Freshers' Guide - Welfare

The Welfare Reps

Be warned, Mertonians are dead shots with the snowball – not even the Welfare team could save you...

Ben and Josie on Welfare...

Hello you lovely fresher people you. We are your welfare representatives for the year, here to coordinate the JCR welfare provisions, head the welfare sub-committee, and to provide a link between the JCR and college-supplied welfare provisions. Our most important role, though, is to ensure that your stay at Merton is all it should be, so whenever you feel the need, please come and take advantage of the confidential listening service we provide. Any issue you face is an issue worth talking about. Come and drop by any time, the coffee and tea won't drink itself! Josie will be living in Rose Lane 3.4 and Ben in Rose Lane 3.3.

...at the legendary Welfare Garden Party, meanwhile, there isn’t a flake of snow or ice in sight – not counting the lashings of ice cream and iced pimms, that is.

As well as us, there are reps with specific responsibilities trained to provide the same confidential listening service. These include LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning) and Equal Opportunities Rep Ahnaf Azmi; Academic Affairs Rep Priya Irayanar; International Students Rep Leah Astbury.

Dr Simon Jones heads up welfare at Merton. Simon is also the College Chaplain, but regardless of your faith (or atheism), Simon is always ready, willing and able to deal with any troubles you may experience. Due to the nature of his affiliation with the college he is not required to break confidentiality under any circumstances so is a good person to turn to in sticky situations. He is also responsible for Hardship Grants, Funds and Loans and if ever you feel the financial strain he is the first person to turn to.

For more practical, medical concerns the College Nurse, Rosie Hilliard, is available in college from 9am–noon on weekdays, and one of the doctors from the college doctors' surgery (quite central itself) comes to college. Talking of doctors, please remember to bring your doctor's details, as you need to register when you arrive. It's also best to get your vaccinations up to date, especially mumps.

As well as these fine individuals you can speak to Anna Camilleri, the College Welfare Dean, employed by the college just to ensure your welfare. Outside the hallowed walls of Merton, there are the University Counselling Service and its affiliated helpline, Nightline.

As your Welf Reps we organise the college parenting scheme which involves all freshers in Merton being given two parents – a social parent and a subject parent – from the years above. International students also get an international parent. Your parents can help you acclimatise to the social and academic life of Merton. Your parents will be contacting you during the summer and if you have any questions about college life, your parents are a great place to start.

All this information and much more will be available in the Welfare Guide you receive when you arrive and also on the JCR website – www.mertonjcr.org (you're already there!) which we strongly recommend you take a look at as it will give you a more thorough introduction to college life.

Well, that's almost it. We will be visible around college and you can always stop us to have a chat. You'll probably come to recognise us as the faces peeking out from behind the cakes, bagels and biscuits at the weekly Welfare Tea, an institution here at Merton which involves a veritable feast of goodies laid on in the JCR. There's also the Welfare Film Night which involves us putting a film/sit-com/stand up dvd on and taking another opportunity to fill you with nutritionally deficient goodies.

Feel free to email us any time and we'll try to answer any question you might have.

Ben's email is benjamin.jackson <at> merton.ox.ac.uk
Josie's email is josephine.turner <at> merton.ox.ac.uk

We look forward to seeing you in October. Have a great summer!

For more information on welfare, read our full Welfare guide!