Congratulations on being elected to your Society Committee!

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1 Handbook

2 Contents Students' Union Statement How to set up your society Important Information Committee roles and responsibilities What to expect & Mutual expectations All things Money Promotion Planning events Yearly events

3 Statement Congratulations on being elected to your Society Committee! As a committee member, you play an important part in ensuring your society is a success. Staff and Officers in the Students' Union work hard to ensure you and your group are supported as much as possible. This handbook contains information about your role, as well as what you can expect from the Union. If you have any questions throughout the year, please do not hesitate to get in touch. I hope you and your society have a great year and I are looking forward to working with you. Megan King Vice President (Welfare and Activities) su.vicepresident@ucs.ac.uk

4 New Society Step by step... Top Tip... Make sure your society is original and doesn't already exist, research your society. Does it already exist at other unions? Could you get advice on the future of your society from them? Come up with a great idea, that will be of interest to other students. Get in touch with Vice President of UCS Union. Fill in the proposal form which can be found online or ask any member of Union Staff. Establish your committee, these should be people willing to help with the running of your society. To demonstrate there is support from other students you shall need to collate at a minimum 5 signatures from UCS Students to give their support to your application. These signatures are to be in addition to your committee team. Return proposal form to the Vice President of UCS Union. We shall then assist you and your committee in setting up your society. this shall be through advice, support and membership recruitment opportunities. A constitution, risk assessment, development plan and budget shall need to be completed by all clubs by the required time of your first training date. This is to ensure that all clubs run in accordance to the Unions rules, regulations and policies.

5 Important Information Your first point of call for society related matters is the Vice President of UCS Students Union. All societies are free to operate under the banner of UCS Students Union. All communication with externals must include the Vice President of UCS Students Union and Malcolm Alden (Marketing and Events Manager) if directly relating to an event. This can be inviting us to meetings or including us in s that you may send. All communication with externals outside of meetings shall need to be done by , Facebook is not a valid or professional tool of communication. What we expect from you.. To host an annual election (with two weeks notice) to elect or re-elect your committee members. All required committee members must be full members of UCS Students' Union. All society web pages must be up to date, with a clear and consise mission statement. Every committee member must attend every compulsory SU meeting that they are asked to attend, this be training or activites council. Please keep communication to your UCS address, please do not use your personal account. Societies shall be required to host at a minimum two events/meetings per term. All societies must agree to the constitution of UCS Students' Union in order to be an active affiliated society. What you can expect from us.. A dedicated member of staff to support you from start to finish with the organisation, promotion and running of your society and events throughout the year. Transparency, avai.ability and professionalism in the service we offer and provide. A great time working with UCS Students Union!

6 Important Information Faith Based All faith based society committee members are required to meet with the appropriate chaplain within UCS Chaplaincy, and shall do at least once a term. This is to ensure you as committee members have the maximum support that we can offer you whilst leading a faith based society. If you require clarification as to whether your society is considered faith based, please contact the Vice President of UCS Students Union. Transport Societies can hire a mini bus from UCS Students' Union by coming to the office and enquire with Sarah Dooley (Sports Project Manager). The mini bus cannot be used on sports training and fixture days, these days are the following; Mondays and Wednesdays. Daily rate of hire : 20 Plus insurance and petrol Driver needs to 21 of over, and have been driving for at least 3 years. The union shall need a photocopy drivers liscence, front and back. Key can only be collected by the driver.

7 Committees Each group is required to have a President, Secretary and Treasurer. Recruitment officers are recommended but not essential. Group committees, as senior members of the society, are responsible for the conduct of the group, as well as the operation. This means ensuring constitutional values and Handbook guidelines are followed by all members. The committee must meet on a regular basis with the attendance of Vice President of UCS Students' Union. The committee meeting should have all three members in attendance. The only exception to this is one member being on placement and therefore unable to attend at any point for one month. By becoming a committee member, students are committing to a small amount of their time each week to group activity. Committee members should spend at least one hour each week working on group activities. Certain times of the year, for example the begining of term may be busier and require more time. Only students can hold a position in a committee.. Students can only hold one position in one group committee. Union Officers and staff cannot hold a committee position

8 Roles Committees As a whole, the committee is responsible for making sure the group is able to continue in its capacity as a viable and official Union Club or Society. The committee as a whole have a responsibility to filter through information given to them by the union. In the case of a position being unfilled, the rest of the committee are obliged to secure someone in the role, and in the meantime ensure the duties of that position are being carried out between them. To act themselves and ensure that all members are acting in a way that does not bring the society, Students' Union or the University to disrepute. President Acts a chair during all meetings in a fair and democratic manner. Oversee all group activities, ensuring all other committee members are fulfilling their duties. Ensure reasonable conduct of members whilst representing the Union. Operate as the main point of contact for the Union to the group. Must attend group events when possible. Presidents must attend any society meeting called by the Union. Ensure adherence to this Handbook and the group constitution. Complete a risk assessment for any group activity, including meetings on campus with consultation with Union.

9 Committees Roles Secretary Take notes at meetings and distribute them where appropriate Book rooms for meetings through the union Ensure all members are signed up on the Union Website distribution via the official society account Check and respond to s Upkeep of and communications on social media accounts Keep the Union website up to date (Brief on how to use website are on the Society Hub Page) Keep details of group activities and processes throughout the year Keep up to date with rewards and recognition scheme Treasurer Meet with Vice President of UCS Students' Union and relevant Union staff to discuss all budgetary matters. Present the club budget to committee and club Report budget at the AGM. Work with president of socity to make descisions on chages to financial arrangements. Make bids for additional funding, from external bodies, with assisstance of relevant Union staff.

10 All things money Budget and Reporting The committee should produce a yearly budget based on their intended activities for the year ahead. This should be discusses with relevant staff, this being the Vice President of UCS Students' Union. This is to be done at the same time as AGM is scheduled. This shall enable us to support and find appropriate opportunities to gain funding for your society. Depositing Money All societies are issued with a Union Bank account, all membership money from the website is deposited into your accounts, to inquire about total please request this through the Vice President of UCS Students Union. To deposit money that could have been acquired from ticket sales, funding and other, please bring into the Union office to Vice President of UCS Students Union or to Julie Haddow (Finance Clerk of UCS Students Union), they shall deposit the money and issue a receipt for treasurer to keep a record of. Withdrawing Money To withdraw money from your account, you shall firstly need to download the money form that is within the Society Hub page on UCS Students' Union Website. Fill in the form with the appropriate amount of money that is being withdrawn and its purpose. Please bring receipts of the items purchase. Bring the form to the Students Union Office and the Vice President shall approve the withdrawal. This shall then be processed by Julie Haddow (Finance Clerk) and you shall receive a statement of your account total after your withdrawal.

11 Promotion Marketing UCS Union are able to help with promotion in the following ways: Top Tip... Printing Define your audience. Who are they and why should they be interested? It s more effective to market to a distinct audience than the public in general Facebook Be clear about your message. What do you want to say and what do you want them to hear? (not always the same thing!) Twitter Agree a call to action. What do you want your audience to do? This could be attending an event, filling in an online form, or visiting a webpage. Marketing is not about general awareness raising. That s really the job of the closely related disciplines of brand (not branding) and PR. Identify the benefits (to them) Why should anyone care? What s in it for them? And finally not forgetting

12 Planning Events STEP BY STEP... Top tip... Ensure you have a team of people promoting enthusiastically throughout time of tickets sales. Come up with a fun, relevant and creative way to engage with your membership and students at UCS. Book a 1-1 with the Vice President of UCS Students Union. After discussing the event idea, room bookings need to be confirmed with dates and time of event. (to book rooms onsite, contact a member of Union Staff). If offsite, a meeting needs to be arranged with the venue that includes your committee, the Vice President of UCS Union and relevant Union staff. if you are inviting a guest speaker to your event, please consult with the Vice President of UCS Union, or who they shall be, if nessessary we may direct you to relevant UCS Staff. Risk assess your venue, and create a detailed plan for the event being mindful that UCS Union cannot financially support your society. Promote your event, through the uses of any social media medium, Posters, the Union website and if possible the TV screens within the waterfront foyer. Societies can use the foyer area that is dedicated to UCS Union, to promote and sell tickets for the event.

13 Yearly events Freshers Usually occurs in the last week of September TRAINING Two-three throughout the year, each society must attend a training session, some training events might be made mandatory, due to large changes within the Union. Re-Freshers Usually occurs in the month of Feburary. AGM Every society on an annual basis must host an annual general meeting, where in which they elect new committee members, and fill in a development plan for the upcoming year.

14 Handbook