributed.

I would also create new legislation within the university to allow students to have their service/assistance animals on student residence. This would not only cover visually or hearing impaired service/assistance animals, but also appeal to other types such as psychiatric service/assistance animals. I am currently working with a few different professionals to create a proposal to the university. As I have a registered service animal myself, I understand how important they are. Emma is my best friend in the whole world and with the current restrictions, we live off-campus. I have heard many stories of students who have not been able to bring them here, causing a huge detriment to their mental health.

If elected, I want to create mental health awareness activities such as a week-long opportunity for students to meet like-minded people and take the time to relax. During this week I would like to hold special events such as puppy therapy and yoga events. I am very open to any and every suggestion. I want to tackle isolation and loneliness. We have been digital for so long, we deserve to shake loose a little bit and meet some new people.

As part of my campaign, I want to verify all students are properly registered and educated on available support, specifically through disability services. They have some fantastic programs that I believe are of great assistance. I think it would also be extraordinarily useful to bring the disability team in as a part of student onboarding.

With all of this in mind, should I get the opportunity to represent you, I pledge to ensure everyone is heard. I truly believe I understand what students are feeling with the frustrations of the pandemic. With classes just going back to in-person, we have been missing out on so much. It’s time we try to get back to normal and start talking to each other again. As your next student welfare officer, I want to make everyone feel fulfilled, happy and comfortable in their environment.

Voting is on February 28 and March 1. I look forward to speaking to you all and learning how I can be the best aid to your student experience.

To see all the candidates running, visit the QUBSU website

SU22 – Lauren Moore for Welfare officer