Being a distance-learning student in rural Wales can feel isolating. When I first started with The Open University, I often felt lonely and disconnected, not just from other students, but from the wider University community.
That began to change when I attended Student Voice Week and the 2024 Student Consultations in Cardiff. I met Ciara Linehan (Open SU Projects Officer) and Lara Munday (Open SU Project Manager). Their sessions were inspiring, practical, and full of advice. They encouraged me to think about volunteering as a student representative, and showed me how my voice could make a real difference.
Other UK nations had plenty of ways for students to connect, but Wales didn’t. After talking with Ciara, Lara, and Freya Morris (OU in Wales Student Engagement Manager), I decided to nominate myself for Wales Student Representative in the 2024 Student Leadership elections. I wanted Wales-based students to have more opportunities to be heard, to meet each other, and to feel like they truly belonged. I was thrilled to be elected, and proud to take on that responsibility.
What we have achieved
Once elected, my goal was simple: listen. I attended Caffi Cymru events across Wales, and heard students asking for more Wales-focused activity, more in-person meetups, and a stronger sense of community. Working closely with Freya, I started turning these ideas into reality.
There were limits on hosting events, but Ciara’s encouragement, Lara’s guidance, and Freya’s insight helped me find ways forward. From these conversations came two big initiatives: the Wales Club and the re-establishment of a Wales student panel. Gareth Jones (Head of Student Voice) gave crucial advice on making the panel truly student-led, and Alayla Castle-Herbert (Policy Officer for Learning and Teaching in OU Wales) helped me learn from the previous panel’s successes and challenges. Their guidance made it possible to build something sustainable.
A platform for Wales-based students
Scarlet James, my best friend and the person I’ve done almost everything Wales Club-related with, quickly became the heart of the Club. Scarlet’s energy, creativity, and dedication have driven so much of what we’ve achieved, from in-person events in Cardiff and Llandudno, to Welcome Week and the societies and clubs fair in Milton Keynes. She also led our virtual events, from Halloween socials to weekly online study rooms that have become a regular space for students to meet, study, and procrastinate productively (with a little help from Harry Jenkins).
This warm and friendly environment we have created has led to us providing a platform for Wales-based students to shine through all the amazing achievements made by various students, such as the incredible poetry of Harry Jenkins, an honest but thought-provoking article surrounding invisible disabilities from Rebecca Fowler-Monk, the push for more LGBTQIA voices in Wales from Kath Richardson, and even our own resident Shakespeare, Louise Gardner!
In just two years, these initiatives have grown into a thriving, student-led community across Wales. Almost every success of the Wales Club has Scarlet’s input behind it, and working alongside her has been one of the highlights of my term, both professionally and personally.
Into the future
As my term comes to an end, my focus is on making sure the Wales Club and student panel continue to grow. None of this would have been possible without Ciara, Lara, Freya, Gareth, and Alayla. Scarlet, of course, has truly brought these ideas to life.
Working with staff and students, listening to different voices, and turning feedback into action is what I hope to carry forward into my future student representative work, continuing to support students, build connections, and make sure their voices are heard.