In our last and summer term (Trinity) Christ Church JCR introduced a JCR Inreach Officer as part of the JCR Committee, joining 9 other colleges with similar roles. This is a fantastic move for Access & Outreach both in Christ Church and in Oxford Uni as a whole!
The Inreach Officer has been introduced for 3 main reasons:
1.) To provide specific representation within the JCR Committee for working class, low income, state comprehensive and first generation students - such representation is already provided for LGBTQ+, Ethnic & Religious Minority, and International students
2.) To guarantee that JCR committee decisions would be informed by a working class etc. voice by giving working class etc. people a 'seat at the table'
3.) To improve outreach at Christ Church by ensuring that the Inreach Officer would also perform an outreach function: applicants from working class etc. backgrounds will be given a visible indication that working class etc students can get in, and can thrive here - this is something to bear in mind if you are thinking about applying to Oxford!
The Inreach Officer role will, therefore, be a supportive role, in that it has both a welfare and an informational capacity, helping students to find support and social groups, information about funding they can access, and much more! Representation is hugely important in creating inclusivity, and hopefully, this role will help to show applicants that there is a working class etc. community at Christ Church, making the college more welcoming to students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
This role will help working class etc. people to find a great community both in college and in the university as a whole, ultimately thriving even more in Oxford!