Mark Brashier

Serving Student Governor for 2025/26Candidate for Student Governor 2026/27

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VotingIf you want to support my endeavor to become YOUR RE-ELECTED Governor for SERC SU, and represent YOUR interests at the National Level, Please consider looking through this site and click "https://forms.cloud.microsoft/" below once the voting period begins.
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Elections Open: 04 May, 2026 @ 09:00am
Elections Close: 06 May, 2026 @ 04:00pmPlease note, voting in person is only in-person on Bangor Campus on 05th & 6th May, all other campuses only have Online Voting. Staff with a Student ID are not eledgable to vote in this election
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Any student who votes in this election can also enter into a unique draw, where prizes can be won, no matter who you vote for!The Prizes up for grabs are as follows:• £20 Amazon Gift Card
• New SERC SU Hoodie
• New SERC SU Merch Pack
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Results of this election will be announced at the annual Students' Union Conference, on 07 May, 2026
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Voting will be conducted online and in person on select sites, if you need assistance with voting, please reach out to the Union's Student Engagement Manager, Ross Currie by Teams or Email.
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Vote Here: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/
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For more information, please contact one of the Students' Union Team

ManifestoHello! I’m Mark, and I’m asking for your #1 vote for Student Governor 2026/27. From my work in SERC Students’ Union to my national advocacy through the #iWill Movement, I have seen the power of student voices to drive real change.As your RE-ELECTED Student Governor, I will ensure that SERC SU continues to be inclusive, ambitious, and accountable. To provide a united voice for every student in the College, and to fight for our fundamental right… Education, which has been facing inflation, and underfunding which makes it hard to focus on learning and plan for the future. Especially with limited financial support, high rents, and insufficient mental health resources.As the current Governor, I’m proud of the progress we’ve made, from our affiliation with NUS to developing major projects that give FE students a stronger platform. But we’re not stopping here.On top of this, under my time as Your Student Governor for 2025/26, the Students' Union has made incredible progress towards safety, inclusion and belonging, highlighted by our first Pride Parade in Belfast, the launch of the Green Dot by standard intervention campaign to target gender-based violence at its roots, impactful Movember fundraisers on Men's Mental & Physical Health, and first aid training that equipped students with life-saving skills. And this just scratches the surface!The next step is building on that momentum through cross-border collaboration and long-term initiatives that make our Students’ Union more connected, influential, and ambitious than ever. As such, my top three Priorities are;I• Safety and inclusion: Despite the Union’s continued efforts, there are still clear shortcomings that vary from campus to campus, so our response must be more tailored and campus-specific. I would therefore call for a stronger campus-by-campus approach, with each campus’ needs, challenges and priorities being addressed individually rather than relying on one-size-fits-all solutions.I
• Supporting Liberation Collectives: Marginalised students face higher harassment, discrimination, hate (homophobia, transphobia, racism) and mental health strain as a result of these, and from the cost-of-living crisis. I’m pushing for ringfenced funding, greater staff support, lobbying our National Union for stronger hate crime laws reflecting lived experiences, greater accessibility on site and online, and targeted help for international students on housing, visas and language so every voice in SERC can thrive.
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• EMA / FE GRANT / HE FUNDING LOBBYING: I’m campaigning to support learners in the cost-of-living crisis, which has hit 90% of students’ mental health with EMA being stuck at £30/week (down 40% in real value to inflation), FE Grants down 23% since 2016, HE support just £8.67/hour (vs £12.21 National Living wage). We need our National Union to take Action!I
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IEarlier in this academic year, I had the opportunity to run for President of NUS-USI, although unsuccessful in this endeavor, it displayed my priorities for students, and remain very much the same, with some scale changes for our Union.The headline points from this campaign included:
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• Protecting and Funding the Further Education Sector
• Standardised Financial Support for ALL Students - Includes EMA, FE Grant and HE Funding
•Supporting Liberation Collectives
•Cost of Living Protections
•Lifelong Learning Initiative
•Mental Health & Wellbeing - Includes Sexual Health and Period Poverty
•Higher Education - Includes North-South Mobility
•Statements of Principle, Safety & InclusionIAttached below is the Manifesto from this previous campaign. As your RE-ELECTED Student Governor, I will continue to fight for these changes within the college, and lobby our National Union to adopt commitments to aid local unions and make the student experience safer and more inclusive for all. Alternativly you can find a copy of this manifesto Here.

How would I Lead SERC SU going forward?I will continue to lead SERC SU with compassion at the heart of every decision, recognising that every learner’s journey is different. Our union should meet students where they are and not where policy or paperwork assumes they should be, while allowing for unique lived experiences to come at the heart. and shape what we fight for and how we campaign.I’ll continue to bring an unapologetically Further Education perspective to how our SU works, as it is grounded in the realities of college life, apprenticeships, and access learning. I’ll use that to build stronger links between campuses, classes, and local communities, so our work makes a genuine difference at every level.Within SERC SU, I’ll continue to focus on grassroots change, helping students win real improvements in areas like funding, welfare, safety, and inclusion, and connecting those wins across campuses to drive a united student voice.I’ll also continue to build a supportive, transparent and accountable culture within our SU where our officers and students alike can share ideas openly, learn from each other, and work together with empathy and integrity to make SERC the best possible place to learn, grow and belong.For those who may not have engaged with the Union before, this is what the Students’ Union experience is. It’s a movement shaped by many Student Governors and Student Leaders from all sectors and walks of life, and that legacy will continue. Together, we’ll make sure every learner sees themselves in SERC SU’s future.

Why Mark?Through my role in the South Eastern Regional College Students’ Union, I have seen how meaningful representation can shape student life and strengthen our college community. My studies in Uniformed Protective Services, alongside my progression into Business, have equipped me with practical skills in leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving. At the same time, my national involvement through the #iWill Movement has given me the platform to connect local experiences with wider campaigns, ensuring that the voices of students here at SERC contribute to the bigger picture of youth representation across the UK.I
For me, the path forward is about bridging the local and the national gaps, ensuring every student feels part of something bigger, where diversity is celebrated, equality is championed, and justice for students is pursued at every level.
IIn terms of experiences, I've had the incredible opportunity to attend a Team Leadership course in Canada (before coming to SERC), which helped me grow as a leader. On top of this, I have had the incredible opportunity to not only lead, but also learn on key issues in Education within Northern Ireland, and issues in other fields of interest.
II have also consulted/collaborated from SERC (as an FE perspective), with Ulster University Students' Union on their Charter on Tackeling Violence against Women and Girls in Northern Ireland, and have been advocating for SERC Students’ Union as a whole at NUS-USI (AMLÉ), our national body which represents over 120,000 students and apprentices in Northern Ireland, whos work activly supports it's 10 Member Union's.I
IMy Performance in the 2025/26 Academic Year• Supported student engagement activity reaching 4,500+ students across over 170 events between Aug–Sept 2025, helping to build early connection with the SU and key support services.• Contributed to engagement activity reaching 5,700+ students across over 200 events from Sept–Nov 2025, strengthening student voice and participation across campuses.• Helped drive further engagement to 6,700+ students across over 300 events by Feb 2026, supporting a growing culture of involvement and representation.• Contributed to Freshers Fair activity involving 2,500+ students and over 40 exhibitors across 4 campuses, creating early student connections with services, clubs, and community partners.• Contributed to Love Your College, engaging 1,700+ students through the merging of our Re-Freshers Fayre and the Enterprise Valentines Market, strengthening college identity and community spirit.• Helped in the delivery of the Student Leadership elections across 5 campuses, resulting in 17 elected officers and increased democratic participation.• Supported class representative training and development, improving confidence in leadership, communication, and effective issue escalation.• Contributed to the delivery of wellbeing and development workshops with partners including Red Cross, Women’s Aid, Cancer Focus, and Danske Bank.• Supported the delivery of focus groups and feedback activity with Class Reps to identify barriers to education, campus safety, wellbeing, and representation priorities.• Represented FE students through leading the deligation which was in attendance at the NUS-USI Conference, helping amplify student voice at a regional level.• Contributed to student-led clubs and societies activity, supporting belonging, social connection, and campus life• Actively supported the launch of the Green Dot Bystander Intervention Training, rolling out 10+ sessions to students in order to help embed a culture of safety, confidence, and proactive student intervention against harm and gender-based violence, following the signing of the UUSU Charter on Tackeling Violence against Women and Girls in Northern Ireland in the last Academic Year.• Participated in the first-ever Belfast Pride attendance under SERC SU, strengthening inclusion, visibility, and student allyship across the College.• Initiated a First Aid Awareness and Training initiative, connecting students with essential lifesaving skills and peer-led emergency response awareness to perform the most urgent interventions.• Participated in our Movember campaign supporting the physical and mental health & wellbeing of male students through events, discussion spaces, and on-campus visibility.• Supported the word done to mark International Women’s Day, with discussions, spotlights, and awareness campaigns promoting gender equality• Contributed to ongoing Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls (TVAWG) initiatives, expanding engagement through creative campaigns and partnerships with external organizations.• Undertaking ongoing Research & Development of work on international relations in student voice, exploring collaboration opportunities with Antas Na Mac Leinn in Erínn (AMLÉ) and the European Students’ Union (ESU) to expand student representation through existing links, in meaningful ways.• Undertaking ongoing Research & Development of work on Youth Voice, helping build bridges between the Union and youth representation movements, as well as Further Education student leadership across the province, perticurlarly through reputable networks which could include UK Youth and Volunteer Now.I
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My Experience:• Student Governor of SERC SU - 2025/26• Campus President of Bangor - 2024/25• International Students Officer - 2023/24• Uniformed Protective Services Class Representative - 2023-25I• SERC Excellence Award Winner: Students' Union Class Rep of the Year - Bangor Campus (2023/24)• SERC Excellence Award Winner: Excellence in Project Work (2023/24)• SU Volunteering Award: Gold Cerificate (2023/24)• Impact Award (Volunteering) - 300 Hour Certificate (2023/24)• SERC Excellence Award Nominee: Students' Union Officer of the Year - Bangor Campus (2024/25)• SERC Excellence Award Nominee: Excellence in Project Work (2024/25)• SU Volunteering Award: Gold Cerificate (2024/25)• SU Volunteering Award: Excellence in Supporting the Student Experience (2024/25)I• Experience in Leadership: #iWill Movement Ambassador• Volunteer with SERC EEE as an Enterprise Champion• Experienced Volunteer with St John Ambulance as a First Aider• Experienced Volunteer with The Youth & Politics Podcast as their Social Media Officer• Experience in Leadership: Former Cadet Staff Sergeant with the Army Cadet Force• Experienced Volunteer with SERC on behalf of MACS Youth Homelessness, Cancer Focus and Air Ambulance NI, as well as various external volunteering orginisationsIPlease reach out Here if you have any questions. Im always open to chat!I
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Official Nominations:Below are the official Nominations:
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Bangor Campus –
Vikki Pinkerton, Higher Education OfficerFor:
#1 Choice | Student Governor
#2 Choice | Campus President - BangorIBangor Campus -
Kris Williams, Equality & Diversity OfficerFor:
#1 Choice | Student Governor
#2 Choice | Campus President - Bangor
IPublic Endorsements:
IN/A(Last Updated - 05:37hrs 27/04/2026)
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Previous Public Endorsements: