Rewarding Loyalty and Participation

The 3 different rewards I have in mind:

1. For students who work voluntarily at the Union on a regular basis.
2. For those who often use the services (Cafe’, Shops, Union-Bar, buying tickets for socials and events…).
3. Student Community Award; a rare prize that rewards people giving as much as the Union possibly can to the few who prove outstanding bravery, selflessness  and community spirit.

REWARDING PARTICIPATION: for all the Students that work in the Union life and are creators of the ‘Student Community’

Why Bother?

• Incentive people to work voluntarily for the Union and RAG
• Encourage societies to improve and achieve higher ranking.
• Promote growth within the Union’s Student Media and motivate its contributors to participate more actively.

Getting involved in our Student Union should be a rewording experience: a place to socialise, learn new skills and try something new.

All of this is only possible thanks to many great people, that without getting paid dedicate a lot of time and effort to create a great experience for students in Manchester.

From society’s committee members, to organisers within the ‘Residence Association boards’, RAG volunteers, student-media contributors and student workers for the union’s services; everyone should get recognition for the work they do.

Starting from a ‘basic card’ with minor advantages, one can build-up points to obtain higher ranking cards that would give more bonuses.  Criteria would need to be established regarding  the amount of points given for an hour of work or for carrying out a certain project or covering a certain position of responsibility within the Union.

Different levels of involvement, different cards.

The more you work, the more advantages you get. From minor discounts and special offers to considerable reductions and free meals,entry passes and so on.

• Basic Involvement: Anyone who works as a volunteer for 3 shifts (6-8 hours long) or writes 6 articles for the Mancunion, is involved in the production of 6 radio or TV show episodes. It has a validity of 2 months.
• Considerable Involvement: For those who holds a position of responsibility and spend around 16 hours per week working for the Union.
• Outstanding Involvement: For those who for one reason or another is voluntarily working for the Union for 25 or more hours per-week.

REWARDING LOYALTY: for all who regularly use the Union’s services 

Why Bother?

• To increase the number of people in the Union, making it an even bigger student social centre.
• To Increase Revenue and re-invest it in funding activities and lowering prices

There should be a basic reward system in which you get points for every purchase you make within the Union or on the website, whether it is for buying food and stationary or a ticket for a social, every time you make a purchase you should get some points, that once reached set targets could give you freebies from the Union. Possible examples: drink and food vouchers, tickets for gigs and Pangea, shop vouchers, free entry pass for the club night…

‘Student Community Honorary Award’ (Card):

•  Awarded exclusively to students of our university who prove outstanding bravery, selflessness  and community spirit.
• Very few students will receive the award as it is meant to be something unique and an immense privilege.
• The idea is that who receives this card was willing to give everything for a good cause and the Union, as a sign of gratitude, would try to offer for free every service it can afford (food, drinks, event and social tickets, society membership fees…).
• Lasts for the entire duration of the card-holder’s studies.