Students' Union Activities Report 2009/10

Activities Report 2009-2010

STUDENTS’UNION

3Contents Introduction 01Sport 05 Societies 08Volunteering 13The Future 17

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IntroductionStudents’ Union Activities is the access point for all students wishing to engage in any form of extra-curricular activity incorporating sports, societies and volunteering. The Students’ Union is here to help students have fun, socialise, learn new skills, make friends, gain valuable experience and have a better time at Sussex University.

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1 27,000 based on sell-out shows of an approximate audience of 902 2000 based on approximately 230 fixtures a year for the last seven years3 50,000 hours based on an average volunteer opportunity of 4hrs in term time only

Ross Kelway University College London (UCL)

“Sussex [Students’ Union] has a good reputation for student activities and as a new member of staff [at UCL] I was interested in learning from best practice at Sussex in terms of policies, systems and procedures.”

History

Founded in 2002 the Activities Centre was conceived as a single point of contact for all things activities - incorporating sport, societies and volunteering. Bringing each area together under one umbrella and sharing best practise within Students’ Union Sport, Societies and Project V, the centre is now recognised as a hub of excellence and good practise within the HE/Union/Guild sector.

Activities facilitates all the Union’s student led sports clubs and societies as well as running a comprehensive volunteer placement/brokerage service

Achievements:

Since 2002:

SUDS (Sussex University Drama Society) have performed over 380 shows to a combined audience of over 27,000 students including 5 successful runs at the Edinburgh Festival

Students’ Union Sports teams have played over 2000 fixtures representing the University of Sussex

Project V have had 900 volunteers in local organisations completing over 50,000 hours

3Our Aim:

To send well-rounded, socially adept and multi-skilled students out into the wider world having had a the best experience possible whilst at the University of Sussex.

Our Mission:

Active students

Our Vision:

To be recognised as the heart of extra-curricular activity by all students at the University of Sussex.

Students are doing it for themselves and for others.

Our ethos is to empower students to be able to run groups for themselves as well as give them access to safe and supported volunteering opportunities within the local community. We want students to get the most and the best from their time at Sussex University above and beyond their studies.

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Scott Sheridan

The Activities Officer: The Students’ Union elected full-time Officer responsible for Activities: primarily Sport, Societies and Volunteering. The role is to represent students in all areas of Activities and within the University structure to ensure that the needs of students are met and addressed within the activity agenda.

My name is Scott and I am the Activities Officer for the Students’ Union . It is my job to represent the student body on issues concerning societies, sports and community volunteering to the union, university and nationally. I also work closely with the Entertainments team, co-ordinating some of the large events in our events calendar, such as Freshers’ Week, Varsity, our Award Nights and the Graduation Ball.

Through my time at Sussex, I became extremely active in several societies at the Students’ Union; I was president of the University Orchestra, Secretary of the Big Band, Musical Director of the Musical Theatre Society and Big Band and played in the Concert Band. From here I obtained a passion for the Union and the values it stands for. I soon became actively involved in the Union on a representational level, working on the Union Rep team on numerous Freshers’ Weeks.

The experience I received within the Students’ Union was priceless and beneficial to my personal development and career prospects. When it came to the end of my final year of study, there was no doubt in my mind that I should run to be Activities Officer; it would allow me to contribute to the fantastic services already available at the Students’ Union.

My main mandate for this year is to extend engagement with the Union amongst all of our students, giving them the same opportunities that came available to me. Schemes such as intra-mural sport and School Societies should reach students who don’t traditionally engage in the Union.

Alongside this, I intend to work on developing the Students’ Union community engagement strategy, extending the ways in which both the organisation, and its members are able to engage with the local community, whether this be through skill-sharing, representation, showcasing or volunteering.

The year looks to be a fun and exciting one, and I am excited about working on these long term projects

SportStudents’ Union Sport enables 27 clubs including 40 teams run by over 100 students for over 1000 members – which mean a lot of sport and a lot of people doing it.

Ideally situated in an area of outstanding natural beauty the University of Sussex boasts excellent sport facilities managed by Sussexsport, the University’s sport service, that enable our sports clubs to train and

6Lauryn Davies Women’s Hockey

“I had some really tough times at Uni and being part of the hockey team helped get me through it and keep me at Sussex. I made lots of really great friends that I still see regularly now and made my time at university what it was. I hadn’t played hockey much at all before so I got to learn a new skill which I still enjoy playing now. It kept me fit and happy during my three years at uni.”

Staff:

Sport Administrator – Sarah Hall administers all of our 40 BUCS (British University & Colleges Sport) teams, ensuring they are ready for and able to attend all sport fixtures and competitions throughout the year and is also responsible for kit, equipment and transport.

Sport Development Coordinator – Matt Warwick ensures the ongoing growth and development of our sports club through the use of action plans and funding assistance and overseeing all aspects of health and safety to ensure good and safe practices within the outdoor pursuits clubs.

Achievements of 2009-2010

51st out of 145 institutions in the BUCS league

League winners: Men’s Badminton, Men’s Football (2nd & 3rd) and Women’s Hockey (2nd team)

Emily Llewellyn: Summer 2009 crowned 3 Day Eventing National Under 25 Champion, won Team Gold & Individual Bronze at the Young Rider European Championships Winner of the Sussex County Young Sports Personality Award in Dec 2009. Selected to represent BUCS at 2010 World University Games.

Lena Erdil: Crowned Turkish Windsurfing Champion. Finished 6th in the Professional Windsurfers Association (PWA) rankings in 2009.

Alistair Monteath: Qualified for Great Britain Men’s Elite Octopush team. Competing in 2010 European Championships in April 2010.

Nick White and Megan Hurst: Selected for the Ultimate Frisbee GB under-23 Mixed and Women’s squads, and will be competing in the World Championships in Florence this summer. Ashley Yeo Selected to represent the GB Juniors (under-20s) Ultimate Frisbee squad.

Anna CornishWomen’s Football 1st Team Captain

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Anna CornishWomen’s Football 1st Team Captain

Has sport made your time at Sussex better?

Joining a sports team allowed me to play the sport I love, keep fit and best of all meet hundreds of new people! The sport teams also give you a chance to help run the club and having been on the committee for women’s football for three years as social secretary, 1st team captain and club captain it helped me to build my confidence, organisational skills and leadership skills. Joining a sports team was probably the best decision I made when I joined university. Has being involved in Students’ Union Sport improved your fitness/performance?

I was very experienced at playing a lot of sports when I joined university so I had been used to playing at fairly high standards, although lots of my team-mates were not. We have two teams so the beginners could work on basic skills and the more experienced players worked on more advanced skills so everyone was able to improve their performance. Training sessions were rarely dominated by fitness work but three hours of training a week plus a match as well as encouragement to go to the gym really helps to keep you fit even if you do decide to live off junk food!

Did Students’ Union Sport help you to socialise and make friends?

You end up spending vast amounts of time with your teammates and not just at training and matches. Most sport teams have weekly socials, sometimes even daily socials! Some of the things I’ve done with my team include; going on the sports tour to Spain or Italy four times, going for meals, bowling, paintball, the beach, Festivals, trips to Newquay, trips to theme parks, football matches, poker nights, movie nights, cocktail nights and regularly going to a pub or club. You’re likely to make your very best friends from the sports teams! Many people even end up living with their teammates! Not only do you make friends within your team but also many teams have weekly socials together and you make many friends through other teams. I even ended up joining additional sport teams because of the friends I made through football.

What were your personal achievement s and highlights?

Every year there are highlights such as the Sports’ Tour, Quad-nations (where football, netball, rugby and hockey play each other at each others’ sports), Varsity (each Sussex team plays each Brighton team at their sports) and the Sports Ball. Some of my most memorable times at Sussex include leading my team to promotion to the 1st division, playing in a national cup quarter final and winning an award at the sports ball for my participation for my club. As well as easily winning Quad-nations for our first time in my final year! I think one of my biggest achievements was fighting for our club to go from a 1 team club to a 2 team club and winning during my 2nd year and since helping to vastly increase the size of our club from about 20 members to over 40!

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SocietiesCreated by students, run by students, enjoyed by students…

Societies create a wealth of opportunities and events for students to get involved in from fundraising initiatives, to awareness raising campaigns, accessible theatre productions and live music events to name but a few.

9Society list

ACAS (African, Caribbean & Asian Society), AASULE (All-Afrika StudentsUnion Link in Europe), Amnesty, Anarchist, Animal Rights, Art, AS Group,Assassins’ Guild, Baha’I, Ballet, Bar, Big Band, Biochemistry, Bollygood, Breaking , Brighton & Sussex Waves Cheerleading Squad, BrightWAMS in Sussex (Widening Access to Medicine), BSMS Journalism Society, Buddhist Meditation, Buddhist Mindfulness & Meditation, Business, Management & Economics, C60 Chemical, Capoeira, Chabad Jewish, Charity & Fundraising, Choir, Christian Union, Circus, Climb Kilimanjaro, Concert Band, Conservative, Craftsoc, Creative Meditation & Buddhism, Creative Writing,CSSA (Chinese Students of Sussex Association), Cuban Salsa, Debating,Development Society, Economics, Engineering & Design , Engineers WithoutBorders, English, Environmental, Film, Film Making, Free the Children, Friends of Medecins Sans Frontieres, Friends of Palestine, Geography, Global Studies, Greek & Cypriot, Green Party, Guitar Players, hackUS, Hear Afrika, History, Humans vs Zombies, HumSciSoc (Human Sciences), Ilha Formosa, International

Staff:Societies Administrator - Alfie Crudge helps society committee members with their enquiries and supports the Activities Committee in their work to ensure that students are at the centre of our decision-making

Societies Development Coordinator – Jo Walters works with Societies to enable their development and progression, ensuring that their activities are carried out in a safe and supported environment.

Achievements of 2009-2010159 societies running. 104 continued from 2008-09 which makes 55 new societies affiliating in 2009-2010.

Over 400 students running societies with over 3000 members involved, more if you include audiences and people attending events.

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Relations, International Students, Investment, Iranian, Islamic, ISSE (International Students for Social Equality), Japanese , Jewish , Knitting, Kurdish, Labour Students, LGBTQ, Liberal Democrats, Life Drawing, Life Sciences, LingLangSoc, Link Hitch, Love Music Hate Racism, Marrow, Maths, Mature Students, Medical Aid for Palestinians, Medsin, MedSoc, Mexican , Milele, Model United Nations, Motorcycle, Motorsport, Music, Film and Media, Neuroscience, Off-beat, Open Mic, Paintball, Photographic, Pirate, Poda Poda, Poker, Polesoc, Polish ‘Neptune’, Polish Society, Politics, Product Designers, Psychology, Q Soc (Physics), RAG (Raising And Giving), READ International, Rock & Alternative Music (RAM), SAMAC (Sussex Alternative Media & Arts Collective), Secular, Sexpression, SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise), SMUTS (Sussex Musical Theatre Society), Soc Soc (Sociology), Socialist Students, Socialist Worker Student Society, Society of Turks, SOEL (Sussex Overseas Education Links), Spiritual , STAR (Student Action for Refugees), Stop Aids Campaign, Stop the War Coalition, Student Law Body, Students Against Human Trafficking, Students Against the Arms Trade, SUDS (Sussex University Drama Society), Support West Papua, SUPSOC (Philosophy), Sussex Links (St John’s Ambulance), Sussex Roots, Suubira Uganda, SWARM (Sussex Wargames AnimeRole-play Magic), Swing, Swish Swap, Symphony Orchestra, TBLG Remixed, Tea Drinking, Team Sussex , Tenteleni, The Ace Of Clubs, The Secret Colour ofWords Book Club, The Thinkery, Trade Justice , Traditional Tai Chi, Ukulele, UNASU (United Nations), Uncommon Sense, UNICEF, Unite Against Fascism, Unite Working Students, Vegan & Vegetarian, Video Gaming, Visual Cultures, Voom Ka Dance, Walking, War on Want, We Love 80s Hollywood, WineClub, Womens Group, Workers’ Liberty

Society list cont.

11Winners for 2009-2010

Production of the Year - West Side Story, SMuTS (Sussex Musical Theatre Society)

Event of the Year - Bee Ball, RAG (Rais-ing And Giving)

Best Publicity - Culture Fest, ACAS (African, Caribbean & Asian Society)

Excellence in Health & Safety - Sussex Links (St John Ambulance)

Environmental Innovation - Inspir8, SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise)

The Innovation Award - The Elephant Factory, SUDS (Sussex University Drama Society)

The Diversity Award - Islamic Aware-ness Week, Islamic Society

The Collaboration Award - Breaking Society

Campaign of the Year - Stop The Cuts

Outstanding AchievementBuket Ertansel - MedSoc (Medical School Society)Natalie Famer - PoleSocOlly Slator - Big Band

Outstanding Society - Voom Ka Dance

Most Improved Society - PhotoSoc

Best New Society - We Love 80s Hol-lywood

Personality of the Year - Alex Sayer, SUDS (Sussex University Drama Soci-ety)

CHEERS!The annual volunteering, societies and student media awards event for the Stu-dents’ Union.

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Adam LindsayPresident of SUDS/Finance Offecer

Testimonial

Adam Lindsay President of SUDS/Finance Officer

The Union helped me so much over my time at Sussex, especially [the] guys in clubs and societies. If it hadn’t been for the encouragement Adele [former Activities officer] showed me to get involved in Activities committee, I would never have got involved in Union politics and wouldn’t have become a sabb [elected officer], which would have deprived me of gaining a host of unique skills and experiences. All the help you guys gave me as well to run SUDS was hugely valuable - I learnt how to lead a team, think creatively, manage finances, gained confidence, learned why health and safety was so important ;-)... the list goes on and on! From a social point of view, societies shaped my whole life at Sussex. I made most of my friends through societies and activities committee, and am still in contact with many 3 years on. The socialising opportunities opened up to me through societies gave me most of my memorable nights out during my time at Sussex. I also met my current girlfriend through SUDS... Finally, it really helped me get a foot onto the career ladder. My experience with URF, SUDS, Activities Committee and my time as a sabb [elected officer] enabled me to gain the skills needed to start working as a broadcast journalist. I asked my current boss why he employed me with little experience in the job, and he said the amount of experience of different areas and skills that I picked up at university was a major factor!

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VolunteeringHelping forge mutually beneficial links with the local community and a diverse range of organisations, Project V runs a brokerage service matching students with safe and supported volunteering opportunities. Proof positive that students do make an incredibly positive contribution to the communities surrounding The University of Sussex.

14Staff

Volunteer Placement Coordinator – Naomi Ashman helps provide the matching and advice service, interviewing students interested in volunteering; visits community projects to assess their suitability to provide volunteering placements, and provides administrative support for Project V.

Volunteer Development Coordinator – Michaela Rossmann coordinates all aspects of Project V; oversees Link-Up, the volunteering scheme for clubs and societies; works with strategic partners to ensure the ongoing development of Project V and is collating all evidence required for the Students’ Union application to gain Investing in Volunteers (IiV).

IIV – Investing in Volunteers

The Students’ Union is working towards achieving Investing in Volunteers which is the UK quality standard for all organisations that involve volunteers in their work. The Standard enables organisations to comprehensively review their volunteer management, and also publicly demonstrates their commitment to volunteering.

Achievements of 2009-2010

In the year 2009-10, we registered 32 new community organisations and 67new volunteering opportunities, the latter received from both new andpreviously registered organisations.

In total, we held 258 first stage appointments, of which 232 studentsproceeded to register with us at a second appointment, and 177 studentswent on to volunteer. So, whilst slightly less students registered with usthis year than in the previous, there was an increase in the number ofvolunteering placements achieved, from 156 placements to 177.

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BEST OF PROJECT V: 2009-10

Elizabeth Marsden does her MSC in Astronomy and volunteers for the Friends of the Hove Stroke Club

What do you get out of your volunteering?There are so many great things about my volunteer work…it is an amazing feeling knowing that you can help make a difference to people’s lives by doing such simple things as providing them with a scrabble partner and a cup of tea! It helps put the stress of uni work into perspective and I have met so many interesting people during my time with the group.

Why would you recommend volunteering to other students?Definitely. You can get so much out of volunteering. University is one of the best times to get involved with volunteering and no matter how busy people think they are they can always benefit from giving a couple of hours to others. It is a great way to broaden your experiences, and never looks bad on a CV!

Asuka Boyle does her MA Experimental Psychology and volunteers at The Friends Centre

What do you get out of your volunteering?I love it. The teacher in the classroom with me is just the loveliest person and the whole class is great. They are all quite long term learners so all get on really well and have been so welcoming to me since I started. You meet people that you wouldn’t usually come across so often in your day to day life…which really opens your eyes to how real life is for less fortunate people. I cannot recommend this volunteering opportunity enough…I always look forward to going, have a great time with the class and come away on a real high. It’s great. On the more practical side, they also provide training, both through the Friends Centre and through other partner organisations. It’s always free and really useful, and sometimes it is working towards a nationally recognised qualification. I love it that I can expand my skills while I volunteer here.

Why would you recommend volunteering to other students?I didn’t know how much I’d like it until I tried it. I’m not a ‘do Gooder’ type, but I just love it! I’ve met some great new people and really you are not giving up much, yet gain so much.

16Each year, Project V invites organisations that have a placed student to nominate them for the Volunteering England Gold Awards, a national recognised student-vol-unteering award.

In 2009-10, Rebecca Newman (volunteering for BHV: Refuge and Asylum Seeker Project) and Noemi Reiner (volunteering for READ International) received this presti-gious award.

Nadine Bell and Helen Richards of BHV: RASP described Rebecca Newman’s contri-bution to the project:

‘Rebecca is very much a teamplayer, responsible and dependable, and someone who uses her instinct and intuition, and who is always at hand to support the young people she befriends in the RASP sessions. In addition, she frequently leads by example and in this way her impact extends further, guiding other new volunteer be-frienders. She is a reliable and committed volunteer who excels in her role with RASP. Rebecca is pro-active in her approach and has played a key role in the development of RASP which is still a relatively young project.‘

Sarah Ford from READ International describes Noemi Reiner’s contribution to the project:

‘Noemi has shown a huge amount of dedication to her role within the READ team. She has worked extremely hard to help the project be successful and it is with this commitment that she has helped to encourage and inspire volunteers around her. She has also been an extremely positive leader within the group, communicating well with the other interns and volunteers and supporting others in their own roles whilst undertaking hers.’

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The FutureKey areas of development are:

Link-up – the progression of a scheme to link Union clubs, societies and •groups of students with local community organisations, for ongoing projects or one off volunteering opportunities.

School societies to promote peer education, learning and development •within a social setting

Ongoing working partnership with Sussexsport and the development of •opportunities for students to engage in sport throughout the organisation via a diverse sporting programme including: range of clubs, intra-mural events, taster sessions, and awareness raising days/weeks

Students’ Union Volunteering – working with key areas of the Union to •enable students to directly participate in the services we provide and gain invaluable skills and experience

External sponsorship for sports and societies•

The Activities Centre is constantly looking for ways to grow and develop, sometimes this will be through the recruitment of staff and the introduction of new schemes, but primarily our focus is always on how to get more students doing more activities whilst at Sussex.

It is clear that the benefit of being involved in sports, societies or volunteering is hugely beneficial to students, not just in enhancing their experience of university life, but also when they leave and head out into the wider world carrying those experiences and skills with them.

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Our aim is to give this experience to more and more students in as many different ways as we can and to send well-rounded, socially adept and multi-skilled students out into the wider world having had a the best experience possible whilst at the University of Sussex.

Activities CentreUniversity of Sussex Students’ Union1st Floor, Falmer House, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QF

T 01273 877322F 01273 877324

www.sussexstudent.com/activities

STUDENTS’UNION