We Have Changed the Method of Application This Year

OPEN DAY SPONSORSHIP

What is it?

Every year the Union works in partnership with the University to show prospective students what they can look forward to by joining us at the University of Northampton and that there is more to the student experience than just lectures.

To highlight the fantastic free sports and societies offer the Students’ Union provides, the Marketing & Communications Department offers sponsorship to Clubs and Societies that produce an event or activity to support Open Day activity.

Unlike other funding available to student groups you are not applying for funds to produce this event, but putting forward a proposal for the Students’ Union to consider as a service. For example you could host a training session to coincide with an Open Day, the training session will likely cost you nothing, however, you might set the price you would place on this service at £200. The Students’ Union will then consider this proposal alongside all others it has received, weigh your proposal up against the criteria set out in the application and the price you have assigned it. Bid too low and you miss out on a valuable opportunity to fundraise, bid too high and you may be beaten by another group offering something similar at a better price.

Applying

We have changed the method of application this year.

Student groups can now apply to supply a student-led activity for:

• A single Open Day
• Multiple Open Days, forming a larger contract and agreed price

Applying is easy, just complete the proposal form below and state which Open Days you wish to bid for individually or which you wish to incorporate into a larger contract. The form lists all Open Days available this year so you can make your bid as far in advance as you wish.

Return your completed application to the Marketing & Communications Manager by emailing

You’ll then be invited to attend a Dragon’s Den with a panel consisting of Students’ Union Officers, Staff and University Marketing Staff to make your case for why you are most deserving of the sponsorship.

Proposals will be considered on their merits and against all other bidsmade. The first Dragon’s Den will be hosted on Friday 7 October. Subsequent dates will be announced for as long as funding remains.

Criteria & Guidelines

We want to showcase the Students’ Union’s activities at their best to prospective students at Open Days.

As such your proposed event or activity should address our criteria and your Dragon’s Den presentation to the panel should make clear how you will further the following:

• Fun and bold!
• Your activity should be active, involving all your members present. It should not be a passive event such as a film screening or guest speaker event.
• Your activity should be visual. If participating in a sporting activity, be sure to wear your Stallions kit, if a Society, wear any hoodies or merchandise that your group has.
• Provisions should be made for advertising your activity to prospective students, in particular through clear signage of what you are offering.
• Welcoming
• Activities and events must be held in an open space which does not interfere with the operations of the Open Day. As such it is preferable for events and activities to be hosted in the following locations: Pavilion Pitch, Front Pitch, Holdenby Grass, Park Students’ Union, Park Students’ Union Courtyard, Avenue Students’ Union. Proposals utilising alternative locations should set out clearly how they will engage prospective students from this space.
• Provisions should be made for participation from prospective students or for students to ask questions. For example you might allow a student to try penalty shoot outs or alternatively have a member of the team on hand to speak to students whilst the remainder train on the field.
• All participating students should be prepared to speak about their student group and how the Students’ Union has supported their student experience.
• Busy and dynamic
• As with fun, your event or activity should look engaging and be made up of an appropriate number of students. A training session consisting of only half a team is likely inappropriate, however, penalty shoot outs/target practice etc. encouraging student participation might better suit this number.
• You should actively participate in your proposed activity for the duration of your contracted period. If you’ve been given a two hour slot in the day to fill it is inappropriate to spend a substantial portion of that setting up, resting, sitting down or undertaking any other activity for which you have not been asked to perform. If your proposed event or activity is overly strenuous/athletic in nature you should consider in your proposal how you might productively fill this resting time.
• Varied in activities
• The Students’ Union are looking for a variety of activities and this will be considered when selecting proposals. The Union will not for example choose only Sports Clubs or only a single category of Societies. Similarly, the Union will look for varying levels of participation – activities prospective students can spectate and activities they can participate in.
• Student groups can submit more than one proposal to the Allocations Committee should they wish. For example a Sports Club could submit a proposal for a training session and another for a penalty shoot out. A student group will, however, only be successful in one bid per Open Day.

• Professional
• Successful groups are ambassadors for the Students’ Union and the University and as such must behave and act professionally at all times. Participants should be friendly, approachable and polite – happy to answer any questions from prospective students.
• Successful groups will be provided a contract of the terms of the sponsorship including location, times and agreed activity alongside evidence to be supplied to the Students’ Union of completion of the activity. A breach of these terms may see a financial penalty imposed upon the sponsorship fee.
• Successful groups must provide an approved risk assessment for any event or activity.

Your Dragon’s Den bid will be assessed on the basis of the above criteria by the panel so be sure to address these points in your presentation.

You might wish to include the following logistical details in your bid:

• How many members/current students will be involved in your proposed activity/event?
• How will you ensure this number?
• What opportunities are there for prospective students to participate in the activity?
• What opportunities are there for prospective students to ask questions?
• Where will the event run and for how long?
• What costs will you incur in producing the activity? Ensure these are included in your proposed price.

If you have any further questions or wish to discuss your proposal before submission please do not hesitate to contact the Marketing & Communications Manager by emailing

2016/17 Open Days & Applicant Visit Days

Saturday 29 October 2016, 9am – 4pm

Saturday 19 November 2016, 9am – 4pm

Saturday 14 January 2017, 10am – 4pm

Saturday 11 February 2017, 10am – 4pm

Saturday 11 March 2017, 10am – 4pm

Saturday 8 April 2017, 10am – 4pm

OPEN DAY ACTIVITY PROPOSAL FORM

Name of Student Group (in full, no abbreviations)

Provide the details of two committee members that approve this proposal.

Open Day dates you wish to bid for

What activity will you conduct?