Enhancing Engagement Societies Competition

Enhancing Engagement Societies Competition

What is it?

As Societies Exec, we are passionate about helping all societies grow their community and engage with more students at the University of Strathclyde.

From October to February, we are running a competition aimed at ‘Enhancing Engagement’ helping societies to increase their membership, be more inclusive and promote their society’s aims.

We know that societies work incredibly hard throughout the year and it would be great reward societies for their efforts.

How will it work?

Societies will have from 1^st of October until 28^th of February to launch a project, host an event(s) or plan an activity with the aim of improving engagement with their society. This brief is intentionally broad so that societies use their creativity to develop an idea that will make a positive impact on their society and the Strathclyde community. We will ask societies who participate in this competition to write a short report (similar to Charity Month) detailing their project, how it was planned and organised and what the outcomes of it were.

We have provided a few of examples to help you start thinking about how your society could start engaging with more students.

“Looking at how you can make society meetings more inclusive, for example by varying the day, time and location. If you hold your meetings in an inaccessible location then it may discourage disabled students from getting involved. How is this impacting your society?”

“Is your society predominantly comprised of undergraduate students? How could you get more PhD students for example involved in your activities?”

“How do you advertise your societies activities? Could you organise a campaign which focuses on increasing participation of students across all four faculties and year groups?”

“Do you typically host small meetings? Perhaps you could organise a larger event which would showcase your society to a wider audience”

“Are you a course-based society? What interesting collaborations could you create that would highlight the importance of your activities to more of your peers?”

Competition Categories

Greatest Impact Award - £500

This award will be judged on how successfully you have positively impacted students and worked to engage them with your societies activities. You are encouraged to include testimonials from students who have benefited from the project you have organised. In the report, you will be asked to demonstrate how you have achieved significant impact and include images of your event/activities.

Greatest Member Increase Award - £250

This award will be judged on the number of new members you have had sign up to the society between the competition start and end date. If more than one society has the same number of membership sales then the submission will be judged on the report. In the report you would be asked to demonstrate how you have increased your membership and share details about how this increase in members has/will enhance society activities. Importantly, you must share how being involved in your society will enhance the experience of new members to your society. We would recommend you as a society note the number of members you have when applying versus your membership level at the end of February for evidence.

Best Collaboration Award - £250

This award will be judged on how well you have not only worked as a society to engage more students but how well you have collaborated with peers in other societies. Each society involved in the collaboration should use their own expertise and resources to promote inclusion. There is no limit to the number of societies who can collaborate with each other, however the prize money will be shared equally between all groups taking part.

How to enter

To enter the competition, fill out the survey to submit your application in your society committee resources HERE!

You can enter multiple times for multiple categories but each society can only win once in one category.

Best of luck!