RGU Students' Union - Community Strategy - Revised 2013

Community  Strategy  and  Action  Plan    

Student  Community  

RGU:Union  works  to  create  an  active  sense  of  student  community.  A  number  of  schemes  and  programmes  are  run  continuously  to  engage  students  and  involve  them  in  Union  run  activities:  

� Part  time  officers  –  Part  time  officers  work  hard  throughout  the  year  in  order  to  contribute  to  the  student  community,  this  can  be  offering  support  to  students  or  running  events  or  campaigns  for  students  to  get  involved  in.    

� Fresher’s  Team  –  A  group  of  students  who  work  as  a  supportive  welcome  team,  volunteering  to  guide  new  students.    

� Societies  –  There  are  a  number  of  societies  for  students  to  join  throughout  their  academic  career.  These  range  from  Academic  societies,  providing  the  opportunity  to  continue  learning  out  with  the  classroom,  to  Social  societies  allowing  students  to  come  together  for  socialising  and  networking.    

� Sports  –  There  are  a  number  of  sports  clubs  and  team  within  RGU  for  students  to  participate  in.  Sport  not  only  promotes  physical  and  mental  health  but  brings  students  together  as  part  of  a  team  to  represent  their  university.    

� RAG  –  Running  the  raising  and  giving  campaign  across  campus  to  involve  students  in  charity  fundraising  and  volunteering.  There  are  a  number  of  activities  across  campus  for  students  to  work  together  on  and  give  back  to  charity.    

� Student  Reps  –  creating  a  sense  of  community  within  the  class,  student  reps  are  responsible  for  gathering  feedback  from  fellow  classmates  and  feeding  this  back  to  the  students  union  and  university  in  order  to  enhance  student  experience  at  RGU.    

� Volunteering  –  The  union  has  full  time  member  of  staff  who  works  to  promote  volunteering  opportunities  within  the  Union,  University  and  through  external  partners.  Recognition  of  volunteer  achievements  is  a  high  priority  for  the  union,  with  students  receiving  their  Saltire  Award  for  their  completed  hours  and  an  awards  ceremony  to  celebrate  all  achievements.    

� Halls/accommodation  –  Joint  working  has  begun  with  accommodation  and  RAG/Union  to  create  halls  targeted  events  with  the  hope  to  continue  these.  Freshers  Team  Leaders  are  maintaining  a  long  term  engagement  within  their  allocated  halls  over  the  next  academic  year  continuing  that  relationship  built  up  with  students  during  Freshers  week.    

� Bookshop  –  The  Union  has  a  second  hand  bookshop  which  is  run  by  student  volunteers;  this  enables  students  to  buy/sell  textbooks  at  a  discounted  price  from  each  other.  

� Environmental  projects/  campaigns  –  RGU:  Union  strives  to  create  an  environmentally  friendly  space,  at  present  there  are  a  number  of  efforts  such  as  meat  free  Monday  and  fair  trade  coffee,  it  is  hoped  with  the  move  to  campus  there  with  be  a  greater  ownership  of  the  physical  space  and  the  Union  working  with  RAG  and  the  People  and  Planet  society  aim  to  create  greener  relaxation  areas.  

� Providing  Jobs  for  students  –  The  Union  currently  employs  ..X..  students  to  work  in  their  facilities.    

� Internships/placements  –  The  Union  has  offered  placements  in  the  past  to  students  for  work  experience  and  part  of  their  university  career,  and  hopes  to  offer  internships  in  the  near  future.  

� Student  Media  –  RGU:  Union  tries  to  create  a  strong  2way  communication  between  the  student  body  and  the  Union  by  using  forms  of  media  such  as  a  weekly  ezine  and  social  networking  sites.    

� Advice  and  health  awareness  –  RGU:  Union  has  a  part  time  and  full  time  member  of  staff  to  advise  students  on  all  and  any  issues.  Campaigns  continue  throughout  the  year  to  enlighten  students  on  many  pressing  issues  such  as  SHAG  week  and  Mental  Health  Awareness  week.  

Local  Community  

RGU:  Union  actively  engages  its  students  with  the  local  community.  Not  only  by  having  a  positive  impact  on  business  and  charities  but  also  by  portraying  the  positive  student  impact  to  all  residents.    

� RAG  fundraising  –  RAG  are  the  fundraising  arm  of  the  Student  Union  who  work  throughout  the  year  putting  on  awareness  events  and  fundraisers  for  a  number  of  local  and  national  charities.  Last  year  The  ARCHIE  foundation,  Aberdeen  Cyrenians,  RNLI  and  Macmillan  Cancer  support  Aberdeen  to  name  a  few.    

� Joint  working  with  institutions  –  RGU:  Union  has  a  positive  relationship  with  AUSA  and  AbCol  on  collaborative  projects  such  as  the  Torcher  Parade  which  sees  a  student  representative  on  the  stakeholder  committee.  

� Volunteering  in  the  community  –  the  majority  of  students  who  become  involved  with  volunteering  choose  to  take  on  placements  in  local  charities,  administration  and  befriending  being  the  most  popular  choices,  a  few  of  our  most  popular  registered  organisations  are  Inspire  and  Cornerstone.  The  majority  of  volunteers  

also  choose  to  work  on  achieving  their  Saltire  Award  through  Aberdeen  Volunteer  Centre.  

� Joint  working  with  business  –  RGU:Union  and  its  students  have  positive  relationship  with  local  businesses    due  to  mutual  support  and  promotion,  a  number  of  companies  will  support  or  sponsor  Societies,  Sport  and  RAG  throughout  the  year.  

� Community  projects  –  in  the  past  RGU:  Union  has  completed  a  number  of  community  projects  and  it  is  hoped  in  coming  months  that  the  Union,  RAG,  societies  and  volunteers  can  collaborate  to  create  local  community  projects.  The  first  of  these  projects  was  undertaken  with  a  visit  to  Aberdeen  Cyrenians  to  make  emergency  food  parcels  and  a  refurbishment  project  was  completed  on  Ruthrieston  Community  Centre.    

Wider  Community    

RGU:  Union  impacts  the  wider  community  in  a  number  of  ways.  By  students  acting  as  representatives,  networking  with  other  institutions  and  showing  students  positive  impact.  

� Sabbaticals  and  Vice  Presidents  attend  conferences  and  meetings  across  the  country  to  act  on  behalf  of  RGU:  Union  and  represent  their  student’s  views  and  providing  feedback  to  students,  sharing  best  practice  nationwide.  

� Student  campaigns  take  place  throughout  the  year  on  issues  that  are  relevant  to  students.  Most  recently  students  campaigned  against  bus  prices  with  First  Bus  and  looked  to  secure  a  city  centre  presence  in  the  Save  the  Union  campaign.    

� RGU:  Union  along  with  communications  work  to  ensure  positive  students  contribution  and  achievement  is  awarded  and  recognised  by  the  media  and  other  institutions.  

� RAG  completed  their  first  challenge  event  this  year  with  over  30  sign  ups-­‐  21  took  part  (receiving  awards  for  ‘recruiters  of  the  year’  and  ‘best  newcomer’  from  Childreach  International)  climbing  Mt  Kilimanjaro  in  the  summer,  this  enabled  a  large  group  of  students  to  experience  high  target  achieving  fundraising  and  act  as  international  ambassadors,  this  offered  RGU  students  as  unrivalled  level  of  personal  development  and  employable  skills  for  the  future.  

Action  plan  and  objectives  

Student  community  

Objective   Performance  Target   Time  Frame  

To  develop  and  expand  societies  with  particular  focus  on  academic  societies    

Providing  events  and  opportunities  for  societies  to  showcase  what  they  do,  providing  assistance  and  information  on  creating  new  societies  –  Give  it  a  Go  week,  Refreshers  Fayre    

June  2014    

To  develop  communication  and  engagement  with  Faculty  officers  

Provide  opportunity  to  develop  the  links  between  faculty  officers  and  student  representatives    

June  2014    

To  create  a  more  positive  sense  of  belonging  for  students  in  their  halls/accommodation,  creating  a  sense  of  ownership  and  responsibility.  

Provide  events/opportunities  for  students  in  accommodation  to  come  together  –  making  use  of  the  Fresher  Team  leaders  to  continue  that  social  aspect    

May  2014    

To  provide  students  with  increased  ownership  over  student  media  in  order  to  share  student  news  and  achievements    

Developments  of  RGU:Radio,  Radar  Magazine  and  RGU:TV  enabling  students  to  lead  on  these  projects    

May  2014    

Raise  awareness  of  the  Extra  Curricular  Module  to  allow  students  to  be  awarded  for  extracurricular  activities    

Promote  this  across  campus,  highlighting  the  benefits  to  students  as  well  as  ability  to  receive  15  University  credits.    

May  2014  

Local  community  

Objective   Performance  Target   Time  Frame  

A  Green  environmental/conservation  area  on  Garthdee  campus,  created  by  students  for  

Utilise  allocated  area  at  Garthdee  campus  to  create  a  relaxing  recreational  area.  

June  2014    

students  

Develop  more  opportunity  for  joint  working  with  local  organisation  and  businesses    

To  continue  those  existing  relations  and  explore  additional  opportunities  

June  2014    

Develop  the  relationship  between  Aberdeen  institutions  

Continue  to  work  on  joint  projects  such  as  the  Torcher  Parade  and  develop  new  ways  of  working  together  

June  2014    

Continuing  with  community  relations  through  community  projects  showcasing  the  positive  aspect  to  student  life  

Continuing  the  relationship  with  Ruthrieston  Community  Centre,  developing  links  to  other  organisations  to  volunteer  in  the  community.  Links  developing  with  Aberdeen  Cyrenians  to  assist  with  soup  kitchen  over  the  festive  season  

June  2014    

Dec  2013    

Recognising  the  achievements  of  student  volunteers  and  shouting  about  this.  

Making  us  of  media  resources  to  celebrate  the  achievements  of  students,  continuing  relations  with  AVCO  and  promoting  Saltire  awards  to  students  –  celebrating  this  with  the  student  achievement  awards  ball  

March/April  2014    

Wider  community  

Objective   Performance  Target   Time  Frame  

Create  an  opportunity  for  students  to  explore  the  possibility  of  volunteering  abroad  for  example  construction,  schools  etc  

Create  links  and  a  sustainable  relationship  with  volunteering  abroad  charities/organisations  –    i.e  Big  Build  Morocco  

September  2014  

Expand  opportunities  for  students  to  explore  challenge  events/activities  abroad  

Create  links  and  a  sustainable  relationship  with  charities/organisations  who  focus  on  oversees  challenges    

September  2014    

Continue  to  campaign  for  those  issues  concerning  students  

Recognizing  the  concerns  facing  students  and  putting  resources  into  campaigning  with  the  students  for  the  students  –  Bus  

June  2014    

prices,  housing  prices  etc.  

Representing  RGU:Union  at  conferences  at  a  national  level;  sharing  students  views,    sharing  best  practice  and  feeding  back  to  students  

Sabbatical  officers  and  vice  presidents  continue  to  attend  conferences;  exploration  into  student  representation  at  conferences,  encouraging  students  to  take  an  interest  in  conferences  and  networking.      

June  2014