Community Leaders Hub

All resources needed to run your student group gathered in one place.

Welcome

This page is under construction - some information may be out of date, please be patient whilst we continue to update it.

Congratulations on being elected to be a Community Leader! We are really excited to work with you during the academic year.

Welcome to the Community Leaders Hub, a place where all the resources you will ever need to run your group are collated for you to find. Navigate through the tabs below to find what you are looking for and if you are unable to locate the information then check out the section below which is related to your type of student group.

cheering crowd

Useful Contacts

If you are unable to find what you are looking for or want to chat to us about something, here are some useful contacts for you to know. When emailing us, please make sure you email the correct address to get your answer as quickly as possible

  • Student Groups - First point of contact. Email for any general student group or sports club enquiries.
  • Fixtures - First point of contact for any sport fixture related enquiries.
  • Representation - First point of contact for any enquiries related to Academic Associations, Networks or Campaigns.
  • Finance - All enquiries relating to financial procedures, bank accounts and the eXpense365 app.
  • Bookings - Any enquiries relating to room bookings of KCLSU spaces or the MRBS Booking System.
  • Complaints - Official KCLSU Complaints procedure enquiries.
  • Advice - Free, confidential and impartial advice service.
  • Community Leaders Training - Any issues or enquiries to do with the Community Leaders Training and KEATS.
  • Volunteering & Fundraising - All Volunteering & Fundraising enquiries.
  • Marketing - Enquiries relating to the website, event promotion forms and KCLSU Screens.
  • External Speakers - Anything relating to the external speakers process or policy.
  • Wellbeing - Support for wellbeing initiatives.

Frequently Asked Questions

Previously Asked Questions

What is the difference between a society and an academic association?

Academic Associations are representative groups for specific faculties or subject areas whereas societies are groups set up by students to bring together their members for a common interest outside their studies and enhance their social experience.

How can I see how many members have bought membership?

You can check this through the admin section of your group’s webpage. To find out how to access this check page 20 of the Community Leaders Handbook under the ‘Your Webpage’ section.

Can we change society membership fees mid-year?

Society membership fees can only be changed in the summer during the Society Review. We will only allow society membership fee changes in very exceptional circumstances. If you would like to enquire about changing your fee please email [email protected].

Do we need to complete a risk assessment for every event?

You will be asked to complete a Risk Assessment in the beginning of the academic year for your group’s core activities. Any events that fall outside your group’s core activities will require a separate risk assessment. Find out more about risk assessments here.

How do I update the text on the website?

You can edit the text on your website the admin section of your group’s webpage. To find out how to access this check page 19 of the Community Leaders Handbook under the ‘Your Webpage’ section.

What do I do if the committee changes during the year?

If there is a committee change at any point throughout the year please email [email protected] to let us know and we will update our records.

Who can be an Associate Member?

Anyone can become an Associate Member of your group if they fall into one of the following three categories:

  1. Current student of another UK Higher Education Institution
  2. Member of Staff at KCL or KCLSU
  3. King’s Alumni

Find out more about Associate Members here.

How do I sell tickets to an event online?

To sell tickets online through the KCLSU website you must complete an Event Promotion Form at least 2 weeks before you want the event to be posted on the KCLSU website.

What marketing tools are available?

We offer a few marketing tools to our groups:

Find out some more tips about marketing on page 12 of the Community Leaders Handbook.

For any Finance specific questions check out the link below:

Finance Related FAQs

For any Room Booking specific questions check out the link below:

Room Booking Related FAQs

For any Network specific questions check out the link below:

Network Related FAQs

Planning

Community Leaders Training

Presidents/Chairs and Treasurers of all student groups are required to complete the Community Leaders Training, a series of modules on KEATS to prepare you for your role. Students will be enrolled onto the course on the 1st June. If you do not have access to the course, please email [email protected]

Room Bookings

As a ratified KCLSU student group, you have access to a number of different rooms you can use for your meet-ups and events! Below you can find all the information you will ever need to book a KCLSU or KCL space.

External Speakers

If you're booking an event with an external speaker, you need to read KCLSU’s External Speaker Policy. When arranging an event on campus with an External Speaker you need to let us know by submitting this form 15 working days prior to the event, even if you don't need to book a room. All External Speakers are vetted by KCL and KCLSU.

Venue Bookings

If your event includes an external speaker, you need to read KCLSU’s External Speakers Policy - see above for the form to let us know about this. When booking a room with an External Speaker you must book the room no less than 15 working days prior to the event (working days do not include weekends, KCLSU closure days or national holidays). All External Speakers are vetted by KCL and KCLSU.

Health and Safety

For the 24-25 year we are changing the way student groups submit activity plans and risk assessments. From now on, ALL risk assessments are to be submitted via the Activities Dashboard within the KCLSU website. The Activities Dashboard is a shared portal on the website that both student group committee members and KCLSU staff can access and communicate with each other on. This means that we will no longer be accepting risk assessments via email.

The KEATS training module on Risk is now LIVE

A new module called Submitting Your Activity Plan and Risk Assessment is available on KEATS now. This is a compulsory training module for all Presidents and any other committee member who may end up submitting an activity plan and risk assessment. The module covers the following:

  • The difference between Core & Repeated Activity and Additional Activity
  • Who can submit an activity and when it needs to be done by
  • How to access the Activities Dashboard
  • How to create an Activity
  • How to add a Risk Assessment form
  • How to Save and Submit an Activity Plan
  • Approvals and timeframes

You MUST complete this module before submitting an Activity Plan and/or risk assessment.

Submit your Core & Repeated Activity Plan NOW

Once you have completed the KEATS module you need to submit your Core & Repeated Activity Plan. It is explained further in the module but essentially this is the risk assessment for all the regular and repeated activity you will undergo as a student group this year. The deadline to complete and submit your Core & Repeated Activity Plan is 23:59pm on Monday 30th September.

Questions?

If, after completing the training module, you have any questions please email [email protected] for help. The KEATS module is very comprehensive though and should answer any questions you have, so please do ensure you have completed this first. Good luck and we look forward to reading about all the exciting activities you plan this year!

Finances and Funding

Sponsorship

Why get Sponsorship?

Sponsorship is not only a great way to fund your group's activity, but also an opportunity for you to expand your own personal professional network and improve future career prospects.

How to apply:

  • What do you want from your sponsorship deal? Sponsorship doesn't always have to be monetary, for example a food company may be able to provide refreshments for an event or an industry expert may be able to deliver skills workshops for your members.
  • What can you offer you sponsor in return? Remember sponsorship is two-way relationship so you need to think about what you are going to offer your sponsor. Examples of this are displaying the sponsor's company logo on your group's banners, hoodies or social media pages. Alternatively, you may be able to promote their services via your society newsletter- make to never share your members' personal details with the sponsor (e.g. names, email address', phone numbers) and that any communication with your members is only via your own channels.
  • Who is the right person to contact? Do your research! Don't just contact company employees on LinkedIn. Use the generic enquiry email address or phone number on the company's website and ask who the best person to talk to would be.
  • Tailor your application to each company! Don't just copy and paste the exact same application, research each company and their strategy.
  • Be honest about any other sponsorship deals your group currently has or have had in the past
  • Include an overview of your group and make it personalised! This can include photographs from any successful events you've held, your society's social media engagement stats and member demographics.
  • Follow up after a couple of weeks, if the answer is no, ask for some feedback on move onto another application

Successful Application? What to do next:

  • Contract: Make sure you have a contract with your sponsor, detailing what you both agree to. Use the template below. Make sure to send you contract to [email protected] before signing for a member of the Activities team to check over. Once your contract has been checked over by the Activities team it will need to be signed by both a member of the committee and the sponsor. Make sure to keep a copy of your signed contract and send one to [email protected] also.
  • Invoice: Once your contract is signed and sent to the Activities Team, you'll need to fill in the invoice request form below. Send the filled in invoice request form with the signed contract to [email protected].
  • Maintain the relationship: It is mportant that you do your best to maintain your agreement with a sponsor. The more proactive you are in working with your sponsor, the more likely they are to sponsor your activity group in the future. Honouring your commitment is vital to maintaining a lasting, positive relationship between your group and sponsor. Also, breaking a legal agreement with a company could potentially have serious consequences. As well as honouring your contract with your sponsor, here some additional things you could do to help maintain the relationship with a sponsor:

    Send a thank you letter when the contract is signed, or when money or services are receive, send them pictures of events, ahare examples of their money, logos or donations in action and put together a report, including pictures and examples of how money was used, with a short description of why their sponsorship was so important to your group

How to increase your chances of getting sponsorships

We find that having your own custom email address can make your society appear more professional to potential sponsors, so we've put together a short guide to getting your own domain:

1. Purchase a Domain Name:

There are many domain name registrars to choose from, but the most popular ones are, Namecheap, Hover and iwantmyname. An example of what your custom email will look like: [email protected]. You can choose other top-level domains such as .org, .net etc. Domains can cost as little as £5 per year.

2. Choose an Email Hosting Provider:

The next step is choosing your Email Hosting Provider. This is the service that will host your domain and there are many to choose from such as Google, Office 365 Business Essentials, Zoho Mail, FastMail, ProtonMail, Pobox and Rackspace Email. When selecting an email hosting service, consider the best email management solutions, storage capacity, technical support and, of course, an affordable price. The process of creating a custom email address is more or less the same for all providers and you can find a step-to-step guide on how to do so with a few providers here.

You are now set up with your own custom email address!

Here are some useful sponsorship templates:

Funding Opportunities

Here at KCLSU, we have a number of ways you can fund your groups. Below are just a few of the ways that all student groups can get funding for initiatives. You can also find group specific funding pots if you follow the link to your group specific hub below.

Widening Participation Fund

The Widening Participation Fund is now closed

What is the WP Fund?

The WP Fund is a pot of money which Kings students can apply to for up to £500 to fund a widening participation initiative/project which they have designed and will deliver. Any funding provided covers the costs of delivering your project such as equipment, textbooks and software. We are currently only accepting proposals for online delivery projects due to health and safety. We generally only accept proposals from a student society/group/club/committee rather than solely an individual student.

What does Widening Participation mean?

This means supporting and encouraging students from underrepresented backgrounds to apply for and access higher education. If you believe that your background should never be a barrier in accessing education, then getting involved in WP is a great way to support the mission of social mobility.

 

Project Planning Training

If you and your society/club/group want to run a WP project at least one person from your group will need to attend a Project Planning training session. To sign up to one of these sessions click here. If you are hoping to run a WP project which requires no funding, at least one person still needs to attend Project Planning training.

Liberation History Month

Liberation History Months are run throughout the year to celebrate strides made in the struggle for liberation, to reflect on past and present day oppression and to challenge racism, misogyny, ableism, transphobia and homophobia, in all its forms; both locally and nationally. Liberation History Months are a time when people from all backgrounds can come together to explore liberation issues and discover what they can do as individuals to fight oppression.

To apply for funding to run a liberation history month event, please click the relevant link below:

One World (20th-31st Jan 2025)

https://kclsu.typeform.com/to/rs9YRVwe closes 23:59 on 15th December 2024

LGBTQ+ History month (Feb 2025)

https://kclsu.typeform.com/to/wusbkYAF closes 23:59 on 5th January 2025

Women's History month (March 2025)

https://kclsu.typeform.com/to/ra9rizC1 closes 23:59 on 26th January 2025

Summer Series (June-Aug 2024)

https://kclsu.typeform.com/to/rwQbwl4Y closes 23:59 on 1st June 2025

Accessibility Fund

The Accessibility Fund is now closed

This fund is available to help student group events be more accessible and inclusive. The money can be used on items including but not limited to:

  • Funding interpreters for events
  • Booking accessible venues with gender neutral facilities 
  • Additional materials in different formats

Please ensure that your application details the exact items you require and explains the impact that this funding will have on your event. 

KINGS COMMUNITY FUND

KINGS COMMUNITY FUND OPEN! 

Do you have a big idea on how to improve the King’s community? Whether an individual, group or student representative you can apply for the King's Community Fund to make it happen. 

The fund is open between the 3rd of October till 31st of November, and you can apply here

The fund is made possible through donations from King’s alumni and is there to support ideas and projects aimed at improving our King’s community or for being part of something with fellow students.

Applicants can bid for between £750 and £10,000 for each project. The fund can cover things like equipment, promotional materials, conference/event costs and training. It’s there to help make an idea happen. 

Shortlisting for this opportunity will conclude on Monday 22nd November with successful applications presenting to the selection committee on Wednesday 24th November. 

Check out the guidelines for more information, and contact [email protected] with any questions. 

KCL Internationalisation Fund

Internationalisation Funding is available to all KCLSU Activity Groups and Societies to increase the multicultural dimensions of the student experience and open access to more diverse group of students. This fund can be specifically used for events where two or more societies collaborate for an event. These events can be planned already or be in the process of planning for the future.

Marketing and Promotion

Instagram Takeovers

Thinking of having an Instagram Takeover but not sure where to start?

How does it work?

  1. Fill in this form to apply to take over our Instagram Account.
  2. We'll send your our guidelines and agreement. Read over this document, agree to all of the terms & send it back to us signed at least 5 working days prior to the planned takeover
  3. We’ll post a photo on our grid, promoting your takeover the day before/the day of your event
  4. We’ll send you the login details & password prior to the start time you provide us with on your application form
  5. You have 24 hours to post on the story- use it wisely!
  6. At the end of the 24 hours, we will change the password and you will be logged out of the account

It's as simple as that!

Here are some examples of some past successful takeovers:

King's RAG
Dance Soc
Hindu Soc
Footloose Musical

Join RAG, Dance Soc, MMT, Hindu Soc, Ultimate Frisbee and many more in taking over our Student Life Instragram Account for your events!

Although most resources apply to all student groups, there are still some project, policies and documents which only apply to certain groups. Below you can find all such resources which would only apply to you if you are a society, sports club or media group.

Societies

Development Fund

Development Funding is available to all KCLSU Activity Groups and Societies. The funds can be used for groups to carry out normal core activities, new projects or KCLSU Events (i.e. Welcome, One World, etc.).

Please note: Student Activity Groups and Societies are able to apply for funding for all of the above. Sports Clubs and Liberation Networkd are able to apply for funding for KCLSU Events (i.e Welcome, One World, etc.).

Development Fund 2024-2025 Application Dates:
  • Window 1: Closes at 12:00 (Midday) on Sunday 1st September 2024
  • Window 2: Closes at 12:00 (Midday) on Monday 11th Novemeber 2024
  • Window 3: Closes at 12:00 (Midday) on Friday 10th January 2025
  • Window 4: Closes at 12:00 (Midday) on Tuesday 22nd April 2025

KCLSU Accreditation Scheme

More information will be available on this page shortly.

As one of our 350+ student groups and societies, you are at the heart of KCLSU and we want to celebrate your success and recognise your hard work. The KCLSU Accreditation Scheme is designed to reward you for your achievements throughout the year, help you recruit more members and grow your reputation.

Activities Committee

The Activities Committee is a group of elected students who make important decisions about how the Development Fund gets allocated and whether new group applications are accepted to become a ratified KCLSU societies.

If you're interested in getting involved, take a look at the Activities Committee Member Role Description.

Being part of the Activities Committee is a great opportunity to develop important transferable skills and shape Activities at KCLSU. You can take a look at our videos below to find out more about what's involved in being in an Activities Committee.

Media

Sports

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