Hi all,

My name is Rebecca Murphy and I'm the USI Welfare Officer for 2010/2011.

I have been involved in the students’ union and various societies in UCC since the beginning of my degree there. I ran for the position of Welfare Officer in the SU because I felt I could make a difference there – I’m hugely proud of my work in UCC SU and I wanted a chance to help other welfare officers around the country be the best they can be.

My role as USI Welfare Officer entails supporting local officers in carrying out their campaigns, rolling out national welfare campaigns and working with relevant organizations on welfare policy. I will also endeavour to find the best way to support students during their time in college. I hope to focus on the training aspect of the job and provide training for welfare officers in the colleges around Ireland so that they are in the best position to help their students.

USI Welfare Campaigns this year will incude SHAG Week, which aims to inform and empower students to make decisions about sex that are right for them. Meanwhile, Mental Health Week raises awareness of mental health issues among students.

Together with the Road Safety Authority, we intend on running different events to promote responsible attitudes towards road use, as drivers, pedestrians and cyclists amongst students.

The Welfare Campaign will also distribute "rent books" to local SUs to assist them in dealing with student enquiries about accommodation.

These are just some of the issues I’ll be working on this year, and I can’t wait to sink my teeth into them!

Overall I’m very excited about the job, and if anyone has any questions or queries you’re welcome to contact me on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it