• Brighton Home
• Societies Home
• Start a Society
• Societies AGM 2012
• Societies Federation (Soc Fed)
• Minutes - Societies Federation Meetings
• Useful Documents for Societies
• Useful Contacts

► Login

	[ Register ]

Login Problems? Click Here.

► Start a Society

Why join or ratify a society with the SU?

There are lots of benefits to organising yourself into a group and making yourselves official. Once you are ‘ratified’ by the Students’ Union you can have access to union facilities and room bookings, and can also apply to the student-led Societies Federation Committee for funding outings, trips and much more. The Societies Federation budget offers financial assistance for society activities, and applications for funding are considered at regular meetings by a committee of students (the Societies Federation Steering Committee) elected at the Societies AGM at the start of each academic year.

Societies are funded by the Societies Federation budget, and supported by SU officers and staff: Katie Price, V.P Activities & Events; Societies Assistant, Stella Sims and Activities and Events Zone Manager, Julie Beasley. Your nearest S.U site administrator can also offer help and guidance. Check Your Campus for details and the societies Useful Contacts.

Want to form your own society?

 If the Society you’d like to join doesn’t exist yet, here’s what you do to form your own group:

1. Pick up a set of Ratification Forms

These are available from any of the Union’s Reception Offices at Cockcroft, Grand Parade and Falmer on our Brighton sites, Bishopsbourne on the Eastbourne campus and from the SU office in Hastings.  They’re also available online in Useful Documents or via email from Stella.

2. Recruit 20 like minded students

Your student society must have at least 20 students to get started. If you need ideas on how to encourage new members, contact Julie or Stella or ask at any Reception Office. There’s a space for your 20 members to sign up on the forms.

3. Hold a meeting and elect your committee

The main committee members are usually President, Secretary and Treasurer. We also ask that you have a Safety Officer. Other positions you might want to consider are: Social Secretary and Publicity Officer. If you need any help along the way, please ask!

4. Take your Affiliation Forms to the nearest UBSU Reception

Once the forms are completed, you’re ready to be affiliated to the Union.  Please make sure you fill in all the sections; it helps us to help you, as the more we know, the better we are able to help you.

5. Attend a Steering Committee Meeting

You will need to come to a Societies Federation meeting where you’ll meet the Steering Committee and answer any questions they might have. The Steering Committee is made up of students just like you. They will just want to know a little bit more about your society and make sure that the activities which the Union will promote on your behalf are safe and sound.

Looking after your Society

Once affiliated, the Union can help you do the following:

• Create a web page for your Society on ubsu.net
• Add you to our current list of Societies, available from all UBSU Reception Offices
• Allocate you a pigeonhole for your Society’s mail at one of our five main campuses
• Give you and your committee training and information on important issues like health & safety, how to get funding and how to promote your society
• Contact your committee whenever an important meeting requires your presence
• Organise any rooms and facilities you might require
• Help with arranging transport
• Assist on any fundraising initiatives

It’s also a good idea to create a generic email address for your society in case of committee changes and to create consistency in communication.  You will have access to Union facilities such as photocopying plus use of telephones and faxes at all main offices.  For further information please contact us.