How to… organise and run a successful campaign ‘Think global, act local’ UWE Students’ Union 1 “We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean, but the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.” Mother Theresa UWE Students’ Union 2 Make your mark! What? o Find an issue you feel passionately about o Get some friends to help out – a team of campaigners o Or you can do it individually o Time and perseverance o Learn about yourself and your views in the process Who? UWE Students’ Union 3 o Are your campaign audience? o Who can help? Your Volunteer Support Officer o Get other students on board… o University is a great opportunity to meet like minded people who care about similar things to you! o Influence and engage others: students, local council MPs etc Why? o Campaigning helps you to make a difference to yourself and for the benefit of others. o We all have a voice and we all have the right for this to be heard – campaigning is one way to do this! o Is your particular issue important to you? Where? On Frenchay campus… o Go to 1E20 to get permission to use space in core24 and onezone o Red Bar or another busy venue – ask UWESU Marketing for availability and permission UWE Students’ Union 4 o Go to UWESU marketing for permission for putting up posters etc o Ask in the Sports and Activities Centre on Frenchay Campus if you’d like help booking space or at other campuses ask in your SU office o Out in the local community When? o On a significant day for your issue o Or, alternatively, any day of the week! How? Get support, help and advice from your Volunteer Support Officer: Helen Seacombe, UWE Students’ Union, Sports and Activities Centre, Frenchay Campus; helen.seacombe@uwe.ac.uk; 0117 32 81665 What sort of campaign? Kinds of issues you can get involved in: o Something you want to see changed o Something personal, local, national or international – This could be: - Homelessness UWE Students’ Union 5 o Tuition fees Global poverty HIV/AIDS Refugees and asylum seekers Something more local to you; such as litter in your street, regularity of u-link buses, opening times of community and local facilities Activities, tactics and skills: • Lobbying – persuading others to think about your point of view and challenge their own accepted ideas. • Flash mobs and stunts • Marches • Gimmicks • Banners and info to give out • Get in touch with charity/organisation – those with information or resources about the issue you want to campaign on • Stickers, banners, posters • Online survey or questionnaire • Facebook messages or tweets • Blogging, forums UWE Students’ Union 6 • Encouraging people to write to their MP or go and visit their surgery – get out there in the community and talk to people who have the potential to make a difference • Take part in national petitions or start your own • Write an article in the Western Eye or other student media as well as local and national media • What resources will you need for your campaign? You can quite often get free materials from charities and organisations * Think about how you will measure the success of your campaign Top tips: • Plan your campaign well in advance • Don’t leave everything ‘til the last minute – especially if you’re campaigning just on one day • Make it eye catching! -You could all wear the same colour • Humour is a good way of getting people’s attention • Make a rota and assign different roles so not all your friends are campaigning at the same time UWE Students’ Union 7 • When presenting your campaign be passionate – go for it! If you’re running a campaign stall: • Have three key messages agreed that everyone will be sharing with the public that day – don’t bombard people with loads and loads of detail • Make eye contact with people when you’re talking to them about your campaign (but not too much that it freaks them out!) • Have open body language • Consider their point of view and think before you respond • Don’t think you have to know it all about your issues – refer people to different sources of info eg. websites etc Examples of some successful campaigns: Oxfam – This year at festivals campaigners have been painting people ‘til they’re blue in the face to highlight the issue of climate change Sleep out – The Leeds University Student Action for Refugees Group slept outside for 24hours to raise awareness of destitute asylum seekers ‘Get your kit off’ – Organised last year through Junction49 by a student at Loughborough University. The campaign centred on a club night: people came along in layers of their old and unwanted clothes and there were prizes for UWE Students’ Union 8 particular items including sleeping bags…all to get people more excited about donating their old things to homeless people in the local area. It was a very successful night and helped to raise awareness. Campaigns you can get involved with at UWE – Check out www.uwe.ac.uk/volunteer for up to date information on campaigns you can lead and get involved with Join People and Planet Society at UWE to join a national network of students campaigning on world poverty, human rights and the environment. http://www.uwesu.net/pp/index.html Oxfam campaigns team in Bristol have teamed up with People and Planet and UWESU to do some climate change campaigning in ‘09/’10. Are you interested in campaigning on HIV/AIDS and health? Why not set up a Stop AIDS Society? Heard of STAR – Student Action for Refugees? If you would like to be a part of campaigning for the rights of refugees and asylum seekers or maybe doing some volunteering in Bristol, not to mention setting up a group and joining a national network of students, get in touch with Helen Seacombe, your Volunteer Support Officer. It’s down to you – while you’re at university it’s your chance to get your voice out there, many students around the country are campaigning so you’re not alone! If you need any guidance or have any questions get in touch with Helen Seacombe your Volunteer Support Officer: Sports and Activities Centre, Frenchay Campus; helen.seacombe@uwe.ac.uk; 0117 32 81665 Useful Websites: UWE Students’ Union 9 http://globalideasbank.org www.beingheard.org.uk http://uk.oneworld.net/ www.younginfluencers.com http://www.changingyourworld.org.uk/ network.org.uk www.stopaidscampaign.org.uk www.peopleandplanet.org UWE Students’ Union 10 www.star-