1. Setting up a Club or Society
i. What Clubs and Societies are and How to Start One
A club or society is a student association which revolves around a common interest. This can be as broad as a society of people who share the name Seán to as narrow as a specific sport. They can really be about anything you and your peers think is fun or interesting.
To start a club/society, you must register it with the Students’ Union for the purposes of funding allocation. Each year, the committee must re-register the club/society.
A club/society, like most organizations, is made up of the ordinary members and the executive committee, who are the representatives and organizers of the club/society.
In IADT, ordinary members of clubs/societies do not generally have to register or pay a fee, but this varies across clubs/societies. While the exact number and specifics of roles on the (executive) committee varies, a minimum of 3 filled committee positions is required.
All club/society committee positions must be elected by members of the club/society at least once per year once they have been established. A formal election process is not required.
ii. Building up your new Club or Society
A club/society without any members is just an idea.
The first step in building a new club/society up is getting people involved, either as members or as part of the committee.
Some key ways to get people involved:
Reach out to friends/coursemates who might share a mutual interest
Register a table at the Clubs and Societies Sign-Up days which happen twice per year
Gather sign-ups around campus
Put up posters around campus with a QR code to your WhatsApp group
Create a Tiktok/Instagram page and follow some people
Ensuring each new member signs an interest form is incredibly important as part of your application to show there is an interest in your club/society from the student body.
Once you have members, your club/society will need to meet. Consistency is one of the key similarities across all successful clubs/societies, so focusing on what will keep the club/society going in the long term, over the course of the year and into the future, is more important than big events that take a huge amount of time and planning.
Regular open meetings, typically weekly, are how the longest running clubs/societies keep membership up and build community. The first few meetings will be quiet, but if you keep at it, people will start coming by.
iii. Submitting your application
Registering a Club/Society is facilitated by the Students’ Union for the purposes of the Clubs and Societies Oversight Committee, who review applications.
Links to document examples, templates, and the application form can be found on the committees hub.
ALL Clubs and Societies will need to provide the following:
Society Constitution OR Terms of Reference
Budget Proposal
Names, roles, and contact details of 3 committee members
Logins for any Club/Society social media and/or email accounts
Confirmation that 3+ committee members will attend mandatory trainings, if they have not already
NEW Clubs and Societies will need to provide the following:
A brief description of the Club/Society and how it will benefit IADT
Interest Form with signatures
CONTINUING Clubs and Societies will need to provide the following:
Previous year’s spending accounts
A report of the previous year’s activities
A new (or renewed) committee for the upcoming/current academic year
iv. Key advice for running a Club or Society
Running clubs or societies should be fun.
If it has stopped being fun, you should take a step back.
There will always be someone interested in maintaining a club/society. You are not an island and you should ask for help when you need it.
As much fun as they are, try not to forget that your other life responsibilities such as your studies/work come first, which goes for your entire committee.
If someone in the club/society isn't able to fulfill their roles, be understanding. It’s unpaid and done in your free time, so be kind to one another!