Josh Wood

Working Class Students: Campaigns Officer

Hey! I’m Josh, and I’m standing for the role of Campaigns Officer. I’m in my third year of Medicine, and I’m a first-generation uni student.

I know that university work can fall by the wayside when bills are due.
I know how hard it is to be taken seriously when you speak up about working-class stereotypes your peers perpetuate.
I know many working-class students who have realised they have been living with undiagnosed ADHD or dyslexia since coming to university.

My point is, I’m running for the role because I know what unique challenges working-class students face and I know more needs to be done to support us through these.

If I’m elected to the position, there are eight main ways I’d like to tackle the issues that working-class and first-generation university students face at Imperial, but also in the wider community:

Ensuring that all students are made aware of IC Working Class network and what it does.
Launching a survey to find out attitudes towards class amongst Imperial staff and students.
Running drop-in welfare sessions to advise working-class students on how to find any extra targeted support they might need.
Expanding the working-class network families scheme.
Pushing for Imperial to publish inclusivity policy about socioeconomic status, especially with regards to bullying and harrassment.
Empowering students to speak out about any discrimination they face.
Running sessions to help working-class students find internships and graduate jobs.
Reaching out to schools in deprived areas to organise talks that promote access to university.