Jack Jones is a final year Law student who’s due to graduate in July 2024. This year, Jack was awarded a Disability Champion award at the University’s Equality+ Awards.
Earlier this month, we caught up with Jack to talk about his work, his experience at the University and his hopes for the future.
If you want to follow Jack, you can do so on LinkedIn or Instagram (@jackajjones2003).
Three things you loved at Uni:
- Being involved in the Agent Academy and University of Liverpool’s Digital Accelerator Programme with the Careers & Employability team.
- My work as a student advocate helping with open days, the summer school for international students, UCAS ‘clearing’ events for admissions, student visit supervisions (such as work experience at Siemens in Manchester), and the ‘Pathways to Law’ conference at Warwick University.
- I worked part-time for the University as a Digital Coach, delivering “social media optimisation” skills workshops four times per semester, and as a disability coach, working on the help desk within the Alsop Building 10 hours a week to assist students with their support plans.
What do you hope to after graduation:
After graduation, I plan to further my marketing portfolio and hopefully start a career in content/copywriting.
In 10 years, I’d love to work at a marketing agency and be married to my boyfriend. We plan to live in Yorkshire, close to both our families, with a small menagerie of animals.
What advice would you give your younger self?
I would tell my first-year self to embrace every opportunity for growth, to not be afraid to voice my opinions, and to actively seek out diverse experiences.
I would tell myself to explore the opportunities on Handshake, as this is how I got the majority of my roles, and to not hesitate so long to access the support available at the University as it made first year more stressful than it needed to be without a support plan.
You were awarded the Disability Champion award. Can you tell us more about this:
I won the award for my work as a Disability Coach. This year my team helped 800 students access the support they needed.
I wanted to be a Disability Coach because I believe that everyone deserves equal access to education and support. As a disabled student who accessed a support plan in my second year of university, it was particularly fulfilling to help people like me access the same support.
When I received the award, I felt incredibly honoured and grateful. It was validating to see that our team’s hard work and dedication was recognised and appreciated.
What’s your hope for equality, diversity, and inclusion?
In 10 years, I hope that inclusivity is no longer an initiative but a norm, where diverse voices are integral to decision-making processes in all sectors of society.
If you could teach or tell a large group of people something in relation to equality, diversity and inclusion, what would it be?
I would emphasise the importance of empathy and active listening. Understanding different perspectives is key to fostering a truly inclusive environment.
Do you have a message for the Class of 2024?
I want to congratulate each and every one of you on reaching this incredible milestone. Our journey through university has been filled with challenges, growth, and countless memories.
As we embark on the next step of our journey, I encourage you to carry forward the values and lessons we have gained. Continue to seek opportunities for growth, be fearless in voicing your opinions, and always strive to make a positive impact in whatever field you choose to pursue. Remember, our diverse backgrounds and unique perspectives are our greatest strengths.
Believe in yourselves and your abilities. The world is ready for the change we are capable of bringing. Here’s to the future we will create together!
Best of luck to all, and congratulations again!
Finals words:
I`d like to thank my family for their unwavering support, my professors for their guidance, and my friends for their encouragement and inspiration throughout my university journey.
I’d also like to thank Jennie Atherton (my manager as a disability coach), Ellie Roberts-Vick and Jason Steers (my bosses with the careers team as a digital coach), Ben Toleman (Widening Participation Project Officer) for all his support through the years and my disability/digital coach colleagues for being such a joy to work with.
Jack’s recommended resources:
“Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution” – A 2020 Netflix documentary about a groundbreaking summer camp that galvanized a group of teens with disabilities to help build a movement, forging a new path toward greater equality.