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Practical Tools for supporting
student’s of faith and belief
Sukhi Kainth
Project Manager Campus Cohesion and Interfaith
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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:
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•
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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:
•
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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
What equipment would need to run your Club/Society (max 250 words please
use bullet points)
NB: Please state any cost of equipment
Contact Details
Name
Phone Number:
Email
Student ID Number
Describe the core aims and objectives of the Club/Society (max 250 words please use
bullet points)
Please answer all the following questions:
What would be your proposed membership fee?
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:
Would you require any storage facilities?
No
Yes
Would you affiliate with any external organisation
No
Yes
If yes please state which one
Would your Club or Society invite in any guest speakers?
No
Yes
Would you require the use of a Club Coach/Instructor/Official
No
Yes
If yes what would this be for?
Lecture Room
Classroom
How Often
How Often
Would you be receiving a donation/sponsorship
No
or external funding
Sports Hall
3G Pitch
If yes please state which one
How Often
How Often
Grass Pitch
Studio
How Often
How Often
Harpur Hill
Other
How Often
How Often
Yes
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 clubs
Do 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:
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
Contact Name :
Contact Address:
Postcode:
Email:
Telephone Number:
Consider Sponsorship procedures too
Details of the Club or Society you would like to donate to:
Club/Society Name:
University of Derby Sponsorship Policy and Guidelines
Contact Name:
Additional Information
Donation
I would like to donate:
£10
£20
Other Amount (£):
£50
£100
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
Admin Notes
Date
Background
These 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 campus
Channel Guidance
Charity Commission Toolkit
NUS- Managing the risks associated with external speakers
Proscribed 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 McGuire
VP Welfare
Colum.mcguire@nus.org.uk
Sukhi Kainth
Project Manager
sukhi.kainth@nus.org.uk
07585969866
Zahra Latif
Project Officer FE and Nations
Zahra.Latif@nus.org.uk
07785615617
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?’