GISA Autumn Election 2024 Candidate Profiles: Jorge Raúl Robles Bardales for Welfare Committee President

In conversation with Jorge Raúl Robles Bardales, MADIS (International Law) 2nd Year Student.

Q: How has your previous experience in leadership roles or student organisations prepared you to advocate for and implement welfare initiatives effectively within the Geneva Graduate Institute?

Over the past year, I have been an active member of the GISA’s Welfare Committee, where I have gained valuable experience working on initiatives that promote the well-being of students. I have also contributed to student life through my involvement in the Salsa Fever Initiative and the Latin American Network Initiative (LANI) as co-president of both initiatives, demonstrating my dedication to fostering community, diversity, and cultural exchange within the student body.

Prior to my time in Geneva, I founded an association in Peru dedicated to supporting Indigenous Peoples in sustainable development projects. This work allowed me to engage with underrepresented communities and advocate for their rights, combining my legal expertise with my passion for social justice and sustainability. In addition to my legal and social work, I am a violinist, having performed with the Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Orchestra of the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú. This musical experience has taught me the value of collaboration, discipline, and communication—skills that are equally important in any community.

Q. How would you handle a situation where a student approaches the committee with a welfare-related issue that is highly personal or sensitive in nature?

In case of a sensitive welfare-related issue from a student, first, I will treat it with the privacy and confidentiality it deserves. I will offer an open ear to make the student feels comfortable and reassure them that this is a safe space to express their issue. After listening and evaluating the situation, I will inform the student of existing mechanisms within the institute and redirect them to the respective space for their issue. In a serious case, where their security or that of another person is in danger, I will have to connect them to the institute’s psychological team to take the necessary action to help the student in question. In a less severe case, I would offer them a safe space and help them find the solution appropriate to their issue.

Q. How will you create an open and approachable environment for students to voice their concerns about mental health and well-being without fear of stigma or judgment?

Students should feel comfortable with the Welfare Committee, thus it is our duty to ensure that we communicate and connect with the student body more actively. This could be done by various points of contact, offering a space to voice their concerns or offering contact online if students prefer to voice their concerns more anonymously and privately. By offering initiatives and events for people to get together around mental-health-related topics, I would like to show the commitment of the committee to ensure and create a space for everyone and anyone.

Q. Can you share an example of a creative or innovative welfare program you’d like to implement that would enhance the overall well-being of students?

Whilst we are not offering licensed psychological support as such, art and music have been proven to have a therapeutic effect on our mental health. Not only would going to music concerts or art exhibitions be a way of relaxing, but also offering creative get-togethers. For example, a new initiative I am planning is to offer creative get-togethers/workshops where students are invited to draw, paint or write in order to process and express themselves in artistic ways whilst listening to relaxing music in the background. Students could come and leave as they please, share their artistic expression if they feel like it, or just take it with them. Such an event would be one of many ways of offering a safe space for students to connect with themselves and others if they wish, and express or learn new ways of expressing their emotions through art.

Q. How do you plan to ensure that the voices of students from diverse backgrounds and experiences are represented in welfare-related decisions and initiatives?

The Welfare Committee is a link between students and the institute regarding welfare-related topics. Having interacted with the welfare services and different initiatives, I have gained enough insights to coordinate and raise awareness regarding issues, fostering inclusion and connectedness of students. Also, I will continue coordinating with all the student initiatives and make sure that the members of the Welfare Committee are from diverse backgrounds (cultural, studies, gender, etc.)

Editor’s Note: Responses have been edited for clarity.

Voting is open now and will close on October 10 at 10:30 a.m. We encourage all students to participate and cast their votes!