At the Students’ Union, we’re committed to enhancing the student voice on campus and to supporting you in campaigning for change on the issues that matter to you most.
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 this is all changing.
From now on, if you tell us about the issues you think are important, we’ll provide the support you need to run a campaign yourself!
Please read through our KISS checklist and campaigning hints and tips.
KISS – Keep it Simple Stupid!
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!
Proposal
You can apply for up to £400 to fund materials for your campaign and the Welfare Network can offer you the support you need to get going. You can apply to campaign on any issue by completing a Campaigns Bid Form and emailing it to the Welfare Network at
suwelfarenetwork@nottingham.ac.uk. Your proposal will be assessed and you’ll be contacted shortly afterwards to discuss the next steps.
The Basics
Why?
It might sound obvious, but the first thing you need to think about is why you want to run the campaign. For example, do you want to raise students’ awareness about an issue or are you trying to motivate them to take action? When you have a clear idea about the purpose of your campaign, it will be much easier to decide on the most effective way to publicise it and will increase the likelihood of it making a strong impact.
Who?
To run a successful campaign, you need to be clear about who you’re speaking to. If you target the right people in the right way, they are more likely to listen and you can use your budget more efficiently.
Where?
Choosing the best place to promote your campaign is crucial if the right people are to receive the information. Bear in mind that not everyone is based at University Park and many students rarely visit the Portland Building. There are loads of places you can display publicity, from JCRs to the screens in Mooch and many, including the SU website, are free!
When?
You should think carefully about the timing of your campaign including when you want to run it and how long for. You can add weight to your message by tying it in with an event during the academic year, such as exams, or a national or international awareness day, such as World Aids Day.
How?
When you are clear about why you want to run the campaign and who it’s for, you’ll be in a better position to decide how to run it. There are loads of weird and wonderful ideas out there, from stickers and posters to branded T-shirts and condoms.
Contact the Welfare Officer or the Communications Coordinator, Cat Philpott, for further inspiration.
Union Resources
There are plenty of people at the Students’ Union who can help you to carry out a successful campaign:
Welfare Officer – Can advise you on ideas for campaigns and how to run them.
Tel: 0115 846 8772
Email: suwelfare@nottingham.ac.uk
Communications Coordinator, Cat Philpott – For advice on the most attention grabbing way to run your campaign. Cat can help you find the best ways to get your message across within budget and help you out with anything from writing press releases, to posting articles on the website or running a petition.
Tel: 0115 846 8726
Print Shop – The Students’ Union has its own Print Shop which can deal with small to medium print runs of posters, leaflets, banners and some other campaign materials. There are also two graphic designers who can help make sure your visual presentation is spot on. Talk to Cat who can liaise with the Print Shop and graphic designers for you.
Petition Writing
Petitions can be useful for lobbying the University or other organisations such as businesses, the Council or Government, to change the things they do or the way they’re run. By collecting signatures, you’ll demonstrate that the issue in hand matters to a large number of people, adding strength to your request.
Here are a few simple guidelines to help you write a great petition:
- The golden rule is to keep it simple so people can quickly understand what they are signing and the recipient is clear about what you are asking of them
- Describe the current situation
- Outline what needs to change
- State why this change is necessary
- Make it clear who the petition will be sent to
- Make sure there is space for respondents to include their name, address and signature
- Number the entries so it’s easy to see at a glance how many people have signed
- Remember that petitions can be run via the internet as well as in print. Talk to the Communications Coordinator, Cat Philpott, to discuss your options
- If your petition is printed, make more than one copy. That way several people can collect signatures at the same time, resulting in more responses!
Press Releases
Sometimes, it might help your campaign to get coverage in the local or national media. Whether it’s a newspaper, magazine, radio station or TV station you want to target, a well-written press release is often the best first step.
The Communications Coordinator, Cat Philpott, can advise you on the best publications or stations to target and how to write your press release, but here are some guidelines to get you started.
- Keep it simple. Using flowery language will only confuse your message
- Keep the press release fairly short – 200-300 words is usually fine
- Have a clear ‘hook’ to your story. For example, some new data has just been released on an increase in STIs which is why you are encouraging students to get tested.
- Try and sum up the main point of your story in the first paragraph, so the reader can quickly grasp what the story is about. You can then go on to give further details and to describe any research/evidence.
All press releases must be sent to Cat who will check through, format and issue them to the relevant media.
Posters
A poster campaign can be an effective way to get your message seen by a large number of students at a relatively minimal cost.
For an eye catching poster:
- Keep it simple. People need to be able to grasp the essential information on your poster at a glance. The less text there is, the more likely it is to be read
- Think about the design, including colour scheme and any images. Cat Philpott, the Communications Coordinator, can advise you and liaise with the Print Shop to get the design drawn up. Remember, the clearer the brief, the more likely you are to be happy with the result.
Booklets
Booklets are helpful if you want to give people more detailed information to take away and read in their own time.
Here’s how to make sure you get the essential points across:
- Keep your language simple and to the point
- Divide the booklet into clear sections
- Avoid using too much text or having big blocks of writing. You can break the text up with images or by dividing it into short sections.
Flyers
Like posters, flyers are a good way to get your message out to a large number of people. As well as handing them out individually, you can leave them in places like JCRs or the Student Advice and Representation Centre for people to pick up as they go past.
Here’s how to grab people’s attention:
- Keep it simple. A flyer should help the reader understand your main points quickly and easily
- Remember a flyer can have two sides. That gives you twice as much space for information
- Avoid using too much text. Try breaking the text up with sub-headings or images.
All posters, booklets and flyers can be distributed to the halls and schools on University Park, Jubilee, Sutton Bonnington and the Healthcare sites via the Students’ Union’s Campus Communication Workers. Please contact Cat for further details.