Manifesto for Publicity Officer

James Frith-lees, Publicity

Wednesday 15th of February 2017

What have I done so far?

• SAGUWE’s current Media and Publicity officer
  • SAGUWE paid membership has grown 50% since last year
  • SAGUWE active membership has doubled since last year and we’ve got a strong presence at all SSAGO events
  • Designed SAGUWE’s flag
  • Designed all SAGUWE’s merchandise - examples can be found here
  • Mades lots of SAGUWE videos - examples can be found here and below
  • Restarted the club from scratch in my second year
• Ran SSAGO Spring Rally 2016 (Feb-U-Rally) as camp Chair, which grew by 30% on the previous year’s Spring rally, including designing the website (which can be viewed here)
• Publicised and helped run SSAGO South West regional Freshers camp 2016, which doubled in size from last year to over 80 this year, including designing the website (which can be viewed here)
• Have written articles for SSAGO news (which can be viewed here and here)
• Have got my Cub pack into the next edition of Scouting magazine 
• Designed lots of badges, including the above events and 50th SSAGO anniversary badge!

What am I going to do next?

• Provide more club level SSAGO publicity materials (inc. freebies for Freshers fairs!)
• Pass ideas between clubs for what works in getting and keeping new members 
• Push for our biggest membership yet… aim for the 1000 
  • Which would only be around 7 members extra average across the 46 clubs… achievable!
• Continue to educate the TSA and GGUK as to what SSAGO is, and what we can do for them as well as what they could do for us
• Run a “What is SSAGO?” talk at Gilwell Reunion 2017
• Continue to support the production of the Rally newsletter
• Toy with the idea of "Rally-radio", not just for those on camp but also to keep those stuck at home in the loop
• Make SSAGO-wide publicity videos and targeted social media adverts
• Widely advertise the upcoming SSAGO reunion event and SSAGO 48
• Aim to get this year's Rallies, Ball, SSAGO reunion and SSAGO 48 on regional (maybe even national) news
• Write more articles for SSAGO news
• Propose live streaming reps meetings and AGM for those at home
• Add change logs to policy documents/factsheet, and attempt to update all relevant ones
• Take Percival Platypus to MOOT!

Manifesto for Chair

Joshua Smith, Chair

Wednesday 15th of February 2017

Boring Stuff About Me!

This is my fourth year in SSAGO and I’m now in my final year of physics at the University of Southampton. Outside of studying I’m an Explorer Scout Leader, lead our local Network, which I helped establish over three years ago and have served on both National SSAGO and the Southampton SSAGO committee in various roles.

Why I’m Running?

Having survived being on Exec once before, I’ve had time to reflect on everything we did and want to use my experience to help take SSAGO forward! Our membership is over one thousand people, yet we rarely reach out and engage with them to find out what they want from SSAGO on a national level or to ask the for feedback on how events have gone. Only clubs and individuals attending national events get a voice, and even they don’t always know what SSAGO is doing on a nationally. I think we should involve the membership more in the running of SSAGO.

Every Exec sets out to update and fix our policy, rules and factsheets, yet none ever have the time to achieve this. This could be completely overhauled with the memberships assistance. As an Exec we should set out to everyone what we intend to achieve during our tenure and lay out plans for the longer term development of SSAGO to create more continuity between years.

I want to take SSAGO forward by embracing the membership and getting them more involved and informed in how we run nationally, to tackle the repeated issues of the past, and to lay the groundwork for our continued success going into the future, including continuing to cement our relations with Scouting and Guiding. The most important thing I learnt on Exec is that alone there is only so much five individuals can achieve.

What Would I Actually Do?

Why would I be suitable for the role?

Scouting is my life, both within SSAGO and outside of it. As National Secretary for 2015/16 I updated and made accessible to all members every policy document, factsheet and minutes dating back to 1998. This laid the foundation for a far bigger project to review these documents, something I feel is seriously needed.

Beyond SSAGO I’ve been running Southampton City Network, developing it from a mad idea on the way back from Sheffield Rally 2013 (my first rally) into one of the largest and most active in the country. I’ve run over 30 camps and countless events over the past few years, and feel this has given the skills I would need to effectively lead a national organisation like SSAGO.

I have lots of experience building relationships in both Scouting and Girlguiding within Hampshire and from being on Exec. Having sat on my local District Exec, Network Committee, Southampton SSAGO Committee to name but a few, I am very experienced in working with a vast amount of people from many different backgrounds. I have also dealt with the background admin, planning and logistical side of things, considering not just the short term but the long term future which is something I feel SSAGO could greatly benefit from.

If You Made It To The End…

Congratulations on reaching the end! To sum up, I will significantly increase member engagement and involvement in the running of National SSAGO, to complete a much needed overhaul of our policy and to lay the groundwork for SSAGO’s continued success long into the future.

Manifesto for Secretary

Lauren Whittaker, Secretary

Wednesday 15th of February 2017

I am currently in my 3^rd year studying Archaeology and Geography at the University of Southampton. Next year I am doing a Masters in Geospatial and Mapping Sciences at the University of Glasgow. This will mean moving from a very active club to a relatively new club but I hope to bring along my enthusiasm to help the club grow whilst I’m there for a year.

If you ask anyone who knows me they will say that I am very keen about SSAGO and some would describe my excitement for SSAGO as being off the scale!! I have always been heavily involved in SSAGO and I believe that it is an important way of carrying on Guiding and Scouting at university. As I’m so keen I have been to lots of socials and all of the camps in Southampton, all of the rallies so far, Witan this summer and helped to staff Dino rally. I am very active within Southampton SSAGO, regularly help at a local Brownie unit and have recently gone to Southampton City Network events. I am very passionate about Scouting and Guiding which has certainly grown during my time at university and as secretary I am to bring my enthusiasm to the national level.

Why I would be suitable for the role

I have been on various committees whilst being at university both in our Duke of Edinburgh society and within Southampton SSAGO. This year I have been joint social secretary for Southampton SSAGO, which is a major part of our society and involves organising weekly socials, termly camps as well as being involved in organising transport to ensure that we can get to national events. Currently I am the secretary for our International trip to Switzerland happening this summer and I have developed Oliver Bills approved minutes as part of this role! Within the DofE society I am currently President and have further experience being secretary last year. I feel that having gained lots of experience working in a team that I am ready to be part of the National Exec as secretary.

P.s. I already know how to look after Rex and will make sure that I won’t leave him behind like on Witan!

What I aim to improve

• Aim to write and present the minutes more quickly to ensure that there is plenty of time for the minutes to be read in between rallies.
• Continue to make more regular and improved communications between the National Exec and reps from clubs, by carrying on the improvements made this year such as the introduction of the Facebook group.
• Improve our relations between SSAGO and SAGGA by inviting them to rallies and ball.

Final comments

During my time in SSAGO my passion has grown and grown (despite being very keen to start with)! I have enjoyed being part of Southampton SSAGO committee over the last year to organise events for the club. I would therefore like to carry on my involvement at a national level in order to give back something to SSAGO which I have really enjoyed being part of over the past 2 ½ years to make it even bigger and better!! 

Manifesto for Members Officer

Anona Mann, Members

Wednesday 15th of February 2017

Little Bit about me...

I am Anona from Hallam Uni and even though this is only my second year within SSAGO, I feel like it has been jam packed with all things SSAGOey! I am currently Secretary of HUGS and Activities Officer for the HUGS Best of British Rally, as well as a leader at both Beavers and Cubs. I also helped to set up our local Network Group in Oxford and was the Chair until I had to move to uni, however this hasn’t stopped me from making sure we have events during the holidays. I also like to help at as many events as I can, such as Gilwell 24, Winter Camp, and local Scouting events and always like to get stuck in where ever I can!

As part of my role in HUGS I have been working with the Hallam DC and local units of girl guiding to start to create recourses for HUGS (and StinGS) to help them find groups to volunteer at (lets hope I can finalise them soon). I am also having discussions on planning events with Explorers and Ranger Units within Sheffield to introduce them to SSAGO, as well as creating a week where each member of HUGS can go visit a local group so they can see if they would like to carry on helping. I am ridiculously organised and this helps me to keep on top of things both within scouting and uni. My Organisation has also helped to keep HUGS running smother, from making sure weekly events happen to looking over membership and keeping strong contacts between SSAGO and our SU so we can work as one.

As Membership Officer...
-I will keep on top of making sure memberships are all up to date and keep close connections with all groups especially with our ever-growing contact with overseas groups.

-Help to create links between groups however small or how long they have been set up, to do more events together outside national events to help SSAGO integrate more with one another. This is something that has worked between HUGS and StinGS.

-I will work closely with the publicity officer to continue to increase membership both from within universities, overseas and scouting and guiding.

My life seems to revolve around scouts and SSAGO and it has been such an amazing experience that I never want to lose! With scouting three times a week life is never boring, especially when I set my self lovely task such as making the HUGS flag and other things to use at events, as well as anything with glitter involved!!

If you haven't met me I love dinosaurs and during the elections for HUGS where I ran for secretary, I SSAGO guaranteed that I would put dinosaurs on everything I do while being sectary, and so far I have been successful! I hope this shows you all my commitment to keeping to what I say.

So thank you for getting this far though my manifesto, as a reward you can see the lovely HUGS signature I have created (and even dressed up as at Dino Rally).

Manifesto for Treasurer

Frances Milroy, Treasurer

Wednesday 15th of February 2017

Fran for National SSAGO Treasurer

SSAGO has had a big impact on my life; before I joined uni I was considering quitting Scouting and Guiding whereas SSAGO has kept me involved. Before I joined SSAGO, other than back home (because I knew people) I wouldn't have stayed a part of Guiding and was beginning to lose interest. Joining SSAGO has made me realise how much of a big friendship network I can gain from both organisations, and how much I want to continue to be part of that. Expecially for uni students, I think it is an important transition place for people to remain connected to Scouting and Guiding, and I see the importance of this continued relationship. Through my work as treasurer, I want to fund different activities within different clubs and also nationally to help SSAGO keep doing the work it continues to do, but also expand upon that nationally and help SSAGO continue to grow. As part of my work as treasurer, I would like to produce an archive of a number of the previous successful applications towards the SSAGO dev fund, as a way to demonstrate to other clubs the types of things that people can (and have) succcessfully claimed for (and not just sail flags!). As the current co-chair of PLUGS, I have a very good level of experience in being involved in a SSAGO committee. In addition, I want to continue the excellent work performed by the current SSAGO treasurer, and demonstrate the skills and responsibilities necessary for the national SSAGO treasurer. 

Manifesto for Members Officer

Lloyd Pearson, Members

Friday 12th of February 2016

Who am I?

My name is Lloyd and I’m a 2^nd Year Computer Scientist from the University of Southampton. I’m an active member within SSAGO and Network as well as being a Scout and Explorer leader. I’ve been heavily involved in Scouting since 2006 which has given me a wide range of skills that will lend well to this position such as talking to new people and being enthusiastic about SSAGO.

Does your degree help?

As a Computer Scientist I spend a lot of time with large amounts of data. The SSAGO membership system has a lot of data and needs to be handled correctly. I’m good friends with Oliver Bills (Webmaster) and would like to work closely with him to help improve the accessibility of the system for new members. This work will include adding documentation to help demystify some of the hidden features.

 

Anything else?

Over the last year, I demonstrated my commitment to SSAGO as a Social Secretary for Southampton, working hard to make sure there was an event being run for the club every week.  The socials are an essential part of keeping the club alive and promoting SSAGO's core values.  Also this has given me experience in being on a committee and working with other like-minded people.

Final thoughts

I hope this manifesto has shown you the vast range of experience I have that will help prepare me for this role and the challenges that arise.  Please vote for me.

Manifesto for Publicity Officer

Oli Bills, Publicity

Friday 12th of February 2016

3 years ago, I had never been a Scout. I had never heard of SSAGO. I’d never even been on a camp. All thanks to SSAGO and accidentally ending up at the wrong stand at Fresher’s Fayre, that was all about to change... I immediately found myself amongst new friends and new experiences, and before I knew it I was Secretary then Social Sec for Southampton SSAGO, Webmaster for National SSAGO, Running the media team for the largest UK Jamboree, Media Manager for my Scout District and County, a Beaver leader and living a life that, outside of my studies, revolves entirely around SSAGO and Scouting. 

SSAGO has completely changed my life for the better, given me opportunities that I never would have had, and things will never be the same again. This is why publicity matters so much to me, because I want to make sure everyone has the opportunity to get involved like I did, that we need to spread the word to everyone about what SSAGO is and the amazing things we do and how it transforms lives.

What would I do if I had the opportunity?

Why vote for me?

Although my time in Scouting hasn't been as long, I have done my best to make the most of every opportunity and to get as involved as I can and to give back as much as possible for all that Scouting and SSAGO has given me. During this time, I have had experience in the following:

• Webmaster for National SSAGO for 2 years: I have had the privilege to work with two amazing executive committees as Webmaster for National SSAGO, doing my best to publicise SSAGO on the web while making clubs lives easier. During my time, I first built the membership system that provides the foundation for everything else, then the events system which we all use for Rally, Ball and now club events and most recently rebuilt the entire SSAGO website into something modern, attractive but most importantly, based on all the feedback that people gave me and this is what SSAGO wanted.
• Heavily involved with Southampton SSAGO: I've been secretary, webmaster and social secretary for Southampton SSAGO, having done everything from the behind the scenes administration to being at the forefront of what Southampton SSAGO does, getting people to join, come to every activity, and ensuring that they never leave. 
• Running a media team for Essex International Jamboree: I've had a great chance to get heavily involved in the running and media of the UK's largest international jamboree, Essex International Jamboree. I've been there from the very beginning when the next Jamboree was just on the horizon, right through to the fact it's now just around the corner this Summer. 
• Heavily involved in district, county and national Scouting Media: I am heavily involved in scouting media on a local level, county level and national level, from helping and supporting at National and County events, to getting media and news out to running training and inspiring new people into the potential of media, technology and what publicity can do for them. 
• Scouting and Guiding contacts: Throughout my media work, particularly with Essex International Jamboree, I have made many good links and contacts within both Scouting and Guiding, who I would like to work with further to aid the relationship of SSAGO.
• Inspiring and enthusing: I spend a lot of time enthusing, inspiring and informing, ranging from being a Beaver leader to a university lecturer, it's basically the same!

... and most importantly, as all my poor friends, family and colleagues will tell you, there is nothing I love more than SSAGO and everyone who makes it such a special thing! I spend all my time either doing SSAGO or talking about SSAGO, at least this way, I would be justified in doing so!

Finally, I spend my entire life trying to be a nice, positive and happy person. I like to think that I'm friendly, approachable, enthusiastic (sometimes a little over-enthusiastic, but I don't think that's a bad thing!) and there's the fact that I am unhealthily in love with SSAGO. While I may not have the most experience in some areas, if you can find someone as enthusiastic, passionate and willing to dedicate their life to SSAGO as me, please introduce us as we'd probably be good friends! 

If you like the sound of any of my ideas or the things that I would like to do and think that I would make a good candidate for the role of Publicity, please consider giving me this opportunity! If there's anything else you'd like to know or any questions you'd like to ask, do come and grab me at Rally!

Thank you for reading!

Manifesto for Treasurer

Andrew Amey, Treasurer

Friday 12th of February 2016

So after setting up SSAGO in my first year of Uni then chairing it all the way through I have come to run for National Exec! 

So who am I? 

I am the chair from Wolverhampton SSAGO, in January 2013 myself and two fellow members embarked on creating a network society which the university was missing! However this network society underwent a face lift and is what came to be Wolverhampton SSAGO! Just like Doctor Who Wolves SSAGO came back in another form from its earlier ancestors in 2008! Ever since I have chaired the society and undertaken a number of different roles such as running camps, and look after the accounts until a treasurer was found! 

In addition to this, I manage a area within a company which leaves me in charge of a lot of dosh! I reguarly bank over 2.5k! therefore I have the skills to ensure that all the money that the company takes is accounted for and deposited safely! 

What would I like to do with the role if elected? 

Well I would like to encourage the use of the development fund and would encourage new clubs to submit bids in order to promote their growth! Coming from a university that doesn't even give the society pencils for free I know how difficult it can be for clubs with no cash to function! which leads me to my second point! 

I would like to see the creation of a pot of money for new clubs which do not have access to any internal set up grants. Ideally this would be around £100 in order for them to purcahse items needed in order to flourish and to attract them beautiful Scouting, Guiding and weird and wonderful members.

I would like to work closely with rally and ball committees to ensure the financial assessibilty for these events ensuring they are cost effect and SSAGO members feel they are getting their moneys worth. 

Finanlly! 

Why vote for me? 

I am a hard working person who has the enthuasium to create and grow a society which has increased members each year of running. From last year to this year we have increased by 10 or so members cracking right? As well as winning an award for being the most improved society.  I am highly aware of the importance of ensuring SSAGO is accessible to every member whether they have lots of money or none! I also am very aware of the work needed to ensure we have a good committee which is able to fofill the roles in which are set out them. 

So lets have a wolf in the pack! 

Manifesto for Secretary

Ciara Billings, Secretary

Friday 12th of February 2016

Ciara for Secretary!

Who am I?

I’m a 2^nd year Speech and Language Therapy student at MMU, I’m also the current chair of Manchester SSAGO. Here, I could tell you my scouting biography, about how I’ve been in the Scouts since I was 6, and held various roles across sections, but instead I’m going to tell you about my time in SSAGO!

So, I’ve been a member of SSAGO since September 2013, starting out with Sheffield and then moving across the Pennines to Manchester SSAGO. During my time at Manchester I’ve had a few roles on the committee. First off, I was webmaster (I only broke the website once, I swears.) Then I was treasurer, (where I solemnly swear I laundered not a penny) and now I’m the Chair, where my main responsibilities include; making sure the good ship ManSSAGO continues to sail without controversy or conflict and also making sure MMU and UoM unions don’t find out we exist as one, or as I so eloquently put it in my nomination speech, “making it legit with the unions.”

Key things I’d hope to achieve:

•  Learn to type really fast.
• To write minutes that are both useful to other exec members and also all members of SSAGO, having read some of the previous minutes, I feel they lack context and whilst it may be inappropriate to make every word public, I would do my best (Getting my Scouting Buzzwords in, of course!) to make them accessible to those who weren’t there when the meeting was held.
• To continue maintaining relationships with GG and TSA put in motion by previous members of the exec.
• To help the members’ officer develop closer ties within Northern SSAGOs, because I think it works brilliantly in The Midlands and the “South West”!

Why me?

• I have experience of holding the role of secretary, currently I am secretary of MMU’s Speech Society, where my minutes have reduced other committee members to tears (of laughter, not sadness, I hasten to add!)
• Sometimes it seems like SSAGO national executives don’t change all that much over the years, for example this year, two of last year’s committee are re-running for the same role, that they have done well over the last year, but I want to add some new blood to the committee, as someone who has experience at club level but would like to expand that to national.
• I am committed to SSAGO – this very manifesto is being typed after a shift at work and in only a few hours, I’ll be on the 6am train to Bristol, sleep deprived, but ready to rally!
• If you hadn’t noticed, I am also female, this always seems to be raised at some point or other so I thought I’d get it over with now, however at the end of the day, gender doesn’t matter as long as you elect a person you’d be happy to represent you!

A final word…

If elected, I hope to add a touch of northern charm, because what is a committee without it?

Manifesto for Chair

Anna Duncan, Chair

Friday 12th of February 2016

I Think I would be a good chair as I have been on exec for Hallam for 3 years (yes I was on exec in first year!) and I've been chair for two!! I have also been a very active member of SSAGO for 3 years (the entire time I've been at uni) and this is my 8th Rally.

I want to:

(as always) improve connections between SSAGO and guiding and scouting as this is key to our development

I want to get the SSAGO name out to more students as this step is important in retaining members for guiding and scouting in the future but is also a great opportunity to create friends and contacts nationwide, and to explore the country!

Finally I also want to get more clubs talking to each other and working together. In my time as president of HUGS we have created links with StinGS and are currently planning an event with LUUSAG too which has meant more members on Rally!!  

This team building is key to the success of SSAGO in my eyes & this is what I can bring to exec. Hallam has come a long way in the three years I have been a part of it so with my experience SSAGO can go far in just a year!

VOTE ANNA!