Posted: 09/11/15
A diverse week of events ahead
The matter of democracy will be given the spotlight at West Nottinghamshire College this week as students prepare to stage an equality and diversity week of events.
The college’s Students’ Union (SU) will be leading on a range of activities, designed to encourage students to think in a more diverse way about the world around them.
Today and Tuesday (9 and 10 November) a pledge tree is being set up for students to add their own views on the subject of British Values and democracy. All pledges will be placed on the tree for other students to see and discuss.
Also on Monday and Tuesday, members of the SU will be encouraging students aged from 16 to start their online registration to vote. This follows on from the Active Citizens FE (ACFE) Rock Enrol campaign which is the government’s new individual registration system which the college piloted in March.
On Wednesday (11 November) as well as holding 11am remembrance services at the main Derby Road campus, the Engineering Innovation Centre and construction and building services campus, students will be able to contribute their views on immigration at a series of debates being held throughout the day at the Derby Road campus.
Also on Wednesday, students will be able to discover more about the Jewish faith when Rabbi Tanya Sakhnovich pays a visit (11.30am in the Vision Room). Tanya became the Rabbi of the Nottingham Liberal Synagogue in 2009 and will give a talk on mutual respect and tolerance of other faiths and religions.
Thursday (12 November at 10am in the Vision Room) sees a return visit from Simon Winston – a holocaust survivor from the Second World War. Simon, who has visited the college before, will tell the story of how he and his family escaped the ghetto when Germany attacked Russia and the harrowing journey he, his parents and brother had to face in order to survive.
Student experience manager Sue Harries said: “Equality and diversity week will certainly give students something to stop and think about. It’s all about giving them the opportunity to put themselves in someone else’s shoes and think about how very different and varied people’s lives are.
“We’re very lucky to be able to welcome guest speakers to meet students and, with democracy being the theme of the week, it will be good to see students getting their views heard in the debate and giving them the opportunity to register to vote.”
