Discovery Trustee Elections 2025
Every year you the Discovery volunteers get to vote for the Trustee board. Trustees oversee the work of Discovery & have a meaningful say in the direction of Discovery and the impact it has on the local community so this is your chance to have a say in who should help run Discovery.
This year we are asking that Discovery volunteers and community members vote in the non student Trustee election.
The elections will be taking place online and this blog will outline how you vote in the elections and who is standing.
How to vote
Voting for the Trustee positions starts today Tuesday 8th April and will shut 12pm Tuesday 29th April. Please vote here.
Who is standing
These are the positions in the election:- Non student Trustee. The non- student Trustee role is someone from the Swansea University staff team or the Swansea community who would bring knowledge and experience to the Trustee board.
In this election you will see this: Re-Open Nominations or ‘RON. This is a democratic mechanism to allow voters to choose not to elect any of the candidates in the election. Basically if you do not want to vote for any of the candidates then vote for Re-Open Nominations.
To see all the candidates for each position and then vote please fill in this form (the voting form is at the bottom of the page so please scroll down). Please note you can only vote for three candidates.
If you have any issues around registering to vote please do let us know by emailing us.
Here are the four candidates in the election:
Amy Meredith-Davies
My name is Amy Meredith-Davies. I was born in Swansea and have lived here all my life. I studied both my undergraduate degree (in medical sciences and humanities) and my Masters (public health and health promotion.) and absolutely loved my time at Swansea university. My dissertation topic was actually on ‘is volunteering good for your health’ and I linked in with Discovery at the time to undertake the research. At this time I didn’t have much experience of the voluntary sector or volunteering but the stories and evidence I discovered through my masters was so inspiring that it led me into a career in the voluntary sector.
I have worked at SCVS for the last 17 years as health and wellbeing partnerships manager. I am really passionate about the role of the voluntary sector in supporting health and wellbeing, and believe that the sector has a key role to play in offering a more preventative and holistic approach to health and wellbeing. Through my role I sit on various strategic meetings at a local, regional and national level. I also have lots of experience in developing and supporting the delivery of projects, which meet an identified need. This is definitely my favourite part of the role, when I am lucky enough to see the impact of projects (that we are part of) on improving individuals health and wellbeing.
In addition to my work in the voluntary sector, I have volunteered in a number of different roles related to public health and health promotion and also been director of a CIC. I have loved each of my volunteering opportunities for different reasons. I feel volunteering is an absolute privilege to do and have taken great learning from each of my volunteer roles.
I have seen first hand the amazing work and impact of Discovery on individuals. It would be great to be part of an amazing board and team and to support the further development of the organisation. I feel I have lots of different skills and knowledge that would complement the current board and team and would also love the opportunity to take on a new challenge, to learn and to gain new skills and experience.
Jo Parfitt
I am writing to express my desire to become a trustee of Discovery as I strongly believe in it’s mission to enrich the lives of people in Swansea. I would be honoured to help our students fulfil their potential as empowered individuals and as members of groups and communities. My interest in being elected stems from a genuine commitment to our community, a belief in the power of education and volunteering, and a vision for fostering understanding, equality and a sense of belonging.
My journey at Swansea University started as a teacher of English as a second language 25 years ago, and my current role includes senior management, executive coaching, trainer, mentor and line manager of many diverse teams within Student Life. I have seen firsthand how volunteering can transform communities, providing individuals with the support and resources they need to thrive. By becoming a trustee, I aim to contribute to Discovery’s efforts in creating a positive impact.
As an experienced professional, I am eager to contribute my skills, expertise, and passion for enhancing the overall student experience for the University.
The role matches well the skillset and experiences I have acquired over that last twenty-five years here at Swansea University. The skills and knowledge I have gained of the higher education sector and Swansea University, combined with my commitment to the institution and my passionate drive in the pursuit of excellence make me a suitable candidate for consideration for the role.
My background includes successfully managing groups of people, developing, and implementing projects, and fostering a collaborative and inclusive student and staff experience. I am dedicated to creating an environment that supports the personal welfare, academic and personal growth of students whilst supporting the team to do the best they can. I excel at building positive working relationships, working with colleagues and individuals at all levels to establish strong professional and personal relationships and networks that operate effectively in order to ensure the highest quality experience for stakeholders and end users, both within the Institution and externally.
I firmly believe that every individual has the potential to achieve great things when given the right opportunities and support. Discovery’s aim to empower individuals and bring them together as groups aligns well with the Education strategy and the strand of Belonging which I am leading on for the university. As a trustee I would work hard to ensure that our initiatives are designed to help people realise their potential, fostering a sense of empowerment, belonging and self-confidence.
In today’ diverse society, promoting mutual understanding, equality and a sense of belonging is more important than ever. I am committed to fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and respected. As part of the university’s educational strategy, belonging is crucial for student success and well-being. As a trustee I would advocate for initiatives that would bridge gaps between different communities, promote dialogue and encourage collaboration.
I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to Discovery’s mission and to work alongside a dedicated team to create lasting positive change. Thank you for considering my candidacy.
Julia Manser
I am Julia Manser. I am a Swansea Jack and a Swansea Uni graduate. I started volunteering at 18 and have undertaken loads of wonderful roles since then, all have taken me down unexpected roads. Volunteering has helped me contribute to my home city, to causes I feel passionate about, use my skills and develop new ones. Sometimes volunteering has been the main force that has driven my progress. Volunteering and formal learning have regularly been strongly linked, one often triggering the other.
I have extensive experience working in the voluntary sector – I’ve been a Swansea Council for Voluntary Service employee for the last 21 years. I am currently Swansea Volunteer Centre co-ordinator, and this involves 1. assisting organisations to find and support volunteers safely and 2. providing a service so local people can find the right volunteering opportunity. I provide 1-2-1 development support to local organisations which helps them write or review volunteering policies, draft volunteering related process and volunteer management paperwork. I act as critical friend whilst volunteer involving organisation develop their volunteering structure. I have constructed and delivered volunteering related training. The Volunteering landscape has changed a lot over the last ten years, and I like aiding organisations as they consider what changes can unlock the power of volunteering. I’m a bit of a volunteering geek. I like to be useful to my whole team so am a SCVS socials organiser, first aider, mental health first aider who is ASIST trained, fire marshal and line manager for a small but perfectly formed team. These additional tasks enable me to develop new skills and make links with more people.
On a national and strategic level, I have experience updating Third Sector Support Wales volunteering best practice information sheets used by volunteer managers across Wales via Knowledge Hub. I am part of a subgroup developing the Volunteering Wales platform, the Welsh Government funded platform for volunteer recruitment in Wales. I have in the last few years also been seconded as West Glamorgan Regional Volunteering Strategy manager, and have devised several information sheets and toolkits as well as compiling the first regional volunteering strategy based on a volunteering assessment workshop and benchmarking matrix. I have been interviewed for podcasts around innovation within volunteering. I have chaired the Volunteering Wales Network and currently chair the Swansea Volunteer manager forum which has 150 local volunteer manager members.
I want to be a trustee for Discovery because I think I can slot in here. I can ask good questions to help us make decisions together as we continue to develop the organisation and take responsibility for its governance. Along with the staff and all the volunteers I want to be part of the team. I am willing to learn and know I have much to learn.
Julia 3 facts:
- I am vegan.
- I love cameras and have done a bit of TV and performing.
- I have a cat called Cuthbert
Re-Open Nominations or ‘RON.
This is a democratic mechanism to allow voters to choose not to elect any of the candidates in the election. Basically if you do not want to vote for any of the candidates then vote for Re-Open Nominations.
Thanks
The Discovery Team