There are so many benefits to being part of a society!
In addition to all the personal benefits of being involved in a society - like the chance to try something new, life-long friendships and new opportunities - we have a huge range of facilities and resources that are exclusively available to societes. Societies that are affiliate with the SU have access to things like a website feature, access to venues on campus, Society Funding and the Students' Union Awards.
Societies are run by committees of students. This gives you the chance to take on a student leader position where you’ll be able to make the society the best it can be while developing heaps of employability skills. Societies simply couldn't run without the commitment and creativity of our student leaders. As such, we want to make it as easy as possible for you to run your society. The Students' Union team are on hand to support all of our fantastic committee members throughout the year. Take a look at the support you can expect to receive as a society committee member, as well as how this experience will help you for years to come.
What support will I receive as a committee member?
As standard, all society committee members receive the following support from the Students' Union:
Training
All society committee members must watch the pre-recorded training video and then complete the training quiz. Once passed you will gain access to the society admin tools. Training covers anything from events planning to finances, equality, diversity and inclusion to guest speakers. You can access this video anytime, so it's a great resource to refer back to, even after you have completed training!
Student Leader Toolkit
The Student Leader Toolkit has been designed to make it super easy for you run your society. With everything stored in one place, it couldn't be easier to access anything you may require in your role as a committee member. Within the toolkit you'll find booking forms, tailored guidance, policies and so much more
Society Forums
Society Forums are interactive sessions that allow Society Committee Members to speak about their experiences. Running once a semester, this allows societies to share their achievements and bump their heads together to find solutions. It's also a great way to chat directly to the SU about any shared problems. We can then look to see where we need to make changes or provide further support. We also use this platform to let you know of any relevant updates. It's compulsory to send at least one committee member from your society, but we do encourage as many of you from the committee to be there as possible. Society Forums can be the root of real change, so be sure to come along and have your say (as well as a free bite to eat and points on the Society Accreditation Scheme)! Changes that have come about as a result of Society Forums before include a Society Committee Member WhatsApp group chat, more support with risk assessments, a daily review of society spaces to maintain standards and increased opportunities to socialise with one another. What do you want to see next?
In addition to the above provisions, you can also contact the team at any time if you need additional support. Get in touch if you have any great ideas you'd like us to explore, or pop along to a Society Forum to share any feedback you may have with us
What recognition will I receive?
Being part of a society committee is kind of a big deal! Here are some of the ways you can show off about your voluntary role:
All society committee members receive a lanyard once they have completed Society Committee Training
You are also encouraged to add the position to your CV and speak about it in interviews with potential employers, as this will give you a competitive edge over other candidates
Society committee members can also be nominated for an award as part of our annual Students' Union Awards, which celebrate the hard work of our student leaders
If you have any questions about being a society committee member, please don't hesitate to get in touch.