De Montfort Students UnionHandbook 201011

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L E I C E S T E R S H I R E S L A R G E S T TA X I CO M PA N Y

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Your UnionWelcome to DSU 2Your Executive 3Student Representation at DMU 5Elections at DMU 8

Level 1 11Wicked Caf 13DSU Print Shop 14DSU Tech 15DSU Lettings 17Welfare and Education Centre 18

Membership ServicesDSU Active 20DSU Societies 21DSU Volunteering 22Raise and Give [RAG] 24Demon Media 25

Get InvolvedCampaigns at DSU 28Fund our Fight 29DSU Online 30

This is a Demon Media Production for De Montfort Students Union. Printed by Spectrum Printing Ltd www.spectrumprinting.co.uk

Compilation and Editorial Amy Seabrook

Design and Production Toby Jones

Photography De Montfort Students Union

Advertising BAM Student Marketing www.sumarketing.co.uk

With special thanks to all the staff and executive of DSU for their contributions and support.

Thank you also to those who gave up their time to offer advice and support.

2010 De Montfort Students Union.

Contents

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Hello you!Welcome to De Montfort University Students Union. Now youre a full-on student, you automatically become a member of your Students Union, for free!

Your Students Union offers you a massive range of opportunities. From enhancing your CV, to getting fit, to getting your dance on at Level 1 on a Saturday night, we offer you the things you just wouldnt find on your course.

Throughout the following pages youll find out exactly what we do and how you can take full advantage of everything we offer.

Most importantly, this is YOUR Students Union! If theres something were not doing that you think we should, let us know!

As your Exec team, were here to represent you and improve your University life. Contact us by finding our email addresses and Twitter pages on the next pages.

Thats all from us for now but have fun, enjoy your University experience, and remember, our door is always open so come up and chat to us whenever you want.

The DSU Exec 2010-11.

Welcome to DSU!

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Your Executive Officers: The Facts

Andy SchooledgeUnion Presidentaschooledge@dmu.ac.ukTwitter@schooledgend

Involves Being the face of the Students Union and representing student views and opinions at the highest level both within the University and nationally.

RandomFactAs a child Andy used to dance around his bedroom to Cher!

Azhar MaqsoodDeputy President Educationamaqsood@dmu.ac.ukTwitter@azharmaqsood

Involves Representing student views about academic

issues to the University and

ensuring that students are getting the best deal from their University education.

RandomFact Azhar used to be a body builder and enjoys the odd

protein shake!

If you want to find out what any of the exec are up to, check out their videos by visiting www.demontfortstudents.com/youtube.

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Your Executive Officers: The FactsAmy Seabrook Vice President Media & Communicationsaseabrook@dmu.ac.ukTwitter@amyseabrook

InvolvesRunning Demon Media (FM, TV and newspaper) as well as ensuring communication to and from the executive team is effective for the membership of the Union.

RandomFact When Amy was younger she didnt like her name so used to tell strangers her name was Emily, Charlie, which ever she fancied that day!

Liam Davis Vice President Student Activitiesl.davis@dmu.ac.ukTwitter@liamdavisDMU

InvolvesCo-ordinating the sports teams and societies as well as organising sporting events

such as Varsity and being Chair of the Raise and Give (RAG) Society.

RandomFact When Liam was younger he wanted to either be a pilot or work in Morrisons Caf!

Sarah Miles Vice President Welfares.miles@dmu.ac.ukTwitter@milesyDMU

InvolvesRunning campaigns and raising awareness about issues that immediately affect students and ensuring the health, well being and safety of students across campus are being catered for.

RandomFact When she was in primary school Sarah tried to get out of doing her homework by falling off her bunk bed in the hope shed break her arm!

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Student Representation at DMUWhat is the Students Union and is it for me? De Montfort Students Union (DSU) exists

to represent the views of all students at De Montfort

University whether part time or full time, undergraduate or postgraduate, studying on or

off campus.

Our mission is DSU is a student led and student focused organisation.

It aims to represent, inspire and involve its members to enhance their

University experience.

To ensure that we achieve our mission DSU has a number of values that are reflected by our Officers and

staff and also within our activities:

DSU Organisational Values

Community Democracy Fun Growth Quality

Be the focal point for social,

cultural and recreational

activities

To represent and empower our members To enhance the social

experience

To aid members and the

organisation as a whole to grow

and develop

Raising our standards and

the standards of the university

Listen to and meet the needs of our membership

Assist and support our members

Encourage active participation

across all levels of representation

Be in contact and engage with our

members

Be transparent and accountable to our members

Provide vibrant and flexible

activities to suit our members

Provide an exciting

environment with opportunities for social networking

Be affordable, safe and easy to

use

Ensure DSU adapts to the

changing needs of the membership

Strengthen and diversify the

Union's commercial and student support

operations

Enable members to develop

transferable skills

Continually assess and

improve DSU's outputs

Improve the effectiveness of

DSU's campaigns and

communication

Represent students to improve the

quality of their education

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DSUDMU

Academic Board

Student Council

Trustee Board

Faculty Reps

Student Reps Student Officers

Executive Officers

The General Student Population

A B C

Student Representation is

extremely important both at De Montfort

University and De Montfort Students Union. DSU exists to represent your views. It is run for

students by students, with the support of a dedicated staff team.

The elected representatives, the

Executive Committee, are chosen through

annual elections. Heres how it works...

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Taking the University Side first...Thegeneralstudentpopulation

There are over 21,000 students at De Montfort University, including those at Charles Frears campus and others studying at a number of Associate Colleges located around the country.

StudentReps

From the general student population, there are a number of Student Reps per course. These students are elected by their peers to represent students learning and teaching issues at course level. These elections take place within the first few lectures of the term.

FacultyReps

Student Reps interested in getting more involved can choose to become Faculty Reps. As its name suggests, these individuals represent students issues at a Faculty level.

AcademicBoardRepresentative

One student from the general student population can choose to become the Academic Board Representative. Academic

Board is the highest level of representation that students are able to participate in. This is a Student Trustee role and consequently this individual will also sit on the DSU Trustee Board.

And on the DSU Side...

StudentOfficers

There are 15 Student Officer positions each with a specific remit. Any student is entitled to stand as a Student Officer although some positions have to be representative of a relative background for example the Mens Officer has to be a man.

ExecutiveOfficers

There are five Executive Officer positions, these are paid, full time roles for the duration of a year. These include President, Deputy President Education, Vice President Media and Communications, Vice President Student Activities and Vice President Welfare. Students interested in fulfilling these duties either have to take a year out of studying or undertake this year immediately after their final year. These elections take place during the second term, usually around February / March.

StudentCouncil

A selection of Faculty Reps (6 in total), all 15 Student Officers and the Executive Committee sit on Student Council, alongside 8 open places (B) for general students. Student Council discusses and decides on the policies the Union should adopt. It also scrutinises the works of the Executive Committee and, to a lesser extent, the work of the Student Officers. The Chair of Student Council is a Student Trustee role and consequently this individual will also sit on the DSU Trustee Board.

TheTrusteeBoard

The Trustee Board is made up of the Executive Committee, 4 Student Trustees (C) and 4 externally appointed Trustees. Student Trustees roles are the previously mentioned the Academic Board Representative, the Chair of Student Council and 2 open places.

Trustees take overall responsibility for the work that the organisation undertakes. They will focus the strategic direction of the organisation, ensuring that the Union creates and implements strategies that meet the objectives of the charity. Trustees will also agree plans and budgets and will hold the Director to account for the delivery of the plans.

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There are a number of ways you can get involved:

TheStudentsUnionElections

The Students Union elections will be taking place shortly and you can be a part of it. There are a number of positions available:

StudentOfficers

There are 15 Student Officers in total however the position of Womens Officer is already occupied. The remaining 14 positions are:

Campaigns Officer Charles Frears Officer Communications Officer Community and Involvement Officer Diversity Officer International Students Officer Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) OfficerMature Students Officer Mens Officer Postgraduate and Research Students OfficerRaise and Give (RAG) Officer Societies Officer Sports Officer Students with Disabilities Officer

StudentTrustees

There are 4 Student Trustee positions 2 of which have specific responsibility, Academic Board Representative and Chair of Student Council (the latter is already occupied). The remaining 2 positions are non specific, meaning that students interested in this role would only need to attend and participate in the 4 Trustee Board meetings a year.

StudentCouncil

In addition to the Faculty Reps and Student Officers, there are 7 remaining open places.

NUSdelegates

Every year DSU is entitled to send a number of delegates to the National Union of Students (NUS) Annual Conference. These positions are for students with a wider interest in student politics and campaigning. In a similar way to Student Council, NUS Conference is an opportunity to discuss the direction NUS takes in the coming year, debating policies and electing Committee members on a larger scale.

BecomeaStudentRep/FacultyRep

If you want to represent the views of the

students on your course or within your Faculty there are opportunities to become Student Reps/Faculty Reps. Speak to your tutor in the first instance about becoming a Student Rep, these elections will take place during the first few weeks of the term. Faculty Reps are usually elected at Faculty Welcome events, if youre interested in getting more involved speak to your Faculty Student Rep Coordinator (usually found in your Student Advice Centre) or contact Colina (ccwright@dmu.ac.uk) or Azhar (amaqsood@dmu.ac.uk) about the date of your Welcome Event.

Timetable for elections NoticeofElectionsStart of term (5 October)

NominationsOpenWednesday 13 October 2011, 10 am

SoyouwanttoruntheStudentsUnion?Monday 18 October

NominationsCloseWednesday 20 October, 12 midday

CampaigningCandidatesMeeting1Thursday 21 October, 12pm

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CandidatesMeeting2Thursday 21 October, 5pm

CandidatesQuestionTime/VideoManifestosFriday 22 October, 12pm onwards (resources would be made available after this time)

VotingVotingOpensMonday 25th October, 10am

VotingClosesThursday 28 October, midnight

ResultsAnnouncedFriday 29 October, approximately 2pm

A Candidates Guide, outlining the individual roles and the elections schedule, will be available shortly. Alternatively further information is available at www.demontfortstudents.com or by contacting Colina Wright, Democracy and Representation Co-ordinator, at ccwright@dmu.ac.uk.

Dontwanttostandintheelectionsbutstillwanttogetinvolved?

You can still attend Student Council without being elected into a specific position. Dates

of these meetings and the agendas will be advertised in advance or by emailing Andy Schooledge, aschooledge@dmu.ac.uk.

All students are invited to attend the Annual General Meeting which is on Tuesday 16th November at 1 until 2 in the Hawthorn Building, H0.45. This is where the Students Union accounts are presented and approved, the policies of the Union are discussed and debated, referendum questions for the general student population are approved and the Executive Officers are questioned on their activities to date and their future plans.

There are a number of NUS Liberation events taking place throughout the year. These are specifically for women, students with disabilities, black* students and LGBT students. (Please note the term black is an NUS term and refers to students of African, Asian and Caribbean descent).

Further information about these can be found at www.officeronline.co.uk(registration may be required to access the site). If youre interested in attending

these, please contact Andy Schooledge.

Obviously there are other ways to get involved including participating in sports clubs and societies (page 20-21), getting involved with media (page 25), volunteering (page 22) or Raise and Give (RAG, page 24). Alternatively there are opportunities to work alongside the Exec on various campaigns throughout the year (page 28).

These days University is more than getting your degree; DSU aims

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Level 1Level 1 is DSUs award-winning venue

and the place to be for any student who wants to know what a good time feels

like!

Level 1 received more recognition this summer, scooping the Best Independent Club and the Best Overall Independent

Venue awards, at the Leicester Best Bar None Awards.

To make never to be forgotten memories, of your student life, Level 1 is the place to

be for a variety of events.

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Wednesday-BonkerzatLiquidandEnvy

Bonkerz is the only officially affiliated DSU night out in Leicester. Proceeds from this event are re-invested back into your union facilities. Each and every Wednesday we will be bringing you the Biggest Student Party in town at Liquid & Envy.

The first event this year will be our famous Bonkerz Bar Crawl on Wednesday 29 September starting at 7.30pm ending up at Bonkerz.

Tickets are available from www.demontfortstudents.com and for more information check out the FACEBOOK group BONKERZ.

ThursdayKinkyPresentsFilthyGorgeous.This legendary weekly event will be back on Thursday 30 September, when Radio 1 legend Scott Mills will be the special guest DJ for the night.

Check www.demontfortstudents.com every week to watch for further guest acts, buy discount tickets and see the very best Kinky Filthy Gorgeous photos and of course... Dont forget to DOUBLE YOUR MONEY AT THE BAR!!

SaturdayTheBigBadCheese

2RoomsofTopTunesEverySaturdayNightNo need for introductions; The Big Bad Cheese encapsulates the very best of what being at DMU is all about. Fun, Games and pure enjoyment in Room 1, where it pays not to take

life too seriously. Themes aplenty will include School Discos, Hot Tub Parties, 70,s, 80s, 90s and noughties, to name but a few, PLUS chart acts, soapstars and game show nights where you can win huge prizes.

Checkwww.demontfortstudents.comforacts,themes,cheaptickets,photosandspecialBigBadCheeseentrycards.

Inadditiontoourweeklyevents,theLevel1programmewillonceagainbepunctuatedbyhugeone-offevents,throughtheyear,including,LiveBands,Comedy,Socials,UrbanandBhangraevents+muchmuchmore!!

All the money you spend on DSU Commercial ventures gets directly put back in to the Sports, Societies, Media Groups and support services the Union offers. Support the Union commercially and well be able to give you a better University experience!

Level 1

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The Wicked CafNew Flavours, Old

favourites, Beer and a Burger? The Wicked Caf,

situated in Level 1, offers you an affordable range of

options to fill you up.

Last year we introduced a new range of burgers, featuring the Mexican, American and Jamaican burgers, which proved very popular with you all. This year will see the range extended whilst retaining the Beer & Burger deals (soft drink options available).

We offer a breakfast menu to kick-start your day where you can add as much or as little as you want to your plate the best deal on campus! With your breakfast you can also Add RAG and make a small donation to Great Ormond Street Childrens Hospital- breakfast has never felt better! If you are eating later then we have an excellent selection of mains to choose from including, lasagne, ham, egg and chips, caesar salad and sausage & mash. We also have a number of vegetarian meals and healthier options.

We have a wide selection of top brand drinks for you to enjoy with your meal, from wines to a variety of lagers

including Coors fine Light, Sol, Red Stripe and Kronenbourg, and of course a wide variety of soft drink options if youre on your way to a lecture!

AnddontforgetthateverypennyyouspendinYOURStudentsUniongoesdirectlybackintothenon-commercialservicesweoffersowehopetoseeyouinourWickedCaf.

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DSU Print ShopPaytheStudentsShopavisittoseehowwecanhelpyouthroughoutyourtimeatDeMontfortUniversity.WearesituatedonthegroundflooroftheCampusCentreBuildingbetweenSparandRitazza.Wereopen8am-5pm,Mon-Friduringtermand9am-2pmoutsideofterm.We sell all the basic stationery lines that you will require for your coursework along with more specialist product ranges. For art-based courses we offer a large range of craft papers and card, modelling clay, carry files and the ever-popular Modroc! (A must buy for all art students.)

Need to save your work? We can help here too with a range of CD-Rs, DVD-Rs and USB drives as well as calculators, batteries and a full range of other computer and electrical-related products.

All our products are priced with the student budget in mind and where possible we stock only environmentally friendly ranges. All our printing paper is either 100% recycled or FSC-certified.

Looking for gift ideas? Browse through our greeting cards and gift ranges with prices to suit all pockets.

For that personal touch why not get one of

our De Montfort University hooded tops custom printed with a name or photo via our in-house custom printing service? They are a great way to promote your club or society whilst at University.

We also offer the following services:Colour printing Photocopying Fabric Printing Binding and Laminating Printer Cartridge refilling Service Mobile Phone Credit International Call Credit National Express Coach Bookings Fax Service Stamps Second Hand Study Books Gifts Official DMU-Crested Clothing Discount Alton Towers Tickets DSU Event Tickets

ContactusformoreinformationCall us on 0116 2576302 or email us at dsushop@dmu.ac.uk.Or, even better, visit our online shop at www.demontfortstudents.com/shop.

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DSU TechDSU Tech is the official computer support centre for De Montfort Students Union.

DSU Tech offers peace of mind and can resolve any problems that arise with personal computers. Common repairs include:

Data, Dissertation and Coursework RecoveryVirus, Malware and Scamware Removal Desktop, Laptop and Mac Repairs Screen Replacements Liquid Damage Windows Corruptions Internet Configuration Issues Wireless Internet configuration Slow PCs and Laptops Music and Photo File Recovery DSU Tech can recover countless

dissertations, photos, music files and other important materials lost from students computers. They offer a full membership

package for the year, which includes:

Unlimited Repairs and Support for a full year (subject to terms and conditions)

Plus:Free Anti-Virus Suite included Fast Turnaround Times (typically 24-48 hours)Service Centre in located in the Students Union.

In addition to the full membership package, DSU Tech offers a number of Quick Fix services. For more information, visit the DSU Tech site at www.demontfortstudents.com/tech.

The DSU Tech Service Centre can be found at the top of the stairs on the first floor of The Campus Centre. Alternatively, you can

contact them on 0116 257 6305 or by email at dsutech@dmu.ac.uk

tech

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DSU Tech offers peace of mind and can resolve any problems that arise with personal computers. Common repairs include:

Data, Dissertation and Coursework Recovery Virus, Malware and Scamware Removal Desktop, Laptop and Mac Repairs Screen Replacements Liquid Damage Windows CorruptionsInternet Configuration Issues Wireless Internet configuration Slow PCs and Laptops

Music and Photo File Recovery

Enrol online at our website at www.demontfortstudents.com/tech.

Have you enrolled yet?

tech

DSU LettingsFindingahouseorflatforyourfirsttimeatUniversitycanbeaprettytrickygametoplay.Thankfully,DSUhavesetuptheirownlettingsagencytoeventheplayingfield.DSULettingshasadifferentapproachwhichoffersyouatrustworthyandsecureservicewhereyoucanbesurethatyougetthebestdeal!

ADifferentApproachA lettings agency run by YOUR Students Union. Launched in September 2009 and backed by staff with years of experience in private sector lettings, DSU Lettings was established with the aim of being different to all the other lettings agencies in Leicester.

FeesDSU Lettings is the only major lettings agency in Leicester that charges no agency fees for students. Fees of up to 150 per person are charged by most other agents just to sign the tenancy.

SecurityDSU Lettings is wholly owned and run by your Students Union, an organisation with real financial and business strength. DSU holds awards- quality marks from the Legal Services Commission, Investors in People and SUEI.

In line with industry best practice, your rent is held in a separate client account for payment to your landlord and your deposits are held by the Governments Deposit Protection Scheme. Unlike some, we dont need your rent to pay our wage bills. Your money and deposit are safe in our hands.

TrustWe know that DMU students trust us to provide quality services so we hope that our lettings service will be a natural place for you to search for your next house. For the 2010-11 academic year, we have let 70 houses, ranging from studio apartments to 7 bedroom shared houses, far exceeding our original targets.

Why not check out our website for some honest feedback from our current tenants and landlords, to help you see what you can expect from us. We know that were unique in our approach to student housing, but dont just take our word for it, see for yourself!

HonestyWe use a simple contract with easy to understand terms. We absolutely encourage you to take the contract away to read or get it checked out by the Student Unions independent Welfare & Education Centre, and unlike some agencies, we wont ask for a deposit before you can get a copy of the contract. Your parents can even view a copy online for peace of mind.

Formoreinformation,checkoutthe DSULettingswebsiteatwww.dsulettings.com

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Welfare and Education CentreDo you have a problem or

need some advice? Maybe youve just been accused of plagiarism or you think your lecturer has marked

you unfairly. You might have just been messed

around by your landlord. There may be a problem

with your visa. Maybe your boss has just fired you

for no apparent reason. If this sounds like you, the

Welfare and Education Centre is the place to go!

BasedonthefirstfloorofTheCampusCentre,thecentrehousesfourprofessionalexpertswhocanofferyoufree,impartialandconfidentialadviceaboutalloftheseissuesandmanymore.

They can assist you with virtually any welfare or course related problem whilst you are studying at this university. They aim to provide everything from one-off simple advice to long-term casework support, and also provide advocacy for DMU students both within the University and to external organisations, eg. representing you at a DMU disciplinary hearing or in court to recover your housing deposit.

They can help you navigate through all the red tape, get your argument made in the strongest possible way and give you all the support you need. Plus, theyre all lovely!

The typical issues the centre can help you with are:

Housing Finance Immigration Academic Problems Employment Complaints

The entrance to the Welfare and Education Centre is located within the Students Union on the first floor of the Campus Centre Building.The reception provides a private area to make appointments or discuss your problems away from the main Union reception.

Opening HoursMondaytoWednesday: 9.30 am 3.45 pmThursday(TermTime):9.30 am 6.30 pm Thursday(Vacation):9.30 am 3.45 pmFriday:1.00 pm 3.45 pm

Call in, telephone 0116 257 6307 or visit www.demontfortstudents.com/welfare

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dsulettings.com

A lettings agency owned and run by YOUR Students Union

No Agency fees Protected Deposits

Simple, easy to understand contracts Fully inspected housing

Tel: 0116 257 6303www.dsulettings.com

DSU ActiveHere at DSU we

offer a diverse and extremely well

organised range of activities and

events. With over 90 different things

to choose from youre spoilt for

choice! If you cant see anything youre

interested in then why not even set

up a club yourself?!

Beyond the obvious health benefits of playing sport or keeping active, you shouldnt forget the fabulous social life that goes with it. If you ask any club member what the best part of their club is it is almost certain to be the social events and the friends they have made through their chosen activities. Nights out, meals and the annual sports tour makes it easy for you to forget all about league tables and point scores.

During the Freshers Festival on Thursday 30 September and Friday 1 October our clubs and societies will be set up around the Union where you have the opportunity to sign up and purchase your DSU Active Card that enables you to participate in as many activities as you like and all for a one off fee of 31. This fee covers all the affiliation costs, personal insurance and travel costs associated with your chosen team, with all monies being

channeled back into each sport club. DSU Active Cards are mandatory for all participating students. NO CARD, NO PLAY! Its a small price to pay for a better University experience!

Saturday 2 October will allow you the chance to get involved and have a go at our taster sessions. That way you can try lots of new things as well as activities you already love!

DSU Active Cards are also available to buy at www.demontfortstudents.com

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DSU SocietiesDSU doesnt just stop at its

Sports Clubs. We have a wide range of Societies, which

cater for all tastes and cultures with activities as diverse as

Burlesque, Capoiera and the gospel choir all the way through to the Cocktail Society, Internet Gaming, Poi and the Christian Union. If there isnt anything to

take your fancy then we can help you to set one up! After

last years successful re-launch of the RAG Society (Raise

and Give) we will be hosting more events to raise money

for various charities around the country and in Leicester.

The Society Fair is held on the Thursday of Freshers Festival alongside the Sports Clubs. This event is an absolute necessity with the Students Union providing the arena for the sports teams and societies battling it out for your membership.

Membership prices may vary depending on the nature of the club but again its a small price to pay for an enhanced University experience.

To join a society and buy your membership now, go to www.demontfortstudents.com

Interested in setting up a new society? Contact Liam Davis, Vice President Student Activities at L.Davis@dmu.ac.uk

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DSU VolunteeringThe DSU Volunteering

office enables you to get involved in your local

community through a wide variety of volunteering

opportunities. We have a DSU Volunteering Student Committee who promote volunteering by helping to run taster days and bigger

events throughout the year.

WhyVolunteer?Personal connection with cause To meet new people and be part of a team To do something worthwhile Have fun Work experience/gain new skills for your CV Get out of the house To be involved in the local community To be challenged To make a difference

WhatvolunteeringcanIdo?Volunteering can involve anything from teaching music workshops, helping your local environment by building a bird box, to coaching a local sports team or holding your own fundraising event.

Howlongwillittake?You can volunteer one hour a week or more on ongoing projects, one off days or even start your own student-led project. You really can volunteer as much or as little time as you want.

Whatdoesitcost?Volunteering will not cost you a penny as all of your out-of-pocket expenses will be

reimbursed. We can also help you with financial support if you would like to set up your own student-led volunteer project.

IhaventvolunteeredbeforedoIneedanyexperience?No previous experience is necessary! You will get all the training you need to volunteer and full support from DSU Volunteering staff, who are on hand to deal with any problems that may arise.

WillIberecognisedformyvolunteering?Whether you do one hour of volunteering or a hundred you will receive a certificate from DSU

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Volunteering, which will be presented to you at our end of year Celebration Evening. The DSU Volunteering Student Committee will also invite you to social events, so you will be able to meet up with other volunteers.

HowdoIfindoutmore?We are always happy to help, so if you would like a chat about volunteering please feel free to pop in and see us in the Volunteering Office (Room 1.30 in your Students Union.) We are open Mon Fri from 10am until 4pm. For the latest volunteering opportunities, news and events please visit www.demontfortstudents.com/volunteering

To become a DSU Volunteer please contact us (details below) for a registration form or visit the website to register online.

ContactusTelephone:(0116) 257 6304 E-mail: volunteer@dmu.ac.uk

Visit us in the Students Union (First Floor Campus Centre Building, Room 1.30). Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/DSUVolunteering YouTube: www.youtube.com/DSUVolunteering Flickr:www.flickr.com/photos/dsuvolunteering

Whatsyournameandwhatcoursedoyoudo?

Nadia Hafeez studying BSc (Hons) Business Information Technology currently in my third year.

WhatvolunteeringhaveyoudoneatDSU?

I took part in volunteering at the DSU Sexual Education, Campaign & Support (SECS) Clinic.

Whatmadeyouwanttovolunteer?

I remember when I first started university I didnt quite know my way around places and wished that I did. I then started to realise that I may not be the only one and that there were many issues that students wanted to raise but hesitated. I decided to help out in

any way I could and that is when volunteering came into the picture. It wasnt a planned decision or the field that I would have usually chosen, but at the time I wanted experience in volunteering and believed that helping students through the SECS Clinic would be a good place to start.

Whyshouldstudentsgetinvolvedinvolunteeringatuniversity?

Students should definitely get involved with volunteering as it helps with confidence, experience and enables you to gain new skills as well as enhancing on your current skills. Whats more, its a brilliant asset to add to your CV and also gives you time to mingle with other volunteers and get your communication levels up and running. Its a great and rewarding way to help others as well as helping yourself, and to have fun whilst at university. There is a huge variety of volunteering to chose from so why not check out the DSU website or visit the staff in the DSU Volunteering Office and see what volunteering can do for you!

Nadia Hafeez Profile of a DSU Volunteer

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RAG The Raise and Give SocietyRAG is a student-run charitable fundraising

organisation. Our aim is to raise as much money for

charity as possible in weird and wonderful ways with the

focus being on having fun. Just like in the sports and societies RAG provides a

platform for you to meet new people and experience new

things.

Have you ever been on a jailbreak? On a raid?

Travelled Europe for free? No? Join RAG!

Previouseventshaveincluded

Jailbreaks where students have to go on a mission to get as far away from University using nothing but their haggling and hitch hiking skills. There is only one rule... You cant spend a penny!

Rag Raid going to different part of the country to collect as much money as possible in a limited time period.Pinky A Pink themed night to raise money for Breast Cancer. Slave Auction Fancy making one of the exec your slave? How much is it worth to you?

Waxes, moustaches, world records and baked

bean baths every little helps so if you want to get involved with RAG please sign up at this years Freshers Festival or alternatively contact Liam Davis, VP Student Activities, at L.Davis@dmu.ac.uk

Joining RAG is a great way to meet new people and have great fun but it also looks great on your CV showing perspective employees how well rounded and enthusiastic you are.

We are looking to increase the amount of people getting involved with RAG in order to raise even more money for charity. The possibilities for raising money are endless so get involved!

We will be raising money for Great Ormond Street Childrens Hospital plus local charities throughout the year, even with a cheeky trip to Amsterdam!

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Demon MediaDemon Media is DSUs

very own award winning media group. Acting as a

mouthpiece for student views, opinions and

interests, it is diverse and exciting! Boasting

impressive opportunities in TV, radio and print,

the Demon Media group improve their output and

the opportunities available to students on a yearly

basis.

Demon TV Demon TV is our youngest media strand but is consistently gathering momentum. With a wide range of skills to pick up including behind the scenes editing, camera work, directing or scriptwriting to presenting and acting in front of the camera, the possibilities are endless. You can check out the programmes that Demon TV have made and more information on how to join by simply going to www.demontv.co.uk

The DemonThe Demon is Demon Medias newspaper which covers every

conceivable section that De Montfort Students could ever need, ranging from national, local and student news to film and music reviews with

some Sport and Fashion thrown in too. The paper is released every fortnight and will be launching online this year so there are more

opportunities than ever for everyone to get involved with Demon Media. You can pick up the latest copy of the paper from the drop bins around campus and in various locations across the

city. You can also read the current and previous issues by going on to www.demontfortstudents.com/demon

Demonyour station your rules

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The Demon Media AwardsEach year Demon Media celebrates the very best of the incredible talent we have within our student media.

One night a year is set aside to praise those who have excelled in their fields and this years awards are no different. We have industry professionals lined up to judge your entries for the awards and were confident it will be a night you wont forget! Well keep you posted on all the details you need!

Demon Media is proud to be able to give

students opportunities that your course may not

necessarily provide for you and build your CV

to look very impressive. By working with Demon

Media you could also get yourself a DSU Award

which will really make you stand out from the rest!

To get your Demon Media membership now,

head online to www.demontfortstudents.com or contact Amy

Seabrook at aseabrook@dmu.ac.uk

Demon FMDemon FM is the longest

running media strand with Demon Media and will be celebrating its

15th Birthday this year! Since 1995

its been broadcasting student made content to the population of Leicester. With an eclectic range of shows, from Dubstep to funk, to soul and Heavy

Metal, Demon FM offers you the opportunity to create and present the show that you want to make and hear, it is

literally Radio on your terms. Demon FM broadcasts as a community licence around Leicester on 107.5 FM and across the world online at www.demonfm.co.uk, where you can find out all about the station and how to get involved.

107.5

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Three Great

Media for just 21

107.5Demon

your station your rule

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DSU CampaignsBeing part of the

Campaigns Team is a great way to engage with members of the

student body, make friends and express

your personal passions and views.

As part of the team, there will be

a wide range of campaigns which everybody will want to be involved in or conduct. With my help change can be

made from the awareness that you create.

The current campaigns for this academic year are:

Drinking Responsibly Freshers Week onwards Big Switch Off 1117 October Green Week 2529 October SHAG Week including World Aids Day 30 Nov - 3 Dec Housing and Tenancy Rights January Healthy Living and Eating April

Our resident cacti Clive and Chloe will be out in force this year, showing you all the dangers of drink spiking.

Theyll be around during Freshers Week too, so make sure you look out for them and their teams, who will be sneakily spiking the unattended drinks in The Venue on behalf of DSU to show you how easy it can be done!!

If you are interested in any of the above campaigns or have an issue that you would like to campaign about please dont hesitate to contact me.

As well as running Campaigns, other events will be organised to increase your University experience through the Students Union.

THEOPPORTUNITIESAREENDLESSSOGETINVOLVED!!

If you want more information regarding Campaigns or the Campaigns Team, contact Sarah Miles, VP Welfare, at s.miles@dmu.ac.uk

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Fund Our FightDSU are always trying to

make sure that the student voice is heard. Throughout

the year, we run campaigns that students

can involve themselves in, both in the activities, but also in the running

and organisation of these campaigns.

However, we want to make sure that you have the opportunity to run your own campaigns and we believe that the students union should help you fund and run it.

As a result, weve set up Fund Our Fight to allow you to bid for money from DSU to run a campaign that means the most to you. It could be anything, fighting oppression in Burma, running activities around abolishing the gay blood ban or supporting the University in lowering its carbon footprint.

Fund our Fight gives you the opportunity to bid for funding to run the campaign you want to see happen. After youve made your proposal and submitted it, the entries will be shortlisted by members of student council and then a winner will be decided by a short poll.

The winner will then receive the funds to run their campaign with additional support in terms of planning and strategy.

Look out for the first round of bidding near the beginning of the first term.

For more information on Fund Our Fight, email the DSU President, Andy Schooledge at aschooledge@dmu.ac.uk.

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DSU OnlineDe Montfort Students

Union is working hard to bring you the latest news, events and opportunities in new ways, and theres lots of ways you can find

out more about your union online.

demontfortstudents.comYou can find out all the latest thats happening at DSU, learn about what your exec are up to, whats going on in Level 1 and buy tickets, shop for hoodies and other DSU merchandise and much more. Our web site, at www.demontfortstudents.com, brings you all thats going on in your union.

And if you register, theres even more to enjoy. You can sign up for all of our clubs and societies, plus volunteering and Demon Media, and you can receive our regular newsletter, with exclusive offers for registered members.

DSU for your iPhoneDe Montfort Students Union is proud to be one of the first students unions in the UK to offer our own application for iPhone and iPod Touch. With exclusive offers and opportunities to get involved, plus all the latest news and events and our game, SNAKE BITE, its a great way to have your union with you, wherever you are. Find it at www.demontfortstudents.com/iphone.

FacebookDSU has its own page on Facebook where you can catch up on the latest news and join in the discussion about whats going on in DSU. Find us at www.demontfortstudents.com/facebook.

TwitterDSU has a big presence on Twitter, and alongside our main feed at @demontfortsu, you can also follow our exec, each of whom has their own account (see page 3). In addition theres DSU Volunteering at @dsuvolunteering, DSU Elections at @votedsu (during elections only), @demonmedia, @demonfm and more.

YouTubeDSU has its own YouTube channel at www.demontfortstudents.com/youtube. Here you can watch the latest exec blogs, election manifestos and lots from Demon Media and DSU Active.

For more on whats happening online at DSU, visit us at www.demontfortstudents.com.

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Your Union. Wherever you are.

The DSU iPhone app. Available now free on the App Store.

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