Hi! I’m Jeremy. I’m sure lots of you know me already, as I spend lots of time in the Music Library, and I’ve been to a lots of the events. I’ve been a volunteer since I came to Leeds in September, and I’ve grown to love the society as I’ve met so many nice people (and they’ve recommended me such good music)! The society’s clearly awesome already: we have over 100 members, and a full volunteer schedule. However, I’ve got a few ideas I think will make it even better, which I’ve detailed below.
1. Encourage diversity within UML by ensuring volunteers are gender and ethnically diverse on every slot.
2. Reduce overcrowding by urging volunteers to take on less popular slots.
People feeling uncomfortable in UML is a major concern of mine, and I believe the volunteer rota has significant influence over this. For example, Wednesdays and Thursdays were extremely busy last term as so many people wanted to volunteer at that time, and a few people have told me they felt uncomfortable in the crowded room of mainly male volunteers. I’m sure there are many more who share these concerns. Therefore, while preserving volunteer choice, I pledge to create a more balanced volunteering rota to reflect UML’s true diversity, and to encourage conversations between people who might not usually talk to each-other. Don’t worry, you can still volunteer with your friends, and I won’t put you with anyone you don’t want to be with!
3. Increase volunteer perks.
Volunteering at UML is an extra responsibility that we ask from you for free, so we need to give back. Along with continuing the excellent volunteer socials run by the outgoing committee, I pledge two other rewards for volunteers. I believe that volunteers currently have too little control over the contents of the UML, so I think the volunteer of the week should choose a record, which the library then buys and adds to the collection. The Library’s committee left their mark 50 years ago, with loads of jazz and art rock music. I believe this will help us leave our mark today, for the future members of the Library to enjoy.
My second big idea is a tentative one, and honestly I don’t know if it’s possible with the Library’s finances. Money permitting, I would like to buy a portable record player that can be loaned to volunteers. Most of our members don’t have a record player, and often the player in UML is being used by someone else, or people are talking over the music. I think loaning a record player would help people really listen to those records they can’t hear otherwise, and it would help people who struggle to afford a record deck enjoy the society just as much as those who own a player already.
4. Clarify policies for volunteers to make it easier to be absent, change your volunteering shift, or to stop volunteering.
Currently, the UML has no clear policies surrounding absences, changing volunteer shifts, or stopping volunteering entirely. As a result, people may feel unable to come forward if they want to change their shift, or if they need to be absent to focus on their work or their mental health for a week. I know I was absent on a few occasions this term, but I didn’t who to tell. I plan to make it easy for volunteers to be absent, to change their shift, or to stop volunteering, because UML should never negatively affect your mental health.
5. Integrate UML volunteers into Leeds’ music community.
The Music Library might be a room in the Student Union, but its members are so much more than that. I would help organise socials, club nights, and live music events, and volunteers would get early notifications of all these events. Volunteers could perhaps also receive financial support for gig tickets, if they are in need. I would like to get UML involved in the wider music community here in Leeds. We are all music lovers, but I feel our community exists in parallel with the scene, rather than being fully immersed in it.
Thanks for wading through all this text. I hope my enthusiasm for the society and the role are evident in this message, and that you feel able to vote for me on Tuesday :)
See you in UML!
Jeremy
