WHAT IS STARS?

It is really important that all groups have the training and tools they need to develop their skills, and their society. STARS stands for Society Training and Rewards Scheme, which incorporates this essential training with a system to celebrate and recognise your talents and achievements. This booklet will go into more detail about how this training and rewards scheme works.

Student groups can achieve three different levels in STARS, which are Bronze, Silver and Gold.

Bronze status is the minimum level required of all our societies, as it covers all compulsory training and paperwork that a student group needs to run smoothly, safely and legally.

Silver and Gold are optional, but highly recommended.

They give your society the opportunity to improve itself, along with providing valuable skills to your committee members which will benefit you throughout the year and after University. On top of that they also come with their own set of benefits and rewards!

BRONZE STATUS – WHAT DOES IT GET YOU?

All affiliated societies of the Students’ Union need to complete certain paperwork and training so we can meet our legal responsibilities. In return for being an affiliated society, groups gain access to a whole host of services and support:

• A bank account in our treasury, with staff support to assist payment of invoices, expenses etc.• Permission to book rooms across the Students’ Union and the university through our box office reception.• A page on the website, where you can advertise events, put tickets and merchandise on sale, hold elections and much more.• Admin support through the Societies Team.• Development co-ordinator support to help improve your society and support you when you have problems or questions.• Insurance – we have public liability insurance that means that if something didn’t go to plan, we can help cover costs.• Both our safety and events teams can help make sure your

events are run safely and responsibly.• Bookings and quotes for transport companies through the reception team.• Discounts with suppliers through our bulk buying power.• Ability to bid for various funds throughout the year.

BRONZE STATUS – WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO?

There are a few things that we need each society to do, which are listed below:• Provide us with a committee form, containing details of who is on your committee.• Code of conduct signed by each committee member so everyone knows their responsibilities. • At least the president, treasurer and secretary need to attend and complete relevant committee training.

• Complete a risk assessment so you can plan to minimise and control any risks or hazards. • Complete an inventory form, so that we can make sure any

equipment is covered by our insurance policy.

• Attend compulsory society meetings –including Societies Council (happens between 4 and 6 times per year), and society president meetings (happens once each semester).

SILVER STATUS – WHAT DOES IT GET YOU?

We offer a variety of training sessions which are designed to give committees extra skills to run their society more effectively.

These sessions will also benefit the individual committee members, as they will develop transferable skills that could be useful in future employment.

SILVER SOCIETY REWARDS:

• Access to the room bookings system one day before bronze societies at the start of the academic year, giving them the opportunity to have first choice at what rooms are available.

• Highlighted in the online trophy cabinet, which recognises hard work and achievement by societies.

• A certificate to recognise and highlight your achievement.

SILVER STATUS – WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO?

After everything from Bronze has been completed, you must also complete the following programmes:

Silver Training

Each society must send committee members to four training sessions.

• Developing Your Society (needs two committee members attending) covers helping to ensure the society plans the year effectively, so as to deliver everything they hope to across their term.

• Running Successful Events gives attendees insights into the many things that need to be considered when planning an event.

• Publicity, Promotions & Sponsorship is designed to make sure our student groups know everything possible about

how to advertise their events to reach the widest possible audience, along with managing a relationship with any sponsors you have.• AGM & Handover Training (offered in the second term) will

help deliver an effective succession process, through how to hold the AGM meeting and election to how the handover should run so that the incoming committee is fully informed ahead of their term.

Points

For Silver, Societies will need to achieve 150 points. Further information on how to earn and claim points can be found later on in this booklet.

Receiving a Gold Award for your society is one of the highest forms of recognition the Students’ Union offers, and shows that the committee has put a consistent level of effort in across the year to achieve a variety of things.

• For the following academic year, Gold societies will get 10% off all clothing orders through Red Oak Roller for all members. • Access to the room bookings system a day before Bronze societies to give them a better opportunity at securing the rooms they want to for the academic year.• Groups will be highlighted in the online Trophy Cabinet, which recognises hard work and achievement by societies.• Gold societies will be highlighted on Society Board in Portland• Gold shield mark in the Activities Guide, which goes out to every Fresher and thousands of returning students.• Gold branding at Welcome Fair to decorate your stall. • A certificate to highlight and recognise society achievement.• Gold Societies will be highlighted at Societies Ball.

This list of rewards is always being reviewed, and we are trying to secure additional commercial discounts for groups who have gone the extra mile by achieving Gold.

GOLD STATUS – WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO?

After you have completed everything required from Bronze and the Silver training, your society will need to achieve 300points from the Points Based System in total. Please see the table below for more information.

EARNING AND CLAIMING POINTS

There will be two windows of opportunity for societies to claim points during the academic year. The first of these will be from December 1st to January 31st. The second will be later in Semester 2. During this time, there will be a link where you can go and click ‘Complete’ on everything you have achieved.

In most cases you will then be asked to provide evidence of this – generally this requires a photo and an attendance figure, so ensure you take these at every event you hold. Evidence can be

uploaded in any standard format, such as .pdf, .doc, .jpg, .png, .xls and so on. Please see the table below to check what evidence is required.

Points can be claimed for a wide variety of events, which are grouped into categories aligned to the values of the Students’ Union. As previously mentioned, to gain Silver or Gold award groups need to achieve a minimum points value, and these must be spread across the different categories as shown below:

AWARD BASIC REQUIREMENTS

TOTAL POINTS REQUIRED

BRONZEAll compulsory

paperwork and training completed

0

SILVER4 Silver training

sessions completed60 Inclusive, 60 Empower,

30 Collaborate

GOLD4 Silver training

sessions completed120 Inclusive, 120

Empower, 60 Collaborate

You can find more information about how to accumulate points for your society in the table overleaf.

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SOCIETIES AWARDS

Every year, the Students’ Union organises a celebration event for our societies to recognise all the hard work they have done over the year. Societies Ball is an opportunity for committees to come together and reflect on their term in office, as well as for Society Awards to be given out to the best society in a variety of categories.

The Awards are presented after a formal meal, while later in the evening there are displays from some of our musical and performance groups. The event is a great chance to finish off the year in style!

IsTA

RS

In addition to the below:10% off Red Oak Roller

Highlighted on Society Board in Portland Building

Gold Shield in Activities GuideHighlighted at Welcome FairHighlighted at Societies' Ball

In addition to the below:Early access to room bookings

(one day before Bronze societies)Trophy Cabinet

Certificate

Bank AccountPermission to book rooms

Website pageAdmin and development support

Insurance

Safety SupportBookings and quotes

for transportDiscounts

Funding Opportunities

STATUS PERKS

GO ON

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