What is a Campaign?
The aim of running a campaign is to bring about CHANGE.
We want to run campaigns that matter to you so if you have any new ideas, we’d love to hear them. In the past, Union campaigns have usually been run by Officers and Committee members but we want this to change! The Students’ Union is the Students’ Voice and we want it louder than ever on campus this year! Not only does campaigning have a direct effect on your life at Queen Mary but campaigns can often have a national effect on the lives of students around the country. Student Campaigns have a strong history and can send a powerful message to the local council and the government. A common misconception is that students today are apathetic, but in actual fact thousands of students are politically active, run campaigns, and volunteer in community projects. Campaigning can also be a lot of fun and being a part of a movement, fighting for the rights of your fellow students, can be a very rewarding, exciting and enjoyable experience.
Meet the Team
If you feel strongly about one or more of our campaigns, or you have some great ideas for your own then please contact any one of us below. We will also be holding Campaign working groups every month that any student is welcome to sit on. Come and listen to what we plan to do in order to improve your life at Queen Mary.
Anna Hiscocks: VP Education, Representation and Welfare –
vpwelfare@qmsu.org
Annabel Jones: Campaigns Officer -
campaigns@qmsu.org
Scott-Austin Shaw: Welfare Officer –
welfare@qmsu.org
Craig Ferriman: Environmental Officer –
environmental@qmsu.org
How can I run a Campaign?
Have an idea? Want to get your issue resolved? Concerned for students? Concerned for society?
From now on, if you tell us about the issues you think are important, we’ll give you the support you need to run a campaign yourself! We could provide you with the information and guidance to kick start your campaign or introduce ideas and inspiration to your current campaign.
KISS – Keep it Simple Stupid!
Know your audience! For a punchy campaign that really attracts people’s attention, take a few minutes to consider the following. And don’t forget the golden rule: Keep It Simple Stupid! Think of the reasons you are running it, remember to ask yourself three questions: Is your campaign widely felt? Deeply felt? Or Achievable?
GET SUPPORT
- Create a working group. 8 heads are better than 1! - If the changes you want to bring about are clearly defined then other agencies with similar aims and objectives may be able to work with you. Get in touch with local organisations or find out if other student unions or even the NUS have similar campaigns.
- But do not forget that it is your fellow QM students that can give you the best support. Speak to clubs and societies; they may even have some aims in common.
PLAN YOUR TIME
Some students worry about finding the time and energy to get involved in campaigning but it doesn’t have to be that constraining. A well planned campaign should be effective and successful without causing you stress.
BE INVENTIVE
Make your campaign stand out! There are a number of effective ideas and events you can do get your campaign noticed so be creative! These are a few of the main ones:
- Letters
- Petitions
- Media articles
- Posters
- Flyers
- Meetings
- Events
- Film screenings
Current Campaigns
The UK recently topped a poll as Europe’s heaviest alcohol consumers and young people in Britain are increasingly using alcohol as a central part of their social lives.
Despite increased awareness, many young people still do not consider the negative consequences associated with binge drinking, and just don’t know their limits when it comes to alcohol.
- Of young people aged 18-24, those who binge drink were far more likely to admit to committing criminal or disorderly behaviour during or after drinking (63%) than other regular drinkers (34%) of the same age group
- Offenders were thought to be under the influence of alcohol in nearly half of incidents of domestic violence
- Alcohol related offences by women have increased by as much as 1,000% over the last five years
Students fall within the main age group of binge drinking, we’re not asking students to stop partying and having nights out in the bar but we can teach them to be sensible and stay safe. Make them realise that Eating IS NOT Cheating!! To space out their drinks on a night out or alternate between non alcoholic. It can make the difference between staying out longer and remembering the fun night out or waking up with a banging headache and cringing half memories.
To help the campaign team get this message across to students’ please offer your support and get in touch.
Picture and Information compiled from Know Your Limits campaign
World Mental Health Day – 10th October
Coming to university can be a very stressful and scary time for students’ and many will drop out because they don’t feel as though they can cope. What we want to make students’ realise is that there is always help and support available. Queen Mary has just employed a new Mental Health Co-Coordinator so this year it is vital for us to make students’ realise the importance of caring for their mental health and to try and remove the embarrassment behind admitting you need help. We all have a mental health, and it changes daily for everyone. Mental health is about the way you think and feel and your ability to deal with ups and downs. It’s important to take care of yourself and get the most from life. What is also important is to provide the information and support for students who know of close friends or family that deal with a mental health illness.
This is a campaign that can help thousands of students. 1 in 4 people suffer from mental health problems and if you feel as though you could give up some of your time for this worthwhile campaign then please get in touch.
Sexual Health Week – 30th Nov-4th Dec
We know that rates of sexually transmitted diseases are at their highest amongst 16-25 year olds and that 1 in 10 students have Chlamydia; that’s almost 1500 students at Queen Mary! By holding a national week of campaigning, we can begin trying to change this.
NUS and many other universities also hold their sexual health campaigns during this week in order to coincide with World Aids Day on 1st December. Despite its serious and important message Sexual Health Week is a lot of fun! We even plan to hold an event in the SU Drapers Bar!
The Bigger it is the Better it can be so please volunteer and contact us to be on the working group for this campaign. This will not only change the views of students on our campus but working with other uni’s we can make a national impact!
Healthy Living Week
The majority of students that come to Queen Mary move away from home and for many of them it would be the first time they have to feed and fend for themselves. It’s important for students to realise how important it is to watch what they eat and to know what it is they are putting inside them. Not only can it affect their health but it can affect concentration levels for studying and revision.
This week aims to make student aware of how important it is to get your minimum if 5 a day. While also emphasising the importance of exercise, activity and the right drinks (Believe it or not Red Bull is not the best thing for you to drink during revision)
Join this campaign at get the QM students making those New Year Resolutions just in time to create a healthy mind for exams. For information on your 5 a day visit http://www.5aday.nhs.uk/topTips/default.html
Fair-trade Fortnight -23rd Feb - 8th March
The Students’ Union is working with the College to achieve a Fair-trade status by raising awareness and availability of products with the FAIRTRADE Mark. Fair-trade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world.
If you would like to help us achieve this status then join the fair trade team this year. It wouldn’t take up too much of your time either. We’re planning to put on a small event every month with a lot more activity and a larger campaign during fair-trade fortnight. This includes, films, coffee mornings, quizzes, promotions, flyers, posters. Please get in touch - Many Hands Make Light Work!
Switch It Off! – Ongoing
The Student Switch Off is an energy-saving competition between Halls of Residence. Halls within each University compete against each other to reduce their energy usage from the baseline year. Prizes are given out during the year to reward individuals and halls for their hard work. The campaign will be running at over thirty Universities from September 2009 and Queen Mary is one of them!
If you want to get involved then become an ECO-POWER RANGER! Join the facebook group!
For more information about the scheme and case studies from other uni’s visit: www.studentswitchoff.org