Recruiting New Members
Recruitment
Societies are extremely fun, but to new members, it can be quite intimidating to join one. Therefore, think about what made you want to join and how you can ensure that all students are welcome. Here are some of our tips:
- Design flyers/posters
- Provide preferred contact methods on posters, social media, society website page on SU wesbite
- Are your events accessible, and appealling to all?
- Go to lectures, recruit friends, and encourage new members to bring someone along
- Is your social media/SU website up to date?
Membership
Each society has a 'membership' that can be purchased through the individual societies page on the SU wevbsite. As a committee you can decide what membership fee you will be charging at the beginning of the academic year. Many societies will choose this to be free however, it’s still important you encourage attendees to get a membership so you can keep track of how many members you have in order to properly cater to your organisation. This also helps the SU to monitor your society's progress and engagement.
Your secretary or president should take a register with student numbers, names and dates at every event, this allows you to keep track of who has been attending in correlation to your membership. If you can see a regular attendee who isn’t a member, it’s always worth dropping them a quick email to sign up. And vice versa, if someone who is a member isn't showing up!
You can view your members by visiting your societies page on the SU website: click edit at the top right - click {society name} admin tools - click 'members' icon.
Any student and staff member of UOS can become a member. However, only students can run/vote for a committee member. So even if your membership is free it is important that you ask your members to join officially so they can vote.
How to keep members
- Collab with other student groups to share your interests.
- Have good initial contact and then keep this momentum going.
- Be personable with your members - learn names, introduce committee members etc.
- Make it simple and transparent what is required of members. People leave if it’s more commitment than they thought
- Ask members opinions and give them a voice
- Encourage connections between members – if people make friends, they’re much more likely to stay
- Create group chats and networking opportunities for your members
