RAG Associates

Handbook

The step-by-step guide to setting up and running your

own RAG Associate Group

2010-11

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The RAG Committee...

Vice President Activities and

Development: Becky Warburton

Associates Coordinator: Fran Hughes

Communications: Rom Shahabeddin

PR Coordinator: Becky Beaumont

Finance Coordinator: Becky Higgin

RAG Events Coordinator: Ally Ellis

RAG Week Events Coordinators: David

Walton and Katie Cullen

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Choose a cause that you want to

fundraise for

Contact the charity

Complete and return a Declaration

Form and Statement of Interest

Find other people who are

interested and set up a committee

Complete and return a Constitution

Form

Start Fundraising!!

Use the Guide to Event Planning

Make sure you follow Health &

Safety policy

Make use of what RAG can offer

Get rewarded for all your hard

work

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Choose a Cause...

Contact the Charity...

You can be an individual RAG Associate or create an Associate

Group. To create a group, you will need to find more interested

people and make a committee of 3 people.

Once you have chosen a charity, get their contact details from their website or

http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk. Contact them to let them know that you

would to fundraise for them.

Most charities will have details on their website about fundraising with them. They

might also be able to supply you with branded material so you can prove that

you are legitimately raising money for that particular charity.

As a RAG Associate, you will need to provide a letter confirming that you are

fundraising for your chosen charity, with contact details for the charity.

People choose to fundraise for charities for a variety of reasons. Perhaps you

have had first-hand experience of a disease or illness and want to show your

appreciation to a charity in that area. Maybe you're a huge animal lover and

would like to do your bit for creatures great and small! You may know an

someone who has set up a charity for a lesser known cause and want to help

them out.

Whatever your reasons you will be doing a great job for a worthy cause and you

will be helping to make a difference. Not only does fundraising provide much-

needed money to charities, it also helps raise awareness.

If you would like to fundraise but you haven't chosen a cause, you can find a

directory of over 10,000 at http://www.charitychoice.co.uk, with links to their

websites.

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The Committee...

The committee is the key to a successful Associate Group

President:

Overall responsibility for the RAG Associate

Responsibility for chairing meetings of the RAG Associate or its committee

Secretary:

Responsibility for the general

administration of the RAG

Associate

Minute taking

Communication with all

members of the RAG Associate

Keeping membership records

Treasurer:

Keeping records of all financial

transactions

Responsibility for keeping the

RAG Associate financially viable

Submitting an annual

equipment inventory form and

adding additional equipment

purchased throughout the year

The committee as a whole are responsible for:

Promotion of the RAG Associate throughout the year to actively encourage

membership.

Ensuring health and safety is complied with and risk assessments completed

for RAG events.

Ensuring the Northumbria Students’ Union RAG logo appears on all

promotions and at all events.

Ensuring all income received by the RAG Associate group is paid directly

into the RAG Associate’s SU account.

Preparing a written handover for their successors.

Ensuring they attend at least one training session per academic year.

Sending apologies in advance if the RAG Associate is not represented at

one RAG Associate group meeting.

Ensuring that the activities of the RAG Associate group reflect the aims and

objectives of the RAG Associate group.

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Declaration Form...

Statement of Interest...

Once you have an idea for a group, you need to complete a Declaration Form.

This tells us who you are and which charity you want to raise money for.

List the aims of your group and what support you think you will need from us.

You will also need to complete a Statement of Interest. Collect signatures from

anyone else who is interested in supporting your group, and you will need to

create a committee.

The Statement of Interest will also give us the details of the charity you are

fundraising for, and the details of your contact at the charity.

We will also need a letter from the charity, confirming the fundraising is taking

place.

Web Info...

Complete a Web Info Form with the details about your group that you want to

appear on the RAG website.

This can include who you are, which charity you’re fundraising for, and some

details about the cause. You can also say how much you’re trying to raise and

what you’re planning to do.

Your section of the website can be kept up to date, with details of fundraising

events that you have done so, how much you’ve raised, what else is planned,

and what your target is. You can use it to thank people who have donated or

helped in anyway. You can have photos of your activities.

And anything else you think might help!

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Constitution Form...

Your group will be governed by a constitution. This lists the aims and objectives of

the group, as well as the duties you, as a committee, must comply with. It must

be signed by the committee and returned to Becky Warburton to counter-sign.

Finance...

As a RAG Associate, you can have a bank account to keep your funds safe. You

can deposit funds raised after activities, and you can also withdraw money

necessary to hold any events you’re organising.

Planning Events...

Room and Bar Bookings The Students’ Union can offer rooms and bars of different sizes, set up

for all sorts of activities free of charge as a society. You can also book a

cordoned off area of Reds free of charge. We can also book University

rooms for you.

Time and planning is key to a successful event. A big event takes a lot of time,

resources and stress! Check out the Students’ Union Guide to Event Planning, which has all the info you need if you want to hold an event in the Union.

The process is the same regardless of whether you are planning a meeting for 10

people or a function for 500.

Allow enough planning time and check that the space you require is

available.

Look for dates a minimum of 3 weeks ahead

Think about what sort of space you want to book

Make a provisional booking

Think about your requirements: do you need a bar or catering? Will you

need any technical services, such as microphones or PA systems? What sort

of room layout do you require? Will you need security personnel?

Make sure you request everything in plenty of time

Confirm numbers and requirements with the venue

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Hold a University Challenge, where teams from different university departments, societies or sports clubs can compete in events to be crowned the champions.

Get people to sponsor you to shave your head, beard, or you can get waxing and be more imaginative!

Hold and X-Factor or Battle of the Bands night, or maybe an Anti-Talent competition

Get some people together to act out murder mystery performance. Sell tickets for audience members, who can play detective and try to figure out who the murderer is.

Hold a 50:50 raffle where there is only one prize: half of the money raised, and the other half goes to charity.

Do a sponsored run, swim, bike ride or treadmill marathon, or the 3 Peaks Challenge (climb the highest peaks in Scotland, England and Wales in 24 hours).

Duck Race: Get loads of yellow rubber ducks and set them off to race down a river. People choose a duck that they think will win. Just remember they all need to be collected at the end!

Get sponsored to give something up—smoking, chocolate, alcohol, whatever. It has to be something you’d miss though!

Wrap presents or bag shopping for a small donation

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Give out Smarties to friends and family. Ask them to fill the tube with coins once they’ve finished the choco-late, and return the tube full tube to you.

Hold an Auction of Promises—ask people to donate vouchers (for meals, etc.) or their time (two hours ironing, etc.)

Hold a bingo night, race night or casino night. Ask local businesses to donate prizes, or a portion of the money raised can be given as prizes

Do a sponsored abseil or zip wire from the Tyne Bridge, go to another organised event, or arrange your own. Or try a sponsored skydive or bungee jump. If you raise enough money the jump can be covered sponsorship (approx. £50 for bungee jump and £250 for skydive).

Ask beauty therapists/hairdressers to give their time to Pamper Days—people can donate a few quid to charity rather than paying for the treatment

Guess the amount of sweets in the jar, the name of the teddy, or the weight of the... (any item you want really!)

Hold a Cheese & Wine evening—sell tickets and ask for donations from local businesses

Hold a coffee morning or bake sale (get your friends to help with the baking), and ask people to make a small donation.

Organise a sports competition between different teams. You could even mix it up—football team v rugby team in both sports, or something completely different.

Hold a pub quiz

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Health & Safety Policy...

Northumbria Students’ Union strives to ensure that all our members, staff and

volunteers remain safe from injury and harm. We have a duty to provide for the

health, safety and welfare of ourselves and others.

As a RAG Associate, you have a responsibility to create a safe environment for

yourself and your group’s members.

You must comply with the following health and safety guidelines.

If you are planning an activity or event you must fill in a Risk Assessment and

send it to the Students’ Union at least 2 weeks before the activity. This gives

us enough time to check it and discuss any amendments with you. If you do not the activity is not supported by the Students’ Union.

All those who take part in your specific activity/event should see a copy of

the Risk Assessment beforehand.

Any accidents occurring whilst participating in the activity or event should

be reported as soon as possible.

Student Activities are building up a library of risk assessments, so as soon as you’re

thinking of running an event or activity, we might be able to send you a similar

assessment for you to read and amend as appropriate.

To enable the Union to provide a safe volunteer environment we may ask for

details of your emergency contact (the person we can get in touch with should

anything happen) which will be confidentially stored on our volunteer database.

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What RAG Can Offer...

Plasma Screen adverts The environmentally-friendly poster!

There are plasma screens all over

the Union building, so if you want to

get your group noticed email Lucy

your jpeg advert.

Ad dimensions: 856 x 480 pxl 300dpi

E-newsletter RAG sends out an email to all

students who are interested in

getting involved, so email any info

you have (whether it’s about an

event, something the group is

selling, or something great that

you’ve all done )

Webpage Check out www.mynsu.co.uk/rag

There is a RAG Associates

webpage, where details of your

group and your activities can be

posted.

Collection

Tins

Rooms To hold meetings

or events

Money

Counting

Facilities

Volunteers To help run your

event

Support Check the resources page for

downloadable copies of all the

documents you’ll need to run

your events and campaigns.

Advice Drop us an email if you

need a chat about

your group or any

events your planning

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Get Rewarded...

We know that volunteering takes up a lot of your time. We really appreciate all

the time and effort you give up to make your group a success. We have lots of

ways of officially rewarding your dedication to the volunteer cause.

Vfifty

Another hourly based award

scheme run by Vinspired (if you’re

doing the volunteering why not

reap the rewards?). All you have

to do is clock up 50 hours and

you’re sorted!

Northumbria Students’ Union

Annual Awards

These are the coveted Union volunteer

awards which are presented at our

annual Awards Ceremony.

Global Citizenship Award

This award scheme is run by the University

alongside the Union and recognises the

different levels of volunteering. Aim for the

Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum awards

depending on how many volunteer hours

and activities you complete during your

time at Northumbria.

To find out more on all of these rewards click: www.mynsu.co.uk/getrewarded

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