* STUDENT MATERNITY AND PATERNITY SCHEME

Click here to download the new Student Maternity and Paternity Scheme (PDF)

* SPRINGBOARD

Springboard is an award winning personal and professional development programme, designed and developed by women for women, with a related mentoring sheme available. Women working within the collegiate University can go on Springboard courses; there are several given every year. St Hilda’s Senior Tutor went on a recent course and found it very useful. Click here for more information.

* WOMCAM - MOTION ON VP (WOMEN) (Extract)

Women¹s Campaign notes:

1. Women¹s Camapign is the forum in OUSU which represents women as a
closed caucus, semi-autonomous equal-opportunities campaign.
2. Women¹s Officers, all of them elected by their respective JCR¹s and
MCR¹s, meet weekly at Women¹s Campaign, gaining support and resources.
3. All women in Oxford can attend weekly meetings. The agenda is open
and they can gain support that is both individual and collective.
4. The work done by Women¹s Campaign over the past two terms has
included:
(a) arranging a Finals Gap survey which the VP(Women) has presented to the
university and all Senior Tutors.
(b) organising a ŒReclaim the Night¹ march , in conjunction with Ruskin College, attended by over 100 women and followed by a speakers meeting dealing with the issue of sexual violence against women in a more in depth way.
(c) joint organising a speaker from the Sex Workers Union and an abortion rights forum
(d) organinsing, in conjunction with RAG, a Œpink party, for Breast Cancer Awareness week.
(e) discussing college harassment codes and starting work to establish best practise at all colleges.
(f) fighting for a funded women¹s handbook
(g) initiating disucssions on the improvement of provision for student parents
(h) supporting a college based campaign to improve lighting in Cowley Place, making the petition avaliable online and accessible to all members of the university.
1. That part of the job description of the VP(Women) is to Œto oversee the work of the OUSU Women's Committee...and liaise between these committees and the OUSU Executive¹.
2. Further, that her responsibility to liase with and support women¹s officers, establish and maintain links with other parts of OUSU and groups and individuals beyond OUSU and represent the views of OUSU¹s women to the university authorities, are important in the work WomCam is able to do.

* PREGNANCY TESTS

OUSU is now stocking pregnancy tests. The shelf-life of pregnancy tests is not that long (about one year) so for the moment they're only going to buy 100 and see what demand there is. If you would like to buy any pregnancy tests please get in touch with Ellie Cumbo at women-[at]-ousu.org or Aidan Randle-Conde, the VP (Welfare) at welfare-[at]-ousu.org.

* STOP THE TRAFFICKING OF WOMEN

At Women's Campaign in 3rd Week we started to discuss incorporating some work on the new Amnesty International campaign to end the trafficking of women into Britain for the sex industry. Ideas included a trying to organise a debate or speaker to focus in on a specific element of the issue (even the way in which human rights groups are currently advertising these issues and the upset reaction they often provoke) and linking into Amnesty's current postcard campaign. The controversial "here's Faduma" advert mentioned is actually not Amnesty but the Poppy Project - go to www.poppyproject.org.uk and see what you think. This is something we're going to discuss at greater length next week so if you have ideas of your own then come along or e-mail women-[at]-ousu.org.

* EATING DISORDERS MAILING LIST

This is a mailing list set up for sufferers, friends and Welfare Officers.
Everyone subscribed can post to it, so it serves as a useful support network across the University. Please let your college (men and women) know that it exists, as there seems to be a real issue with eating distress at Oxford.
Anyone who wants to subscribe should email Ellie Cumbo at women-[at]-ousu.org and she'll add their name.

* CHILDMINDING OPPORTUNITIES

Looking for childcare? Or maybe for a flexible part-time job?

The University's new childminding network aims to find a childminder for any students, staff or visitors in need of childcare.

They are also looking to recruit more childminders in the centre of Oxford.
This would be a flexible fill-in job that could be tailored to fit around a student schedule, and is a great way to earn extra money.

If you would like to find out more please contact Childcare Development Team
01865 815023 or TRIO 01793 849621 and ask for information about the University Network.

* PROMOTING CHOICE CAMPAIGN

This has taken on new momentum this year. Importantly, it isn't just about defending a woman's right to have an abortion if she chooses, but also about increasing the University's provision for student arents, so that a student who finds herself pregnant does have a real choice of options.
We'll be arranging events and discussion groups this term, and there's also a mailing list. Email Ellie Cumbo at women-[at]-ousu.org and she'll add your name to the list.