Welcome!

We’ll start at 12.00

Practical Tools for supporting student’s of faith and belief

Sukhi KainthProject Manager Campus Cohesion and Interfaith

You won’t be able to speak

Use the box on the left of your screen to say hello

You won’t hear any sound until westart

Get the most of out of the webinar by turning off other programmes sothey won’t distract you

Use the chat box on the left if you have any questions as we go throughthe session

Aim

How do students’ union get students of faith and belief to engage affecting with their students’ union

Objectives

• Learn more about the Campus Cohesion and Interfaith Project plus the team

• Identify traditional barriers to engaging faith and belief groups/societies

• Identify examples of enabling policy and procedures • Illustrate examples of good practice in mitigating risk

against external speakers• Introduce external influences on faith and belief

groups/societies • Explain what funding is available for interfaith initiatives • Provide examples of previous initiative winners

Introduction – Campus Cohesion and Interfaith

Since 2009, with funding from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (DBIS), NUS has taken a clear leadership role in delivering its responsibilities of supporting students’ unions to:

• How to mitigate external speakers risk• Understand Prevent agenda• Respond to tensions between different student faith groups• Support student faith groups to negotiate for improved services• Increase interaction, understanding and learning amongst students

and staff about the role of religion and belief in students’ lives.

Project Objectives

Hate Speech:To ensure SUs are equipped to manage their responsibilities under charity legislation and able to implement the guidance on external speakers some project actions include:• Deliver training on Hate Speech Guidance, in two regions and support 30 students’ unions to implement the

guidance• Deliver training to our staff and officer through our summer training programme

Hate Crime:To tackle student-targeted hate crime on campus and (far right) extremism in local communities some project actions include:• Create case studies from exemplary practice of hate crime reporting centres in students’ unions• Produce a resource on how to set up a hate crime reporting centre in a students’ union or in partnership with

the institution

Interfaith:To improve the experiences of students’ of faith in further and higher education actions include:• Promote and facilitate activities across unions during National Interfaith Week• Run two network meetings of the national student faith groups help build the capacity of these organisations to

support their members to engage more with students’ unions locally.

Research Project:• To understand the extent to which students might become isolated and vulnerable, in particular looking at

pastoral support and tutor contact.

s

What barriers prevent students’ union from engaging with students of faith or belief?

Identify examples of enabling policy and procedures Equality of procedures

New Club and Society Application Form

Name of Club / Society

Contact Details

Name Email

Phone Number: Student ID Number

Describe the core aims and objectives of the Club/Society (max 250 words please use bullet points)

The visions and values of the Students’ Union are to be Student Led, Honest & Accountable, Democratic and Representative, Passionate, Inclusive, Professional. Briefly explain how you would aim to meet each one? (max 250 words please use bullet points)

What facilities would you require, please state:

Lecture Room Classroom

How Often How Often

Sports Hall 3G Pitch

How Often How Often

Grass Pitch Studio

How Often How Often

Harpur Hill Other

How Often How Often

What equipment would need to run your Club/Society (max 250 words please use bullet points)

NB: Please state any cost of equipment

Please answer all the following questions:

What would be your proposed membership fee?

Would you require any storage facilities? Yes No

Would you affiliate with any external organisation Yes No

If yes please state which one

Would your Club or Society invite in any guest speakers? Yes No

Would you require the use of a Club Coach/Instructor/Official Yes No

If yes what would this be for?

Would you be receiving a donation/sponsorship Yes No or external funding

If yes please state which one

Please also complete the interested members sheet, all completed forms must

be returned to AU President (Clubs) or VP Student Development (Societies)

ADMIN USE ONLY: RECEIVED BY on FOLLOW UP ACTIONS:

Ensure that all forms are represented of both societies and where possible of sports clubsDo not create separate or distinct forms for faith and belief Societies and Groups

Illustrate examples of good practice in mitigating risk

Donation Form

How to Donate By post: Complete this form and return it to: University of Derby Students’ Union, Kedleston Road, Derby, DE22 1GB. Our preferred payment method is by cheque made payable to ‘University of Derby Students Union’ By bank transfer: Sort Code: 20-25-85 Account Number 20495581 In person: Come in to see the Societies/Athletic Union Team.

Donor Details

Organisation: Contact Name :

Contact Address:

Postcode:

Email: Telephone Number:

Details of the Club or Society you would like to donate to:

Club/Society Name:

Contact Name: Additional Information

Donation I would like to donate:

£10

£20

£50

£100

Other Amount (£): Items in Kind

GiftAid Use Gift Aid and you can make your donation worth more. For every pound you give to us, we get an extra 25 pence from the Inland Revenue. If you are a UK taxpayer and would like to use Gift Aid to make this donation and all other future donations please tick the box below

Yes I am a UK Taxpayer and wish to Gift Aid this donation.

Donors Signature Date Admin Notes

Trustees have a legal duty and responsibility under charity law to protect the funds and other property of their charity so that it can be applied for its intended beneficiaries. Charity Commission – Compliance Toolkit

Consider Sponsorship procedures too

University of Derby Sponsorship Policy and Guidelines

BackgroundThese policies and guidelines are designed to help Students’ Union Clubs and Societies make the most out of any possible sponsorship agreements and at the same time protect the Club or Society from “Over Promising and under delivering”.

Introduce external influences on faith and belief groups/societies

A The Christian Union (CU) has issued a memo to its members that states women will not be allowed to teach at its regular meetings and major events, unless accompanied by their husbands.

Omar Sharif, a suicide bomber in Tel Aviv in 2003, was radicalised during his first year at King's College London after he attended Hizb-ut-Tahrir meetings on campus;

Anthony Garcia, convicted for his role in the 2004 'fertiliser' bomb plot, attended religious talks in the late 1990s at the University of East London Islamic Society;

At a union fresher’s fair, the local Atheist and Humanist Society (AHS) have placed a pineapple they have named Mohammed on their stall, in order, they say, to make a point about the religion, blasphemy and freedom of speech.

Mohammed Naveed Bhatti, convicted for his role in Dhiren Barot's 2004 'dirty bomb' plot, was studying at Brunel University and met Barot in the university's prayer room.

Policy to support decision making

Equal Opportunities 6. In pursuance of these objects, the National Union will not tolerate, and shall seek to eradicate, discrimination on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation, disability, ethnic origin, religion, age, nationality, caring responsibility status, creed or gender identity, and will be independent of any party political organisation or religious body; but positive action in favour of any disadvantaged section of society shall be allowed.

No Platform Policy 7. In pursuance of the National Union’s objects, any individuals or members of organisations or groups identified by the Democratic Procedures Committee as holding racist or fascist views shall not be allowed to stand for election to any National Union office, or go to, speak or take part in National Union conferences, meetings or any other National Union events, and Officers, Committee Members and Trustees shall not share a public platform with an individual or member of an organisation or group known to hold racist or fascist views. The Democratic Procedures Committee shall develop Rules for the operation of the National Union’s “no platform” policy which shall need the approval of the National Conference.

8. In addition, as part of the National Union’s no platform policy: 8.1 a person or organisation or group may be subject to the National Union’s "no platform" policy from time to time because of a decision of the National Conference; 8.2 a list of the individuals, organisations and groups subject to the

NUS Constitution

Tools for mitigating risk against external speakers speakers

• Charity Commission Compliance Toolkit

• NUS Mitigating the risks associated with external speakers

Other consideration

External Speakers and Institutions

London Met’s Notes of guidance All events held at the University must comply with London Met’s statement of values and Code of Practice on freedom of speech. Any request for a guest speaker event must be made at least two weeks in advance (three weeks if the meeting is to be open to the public). If we have any queries regarding the suitability of the speaker, we will require an extra week before the booking can be approved. All speakers will need to be approved by the University before they are invited. It is the event organiser’s responsibility to make guest speakers aware that the University aims to promote mutual respect and understanding within a healthy atmosphere of questioning and debate within the law. Accordingly any behaviour that is deemed to incite hatred against another person or group is unacceptable. Speakers at an event must agree to take questions from any member of the audience. The University reserves the right to refuse any booking. The University also reserves the right to monitor any event on its premises and if necessary to close any event and require all persons to leave. Event organisers may wish to consider whether to insure against the risks and costs of cancellation, but should note that the University cannot advise in this regard.

Reputational Risk

‘’As part of their charity law duties, trustees must always act in the best interests of their charity. They must act reasonably and prudently and they must ensure that the charity's funds, assets and reputation are not placed at undue risk, and that it is complying with the wider legal framework. They must not engage in activities which would lead a reasonable member of the public to conclude the charity supports terrorism’’

Charity Commission

Who are the national student faith and belief organisations?

Atheist, Humanist and Secular Students (AHS)

Baha'i Community of the UK

British Organisation of Sikh Students (BOSS)

Federation of Student Islamic Societies (FOSIS)

National Hindu Student Forum (NHSF)

Network for Buddhist Organisations

National Student Sikh Alliance

Student Christian Movement (SCM)

UCCF: the Christian Unions

Union of Jewish Students (UJS)

Young Jains

Useful links in supporting decision making

UUK- Freedom of speech on campusChannel GuidanceCharity Commission ToolkitNUS- Managing the risks associated with external speakersProscribed groups list

www.nusconnect.org.uk/campaigns/welfare/faith/

s

What funding is available for interfaith initiatives ?

Students’ Union Example Interfaith Initiatives Winners

The project was to organise and host a 2 day event in National Interfaith Week as a collaboration between the University of Bristol Islamic Society (BRISOC) and the University of Bristol Jewish Society (JSOC)

Students’ Union Example Interfaith Initiatives Winners

Link to the blog - http://keelemultifaithblog.blogspot.co.uk/?m=1

 Project Aims To develop a multi-faith blog and online forum for interfaith

engagement. To increase involvement in the recently formed multi-faith

forum. To host a multi-faith fair based on ‘culture, faith & food’.

Review Objectives

• Learn more about the Campus Cohesion and Interfaith Project plus the team

• Identify traditional barriers to engaging faith and belief groups/societies

• Identify examples of enabling policy and procedures • Illustrate examples of good practice in mitigating risk

against external speakers• Introduce external influences on faith and belief

groups/societies • Explain what funding is available for interfaith initiatives • Provide examples of previous initiative winners

Thank-you

Colum McGuireVP WelfareColum.mcguire@nus.org.uk

Sukhi KainthProject Manager sukhi.kainth@nus.org.uk07585969866

Zahra Latif Project Officer FE and Nations Zahra.Latif@nus.org.uk07785615617

www.nusconnect.org.uk/campaigns/welfare/faith/

Next steps

• Briefing

• Survey

• Next webinar: 19th June 2014, 12:00-13:00‘Student Opportunities aren’t political?’