Teddy Ryan

Tel: 07921088669 Email: teddy.ryan@hotmail.com Twitter: @teddyryan89 Facebook: Teddy Ryan

For National Secretary

Labour Students is a brilliant organisation that makes a real difference on our campuses and for our Party. Im standing for National Secretary because I have seen the potential we have as a movement, and I want to ensure that we reach it. Im standing for a Labour Students that is open and accountable. Im standing for a Labour Students that is accessible to all our members. Im standing for a Labour Students that is well resourced to lead the fight against this Coalition Government and its continued attack on students. Im passionate about what we do in Labour Students and, if you elect me, I will work day and night to fulfil the promises Ive made to you in this manifesto. I look forward to speaking with as many of you as possible over the coming weeks. If you have any questions or comments please get in touch.

Teddy Ryan is a perfect candidate for National Secretary of Labour Students, and has shown his commitment to the movement through his strong record of campaigning. Furthermore, Teddy has been a major help to the Living Wage campaign in York, showing that he is approachable and will go out of his way to assist in any way he can. Gemma Egan Perkins, Former Chair, York Labour Club Teddys wealth of experience definitely makes him the best candidate for National Secretary. From election organising to Living Wage campaigning Im confident that Teddy will deliver a more effective, engaging and active Labour Students. Im delighted to be giving him my support. Grace Skelton, Secretary, Manchester Labour Students

Transforming our communications

Communicating with members on the ground is the top priority for the National Secretary. If elected, I promise to transform our communications. Good communication holds the key to members feeling engaged and involved in Labour Students. Strong communication works both ways which is why my absolute priority will be to be at the end of the phone, or email, to talk to members directly.

Working with club chairs

Club Chairs are the backbone of our organisation. It is vital that they are kept fully in the loop. I will deliver fortnightly update emails to all club chairs to report on what the National Office has been doing, and to highlight upcoming events and actions.

Developing regional networks

I will work with Regional Coordinators to establish strong communication links with their clubs through either a closed Facebook group or Google group. This group can be used to ask questions of your Regional Coordinator, share best practice, coordinate regional events and provide a support network for smaller or newly formed clubs. All National Officers will have access to these groups which will facilitate the best ideas being shared with all clubs.

Keeping every member informed Building our online presence

As well as regular communication with club chairs, it is also vital that the National Office communicates directly with every member of Labour Students. I will continue the monthly newsletters to all members, and I will ensure those emails are more action focused to help our members play a part in our campaigns.

Weve had a new website this year, which is great progress but we cannot rest on our laurels. I will develop the new website to create more user interactivity. For example, I will create a blogs page where members from across the country can upload their blogs and I will build a better forum area. Social media is now a mainstream form of communication and it is one that we dont utilise enough. If Im elected, I will promote our Facebook and Twitter pages to all our members as the easiest and quickest way to send and receive information with the Office and each other.

Transparency and Accountability

Elections
It is great to see some of the most contested elections ever this year. Contested elections are important, they encourage debate and debate enables us to continue to improve our organisation. But we need to do more. This year Ill be submitting a motion to conference to amend our constitution to ensure that a clearer and open process for elections is outlined from this point on. I will ensure that the way in which elections are run is open and accountable and the process is consistent year after year. A number of email notifications for elections will go out well in advance of the deadline opening and they will be communicated by social media right up until the deadline passes. Ill organise regional sessions run by regional coordinators on standing for national positions to provide people with the knowledge of what the position entails and the confidence to put themselves forward for them. Elect me as National Secretary and I will ensure that all of our elections are fair, open and accessible.

Our constitution Policy

If Im elected, I will ensure that our constitution takes pride of place on our website and is available in fully accessible formats to any member who requests it. Elect me and I will ensure that you have the tools to hold your National Committee to account.

At every national event we discuss policy but what happens with the policy is unclear and inconsistent. Elect me and I will make sure that you can track what has happened to the policy you pass online, and hold the National Office to account for their progress. I also pledge to double the time we have to discuss policy at national events.

Reports from Committee

National Committee are elected by our members and it is crucial that they are held to account at every available opportunity. Elect me and I will make sure that there is time at every national event for questions to National Committee and I will publish a full written report from every member of committee once a term.

Campaigning to win
Labour Students is the strongest and most reliable campaigning organisation within the Labour movement, NUS and on campuses - but that doesnt mean that we cant get better. Over the last few months, the work that I have done on the Living Wage campaign has meant that I have been fortunate enough to travel the length and breadth of the country visiting Labour clubs and seen firsthand the strength of the talent that we have in our movement. I have seen the huge potential we have as a movement to shake things up, and to win for the most marginalised in our communities & in our institutions. It is time we fulfilled that potential.

Building our movement

I became involved in Labour Students through the Living Wage campaign and Im passionate about a Labour Students that is at the heart of campaigning for change in the Labour movement. If you elect me as National Secretary I will work tirelessly to ensure that we continue to fight for a Living Wave in every institution, but, also continue to use community organising to build campainging capacity within our clubs to better enable us to campaign, and win, on the issues that matter.

Im really pleased to be supporting Teddy because of all the amazing help he has given us this year with the Living Wage Campaign. With his determination and hard work Labour Students will no doubt grow to be even stronger as an organisation and as a movement. Mitch Theaker, Chair, Swansea Labour Students

Winning for Labour

In 2013 we have local elections and several likely by-elections in some very marginal seats. It is crucial that we use the period between now and then to build on our exceptional campaigning capacity within our clubs. That means recruiting and engaging new members & ensuring that we have sufficient resources to fight those campaigns, but it also means building on the political education provided to our members. Ensuring that they go out on the doorstep confident on the issues that they are speaking about, confident about what they are doing and more importantly, why they are doing it. As a former election organiser, I understand that one of the main reasons that people dont take the first step into coming and campaigning is a lack of confidence on the issues and the process. Which is why, if Im elected as National Secretary, I will ensure that we run events to train our members on campaigning and election organising principles. Not just to enable them to come out campaigning with us nationally, but to enable them to run their own campaigns in their own clubs and their own CLPs.

Events for all

National Labour Students events are a key part of the Labour Students calendar. They set Labour Students policy, elect the full time Officers and National Committee, and they provide members with the opportunity to learn valuable skills to take back to their clubs. Ensuring that members are able to get to events is hugely important which is why, if Im elected Secretary, I will ensure that: All events are advertised to members as far in advance as is possible to allow members to book advanced travel at the cheapest possible rate Expand the travel fund to ensure that we are able to subsidise the travel for as many members as possible, particularly for democratic events Deliver a number of bursary places available for every event so that some can attend the event entirely free of charge.

Events that equip you with what you want

I will utilise the Friends of Labour Students network to attract a wider range of speakers than just members of the Shadow Cabinet. FOLS contains former Special Advisers, Media Advisers, Digital Media Consultants, members who work for think-tanks, charities and NGOs, fundraising experts and many more. They have the skills and experience to deliver training and speak on subjects that will benefit our members, our clubs and our movement. It is really important that we debate ideas and policy at our events. If elected, I will ensure that all national events have sessions allocated to discussing policy in groups with members of Labour Students Policy Forum and the Vice-Chair Policy and Campaigns on hand to lead the sessions and I will ensure we have much more time than we currently do to discuss motions submitted by clubs. I think members should have more of a say in the development of agendas for events, so I will create an online wiki where members can suggest changes and additions to event agendas before the event.

I have only recently been part of Labour Students actively but it soon became clear to me that Teddy was one of the most passionate and hard working members of the organisation. He really cares a lot about the issues affecting our society including poverty, liberation and education amongst others. I have no doubt that if elected Teddy will be professional and on the ball in keeping Labour Students running smoothly. Simon Evans, Portsmouth Labour Students

Sustaining our activism

Ive promised to ensure that Labour Students events are interesting, informative and accessible. Ive promised to ensure that we remove the barrier of cost as far as possible to allow all members the opportunity to attend national events. Ive promised to work alongside the other National Officers to ensure that Labour Students remains the strongest and most reliable campaigning force on campus, in NUS and in the Labour Movement by offering whatever support necessary to clubs to facilitate recruiting new members and running campaigns. These are all things that Labour Students can achieve over the next year. But to do that, we need a reliable and sustainable source of income. I will:

Develop Friends of Labour Students

Friends of Labour Students has been an invaluable resource this year but I believe that we can utilise our alumni better than we are currently. If Im elected I will continue that great work and look to expand the network further. I will: Host four fundraising events over the course of the year including two dinners Increase membership Work with the other National Officers to develop a membership offer to attract bigger donations for the Friends of Labour Students network

Help clubs increase local income

It is vitally important that Labour Students nationally is in good financial shape but it is as important to ensure that our clubs know how to raise money. To achieve this, there will be a fundraising best practice guide designed and distributed to all clubs. Training will be available for Club Secretaries, Treasurers and Fundraising Officers both regionally and nationally to ensure that a clubs financial situation never prohibits them from running a valuable campaign. I will also deliver a system to use FOLS to allow alumni to donate directly back to their old Labour Club.

Work with Trade Union comrades & affiliated societies

The role played by Trade Unions in the Labour Movement has been instrumental and membership of a union is something which I see as essential for every student and young person. I will work with officials from across the Union movement to increase trade union membership amongst our members and the wider student movement, and to build mutually beneficial agreements for co-operation between our movements.

An accessible Labour Students

Labour Students is a fantastic organisation which is why Im passionate about ensuring that everybody can access everything that we have to offer.

Liberation

Im proud of Labour Students record on liberation issues which is why I will ensure that Liberation caucusses take priority at national events and remain central to Labour Students agenda. Elect me as National Secretary, I will ensure that all liberation groups are provided all the resources necessary to run autonomous campaigns on their priority issues.

Access to events

A key part of the role of National Secretary is planning national events and if we are to continue to attract new members to our movement then we have to make sure that our events are welcoming and accessible. Elect me and I will ensure that all venues are fully accessible - that includes venues for socials, even informal socials after events. If a venue is not fully accessible then Labour Students will not use it. National events are a valuable opportunity for sharing best practice, learning new skills to take back to clubs and building relationships across the organisation. It is essential that all members are given the opportunity to take as much away from these events as possible. First impressions are crucial. Elect me and I will work with National Committee to ensure that our events are open and inclusive for new members and to those from smaller clubs. I will start a buddy scheme for members attending an event for the first time so that they can rely on a friendly face at that event, and for the many more they will hopefully attend. Elect me and I will always be available to our members, on hand to answer any questions and concerns they have and on hand to offer any support necessary.

Teddy is the ideal candidate for National Secretary, he is dedicated to making sure Labour Student grows as an organisation, and his work on the living wage has been outstanding. Lee Bradshaw, Chair, UCLAN Labour Students

Teddy has been a relentless campaigner within Labour Students and London Young Labour and demonstrates to the core exactly the kind of person Labour Students needs as its Secretary. His dedication to the Living Wage campaign and improving the lives of others is second to none within the Labour movement Adam Connell, Chair, LSE Labour Students

A bit more about me..

Im a part time, mature student at Birkbeck where I am studying for a degree in History, Politics and Philosophy. Im 22 and have been a member of the Party for far too long! Ive worked as a full time organiser for Labour and have spent a lot of time campaigning and developing my local CLP. Here are some of the things Ive done: Secretary of London Young Labour Labour Students Regional Coordinator (East Region) Living Wage Organiser - Movement for Change Acting Chair and Founder Birkbeck Labour Club Full time Election Organiser for Putney Co-op Party Member GMB Member

Teddy is undoubtedly very committed and passionate about Labour Students. As a member hes motivated so many of us to campaign and organise this year so therefore, with greater resources at his disposal, Im convinced hell improve the organisation to no end as secretary. Anya OShea, Treasurer, Edinburgh Labour Students

Some supporters so far..

Ive been honoured to receive so much support from members across the UK since I started my campaign. Here are some of my supporters so far:
Sam Woodcock (Manchester), Megan Wells (Kent), Luke Young (NUS Group), Mark Sewards (Leeds), Grace Skelton (Manchester) Steph Lloyd (NUS Wales), Daniel Stevens (Surrey), Stephen Donnelly (Edinburgh), Mary Roberts (Edinburgh), Jess Leigh (Aberystwyth), Bex Bailey (LSE), Adam Jogee (SOAS), Simon Evans (Portsmouth), Charlotte Pope (Edinburgh), Ella Magal (Leeds), Benjamin Butterworth (LSE), Darren Young (Scottish Young Labour), Sally Jameson (Nottingham), Tom Grandjouan (Manchester), Jo Johnson (Leeds Met), Ben Dilks (York), Anya OShea (Edinburgh), Andrew Robinson (Leeds Met), Godfrey Atuahene Jnr (Portsmouth), Kaiesha Page (Aberystwyth), Finn McGoldrick (Manchester), Jonty Prior (Leeds), Gemma Egan-Perkins (York), Pearleen Sangha (Swansea), Michael Rubin (Leicester), Mitchell Theaker (Swansea), Sophie McDonald (Edinburgh), Ruth Brewer (Liverpool), Lee Bradshaw (UCLan), Nick Pringle (Manchester), Curtis McLellan (Manchester), Danielle Grufferty (NUS Group), Nesil Cazimoglu (NUS Group), Declan Sheridan (Edinburgh), George Melhuish (Edinburgh), Pedro Diego (Aberystwyth), Adam Connell (LSE), Jack Storry (Hull), Callum Munro (NEC Youth Rep), Dan Harrison (Birmingham), Dan Derricott (Lincoln)