Students and COVID-19: The daily battle to make ends meet

As if it weren’t already hard enough, racking up an average student debt of £36,000 to study, we’ve had the rug pulled from under us this year - and the ramifications will continue for years to come. First, we lost up to 4 weeks of tuition due to university strikes, and then we lost even more valuable – and expensive – tuition due to COVID-19. On top of this, many students have lost their means of support from part-time jobs. Unsurprisingly, they are calling for tuition fee reimbursements for the 2019/20 academic year and financial aid support into the future.

It’s not just the students who are suffering. With many courses thrown into chaos by the Covid-19 pandemic, universities are facing an uncertain future with over 20% deferrals for the 2020/21 academic year, according to a London Economics student survey. Many universities, including Cambridge, have shifted lectures online. Separately, the Scottish government is under pressure from the think tank, Reform Scotland, to scrap tuition fees for EU students to make up the lost revenue and save the historic institutions.

As governments scramble to bail out universities, the National Union of Students (NUS) has called for help directed towards students. A NUS survey of over 10,000 students have found that up to 85% of working students need financial support due to loss of jobs and were concerned about their future job prospects. The NUS has urged universities to allow students to repeat the academic year at no cost to ease the mounting pressure on those who are impacted disproportionately. We have reached out to students to find out about their individual experiences.

Slow adjustments within the student world have frustrated many. Nadia, a second year Mathematics student at the University of Glasgow, has expressed frustration for the lessening quality of education, which “has gone down to the price of premium zoom calls.” Most students are not satisfied with teaching shifting online; they view it as a temporary measure during the pandemic but not a replacement for campus teaching. Those who rely on campus facilities to source their current learning are being set back.

Siana, a third year History student at Goldsmiths is “heavily reliant on primary sources, which are reference-only at archives,” and has faced consequent struggles with her essays which account for most of her grade. Others who require STEM laboratories and libraries are also restricted.

Shafali, a Medical Masters student in Sofia, says “Some of my subjects it’s not possible to study from home, for example anatomy. You will need practical classes to understand properly.”

A lack of support towards less advantaged students has exacerbated equality differences in the UK. Not only has Covid-19 negatively impacted their learning experience, but many have been held back by their household conditions. With lack of appropriate furniture or Wi-fi, students have found it difficult to adapt their learning schedules, let alone adjust to the stressful situation. Those who live in multi-generational homes and lack appropriate space have had to adjust to the noise and distractions which are absent in a university library. All this adds to the huge burden on students’ mental health, but precious little support from their universities.

Earlier on in the crisis, nursing students were asked to step up to the frontline. They signed a 6-month contract which would provide them clinical practice to gain a full qualification. Instead, the student nurses have been told that they will only be paid until 31st July 2020, which is less than 6 months since they were recruited. Understandably, they have responded with anger and frustration, on social media.

Rohini, a nursing student in Preston, has also been working as frontline staff since the crisis began. “My university does not cover hardship funding. Despite this we have been asked to work as front-line staff with a salary. I find that this does not give us the opportunity to learn as nurses and puts us in a difficult position. I understand the importance of participating in this way, but find that the lack of financial support, we are being crippled by our lack of resources.”

Many student nurses, including Rohini, have argued that they will be left financially and mentally restrained. “It is beyond frustrating to pay over £9k per year for studying under these conditions. As a student nurse I find it has left me feeling fearful of the debt after this all settles.”

When her grandmother died of Covid-19 in March, Rohini received minimal support from the university despite her mental health conditions. She and her family are still recovering from the death whilst she continues her studies and frontline duty.

“I understand that this is a serious situation that we must learn to cope with each day. I feel our government has not been truly accountable for the loss that we have all faced.”

As for the many other students who are employed in the hospitality, leisure, and retail sectors, they have faced a disproportionate loss in their jobs and income when businesses closed. Although some students have been furloughed, many lost their jobs before lockdown was officially announced, making them ineligible for financial assistance. The NUS has asked the government to set up a hardship fund for those who are struggling financially.

Many, like myself, rely on a part-time job to subsidise my studies. Even thought I was laid-off on March 20th, I was still bound by lease to pay my rent until July. Student loans can only go so far, and Universal Credit is not awarded to full-time students receiving maintenance from the government. Shafali highlights how moving back home or asking family for help may not be possible for some students who are from a less advantaged background. Her parents also lost their income, yet her rent and bills remain the full amount.

The 85% of students who rely on jobs to subsidise their independent life may be constrained into the next academic year, if they cannot find jobs to save money during the summer. It could compromise the success of students who may pick up more hours to make ends meet, which compromises their studies and further widening the equality between richer and poorer students.

If students’ current financial situation was not bad enough, nearly all are anxious about the ensuing recession. If it wasn’t already competitive, graduates entering the job market will inevitably experience barriers to future prospects. Students whose work experience and internships have been rescinded are anticipating a setback in comparison with previous graduate years.

Zamzam Ibrahim, NUS president has said, “we urgently need a student safety net for all students across the UK.” Without taking immediate action, those who require the most help will be severely affected both financially, academically and mentally. Universities talk a big game about student welfare; now is the time for them to take up the gauntlet and bring their commitments to the fore.

Support:

· Make sure to check your university’s website to see if you are entitled to any travel/accommodation reimbursements or hardship funds

· For international students in the UK, check out this site for any updated information/support: https://study-uk.britishcouncil.org/moving-uk/coronavirus

· Hardship and support for students in Scotland: https://www.saas.gov.uk/news/coronavirus

For guidance on mental health support: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/publications/coronavirus-briefing-note-supporting-student-mental-health/ and https://clearyourhead.scot/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwirz3BRD_ARIsAImf7LMdZ8mDEmCQzucPXnSFoxNq-N5gPa-vsWfn70uWXmK-Yh1rwDHRwbYaAi6bEALw_wcB

AUTHOR: Dila Yalman

Dila is an Intern at GGM UK. She is an aspiring journalist and currently studies Economics at the University of Edinburgh.

Dila writes and edits for her university's Economics Magazine, as well as for a start-up fashion magazine. She also regularly writes pieces ranging from academic critiques to political reports for her blog. Most of her writing reflects what she has personally encountered and tells the story of real people.

Dila is seeking to assert her journalistic voice while providing a voice for those who do not have one and this is what she aims to gain from her experience at GGM UK.

Ending the legacy of systemic racism: The pandemic of racism

On May 25th, 2020, George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died in Minneapolis, after white police officer Derek Chauvin unlawfully pressed his knee on Floyd's neck for almost nine minutes until he was unresponsive. Floyd repeatedly cried out for his mother, and his last words were: ‘I can’t breathe.’

Since then, the community of Minneapolis, and America more broadly, have been in pandemonium. Floyd’s cruel death is not only an affirmation and reminder of America’s racial divides, but also calls to a global audience. For many non-black citizens the death of George Floyd has allowed for deep reflection into their own ideologies and the political climate of their nation.

African Americans make up less than 14% of the US population, yet they accounted for 23% of fatal shootings in 2019. In 2018, they made up almost one third of the US prison population.[1] Statistics for Hispanic minorities were similarly disproportionate in comparison to the white population. The disparity in the US’s incarceration rate and fatal killings is indicative of a much greater problem: racism.

Hence, the street-level protests that incurred demanding that justice and reformation of racist institutions started on 26th May in Minneapolis and have spread globally. There has been great controversy over the protests, heightened due to their breaking social distancing rules during the Covid-19 pandemic. Yet protestors believe that it is vital to speak out against this injustice, even at the risk of their own health. Labelled as ‘vigilante behaviour,’ protesting has only exacerbated relations with the police in the USA, resulting in more brutality, unlawful arrests and tear-gassing. The media has attributed protestors’ ferocity as being mainly motivated by a ‘black violent narrative,’ with Trump calling protesters, “THUGS, who are dishonouring the memory of George Floyd.”[2] Yet protesting is not a new form of political insurrection in the USA, or globally, and it has often been led by white minority groups, such as the Suffragettes or the LGBT community. The media needs to be careful how it portrays protestors against George Floyd’s death, and more generally protestors of the Black Lives Matter movement (BLM movement).

Belly Mujinga, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Aubery, Shukri Abdi, Tamir Rice, Mark Duggan, Sarah Reed, Stephen Lawrence, and now George Floyd are the names of some who have been failed and tragically died at the hands of police incompetency and the legacy of racism. The global impact of George Floyd’s murder has been powerful in resurfacing an often overlooked, but very much prevalent issue in the world – the pandemic of racism. Within the UK, it was highlighted by the Windrush Scandal, when thousands of Caribbean immigrants were wrongfully detained, denied legal rights and threatened with deportation, despite living in the UK for most of their lives; or cases like Stephen Lawrence, a black British teen who was murdered in a racially motivated attack, that the UK is also guilty of racially driven inequities and institutions.

Being a black woman myself, the first London BLM protest meant a lot for me to be there, it symbolised a battle for equity and equality. The sheer numbers of protestors instantly filled me with a sense of support and solidarity that I don’t often feel in a white-dominated society. George Floyd represents many loved ones for us. Our sons, brothers, fathers, nephews, friends. Black people are victims of prejudiced behaviour on a daily basis. Hence, when people chanted ‘no justice, no peace, no hatred police’ and ‘no silence, no violence,’ in commemoration of Floyd, it deeply resonated with us, as we thought of many other fallen brothers and sisters of the black community.

The march was a moment when my voice finally felt heard. A homogenous solidarity and a day of reckoning. It was amazing to see protestors of different races and ages in support of the BLM movement, as, although these individuals will never fully feel the prejudice that comes with being black, they were there to listen and make change. Fundamentally, this is a crisis of humanity. We kneeled in silence in a moment of respect for George Floyd and many others – it was beautiful.

Within the media, the slogan ‘All Lives Matter’ has come under a lot of scrutiny of late. However, what is not clearly addressed is that the ‘BLM’ protest and message is not to lessen the significance of all lives, but to tackle the current issue that until black lives matter too, then we can we say all lives matter.

The pandemic of racism cannot be changed by black people alone. I myself know the plight of feeling like a small voice in an environment that is surreptitiously racist. I know the feeling of being labelled the ‘angry black women,’ when my conviction in character and steadfastness in assertion is stereotyped. Current events urge us all to reflect on our position on All Lives Matter vs. Black Lives Matter. To stay silent in these times reflects a position of complicity.

We at GlobalGirl Media stand united with BLM and urge all of our readers to help educate people on racial matters, donate, and petition. I hope that something powerful can come from George Floyd’s death, which tragically didn’t come out of the deaths of so many before him – real change. It starts from your homes, reading and exposing yourself to the history of racism, educating family members, making localised change through writing letters to local party representatives to show support.

Campaigns and petitions are gaining momentum for the UK to change its education curriculum to include a more balanced view of black British history, so that young people can understand the UK’s role in centuries of racism, starting with the enslavement of black people at the hands of white, British colonisers. But the history of black people and black culture did not start there… we must address this misconstrued narrative of black history.

George Floyd is one of many names persecuted by systemic racism, but this time his name will be cause for global insurrection and race-related discourse in the fight for Black Lives Matter. May he rest powerfully!

Photo credits @Jorja Oladiran and @Joseph Omole

Donation sites:

https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ms_blm_homepage_2019

https://www.blackvotersmatterfund.org/

Petition Sites:

https://www.change.org/p/mayor-jacob-frey-justice-for-george-floyd

https://www.change.org/p/govia-thameslink-justice-for-belly-mujinga-justiceforbellymujinga

https://www.change.org/p/uk-parliament-include-black-british-history-in-the-national-education-curriculum?recruiter=false&recruited_by_id=f0ac8ec0-a4c3-11ea-aeb5-87ea5bc4714c&pt=AVBldGl0aW9uANU1WAEAAAAAXtY2BdVH09hhZTI2YjRjNg%3D%3D

https://www.change.org/p/secretary-of-state-for-education-make-black-british-history-compulsory-in-schools-71e42535-7049-472d-a095-cfebdf717db6?original_footer_petition_id=&grid_position=&pt=

AUTHOR: Jorja Oladiran

My name is Jorja Oladiran and I am 19 years old. I love to write and discuss political issues, especially topics that resonate with my life. I am currently studying at the University of Warwick and have hopes of travelling in the future and documenting the lives/ experiences of people that I meet along the way.

[1] Reality Check Team, “George Floyd: How are African-Americans treated under the law?,” BBC News, June 1st, 2020, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-52877678 [2] Donald Trump (@DonaldTrump), Twitter, May 29, 2020, 5:53, https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/1266231100780744704

How to make content during COVID-19, with the BBC

COVID-19 has dominated the news and affected pretty much everyone’s lives. One group that is bearing the brunt of lockdown are students -- with this article focusing on students who hope to pursue a media career -- who have had applications and internships postponed indefinitely. However, this doesn’t mean an end to your journalistic career before it’s begun! GGM UK has some fantastic resources to help you.

In a series of Master classes in May, GGM UK welcomed four female BBC staff members to speak with GGM UK alumni. They all expressed how COVID-19 does not have to spell an end to creativity. In fact, it can be a way for young creatives to get ahead.

The first speaker, Josie Verghese, is head of BBC Young Reporter, a journalism and media scheme which shares the stories of 11-18 year olds. Young Reporter are looking for stories at this present moment, so if you want your voices to be heard, please follow GGM UK on Twitter (https://twitter.com/GGMediaUK) for more details. Josie suggests making work simple and accurate, which is easier to achieve by getting a second pair of eyes to read over it. Simplicity should be at the centre of COVID-19 content. You can use a phone to film and voice notes to record. Some useful sites to check out include: UK Screen Skills (https://www.screenskills.com/), Media Trust (https://mediatrust.org/), Creative Access (https://creativeaccess.org.uk/) and Mama Youth (http://www.mamayouth.org.uk/). Creative Access provides details of available internships on a regular basis, and I would highly recommend it, from personal experience.

The second guest was Bernadette Kitterick, who is part of the BBC Newsgathering team. She recommends calling up local or hospital radio stations to see if they would like any help with reporting. It is a great way to learn the ropes, during what is a busy time for journalists. She cites Twitter as a great way to find about internships, message and speak to former media trainees and follow media professionals. Social media can also been used to reach out to people who have an interesting story to share.

The third guest was Carol Shay, a BBC News Director. She argues that aspiring TV journalists should go out and film what they can, whether it be busy streets or empty parks, and echoing Josie, she agrees all that is needed is a smart phone.

The BBC are currently running the 'Make a Difference' campaign via Radio 1 online, where the public are encouraged to send in their isolation tips, podcasts, music, poetry etc — Other sites which are actively looking for content are bbclondonplanning@bbc.co.uk and londonnews@bbc.co.uk, so this is the perfect time to get work published. She says that having volunteer work on your CV can be just as useful as work experience in the media sector. It shows that people are grabbing opportunities and learning skills that are applicable to working for the BBC — teamwork, organisation, leadership, empathy and good communication.

A sentiment agreed upon by both Bernadette and Carol is to produce content on topics that you are most interested in and pitch to publications by tailoring ideas to their specifications. Pitches should be one to two sentences, involve a compelling story and writers should always have their target audience in mind.

Our last speaker was Abi Mroczynska, who is involved in the technical side of BBC World Arabic. She states that a tough skin is needed to break into a tough industry. This tough skin can be developed through gaining as much work experience as you can. Young creatives need to keep their eyes peeled for training schemes and apprenticeships. Being able to speak a foreign language can be extremely beneficial for getting ahead in the industry, especially if you want to work for the BBC World service team. Make use of any cameras, phones and free editing apps to produce content. However, she implores people to also take some pleasure from the media. She recommends the podcast, ‘The Real Story’ on BBC Stories. It revolves around experts discussing a current news story. One is on the impact that coronavirus is having on the aviation industry. It is worth a listen.

It was surreal hearing from staff members from the BBC and feeling as though I was with them during their media journeys. The series highlighted the multitude of jobs available in the industry and opportunities to grasp in the comfort of your own home, so there is something for everyone to make their own.

AUTHOR: Danielle Desouza

I am a 22 year old Politics and Communication Masters student at LSE, makeshift musician and aspiring political broadcaster. I am a staunch supporter of both gender and racial equality, being female and Indian. I want to edge closer to this goal daily by bringing to light injustices, through all forms of journalism.

Email: Danisacredh@outlook.com