Society inclusion guide
Inclusive event considerations
Inclusivity and accessibility are terms which cover a huge variety of things, it’s worth noting that while it can be difficult to meet every individual’s needs, there are lots of things we can all do to promote inclusion and accessibility.
One of the best ways to make sure your society is a welcome and accessible space for your members is by asking them! You can encourage your members to get in contact, for example via your society email account, with any suggestions or requirements, and you can make sure your event planning takes into consideration these suggestions and requirements.
It’s not just up to your members to ask for what they need though! There are some simple actions your society can take to address potential inclusion and access needs.
Inclusion funds
Activities Inclusion Fund
The Activities Inclusion Fund provides funding to help students participate in extracurricular activities, such as SU events and societies*. Apply for up to £50 to help cover costs so you don't miss out on fun, enriching experiences that can enhance your uni life.
Please make sure you read our guidelines before you apply.
Activities Inclusion Fund guidelines
As a Hallam student, you can apply for up to £50 from our Activities Inclusion Fund to help cover the costs of extracurricular activities, such as SU events and societies, that you may not otherwise have been able to engage with.
The Fund provides year-round funding support to all Hallam students so you don't have to miss out on fun, enriching experiences that can enhance your uni life.
Apply for funding
What the fund can be used for:
- Society membership fees
- Society events e.g. trips, balls (excluding trips abroad)
- Activities conducted by SU Officers or Reps
- SU events (excluding club nights)
- Rental of equipment to participate in society activity
- Travel to/from HSU volunteering opportunities
- Attending conferences/networking activity linked to society activity
- HSU Awards Ball
What the fund cannot be used for:
- Resources when running as an election candidate
- Trips abroad
- Club nights
- Course-related activities (your activities must be extra-curricular)
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible for the Activities Inclusion Fund, you must:
- have less than £1,000 in your bank account/savings
- have not made an application for the Activities Inclusion Fund in the past 4 weeks
- have not been successful in receiving funding from the Activities Inclusion Fund previously this academic year
- not be claiming in retrospect for activities that have already taken place
Successful applications must be spent within 2 months of funding confirmation and will be reallocated to the overall funding pot if unclaimed.
Reasons you may be unsuccessful in your application:
- You have a positive bank balance we consider to be adequate to self-funding (e.g. £1,000 after taking into consideration rent payments for the student loan period)
- The planned activity is outside the scope of the Fund (i.e. Sports Teams - see Sport Hardship Fund)
- The planned activity is within 10 working days of the application being submitted (e.g. an SU or society event)
- No information relating to personal or exceptional circumstances is provided
- The planned activity is excluded in the above list
Funding spaces are limited, and we will communicate when all funds have been allocated. After this, applicants will be placed onto a wait list for if/when further funds become available.
How your application will be assessed
We'll review your application based on the information and evidence provided, and we'll contact you with a decision within 10 working days of submitting your application (excluding the Winter teaching break).
All applications will be dealt with confidentially, with discretion and integrity. Those administering proposed activity (e.g. Societies, SU Events team, etc) will not be informed of any application or support allocated from the Fund unless permission is given.
If you think there has been an issue with the handling of the submission, please use our complaints procedure.
*Please note: The Fund is not designed as a support measure for students in immediate financial crisis, nor is it a long-term solution to funding difficulties.
*Please note: the Activities Inclusion Fund cannot be used for Sports Team activity (see Sport Hardship Fund).
Liberation Societies and HSU Policies
Liberation Societies are groups of students who are typically disadvantaged within society. Whilst HSU aimes to develop thriving student-led societies, we recognise that some students may face additional barriers to engagment. Therefore, Liberation Societies may receive some extra support due to the differing size and needs of the members.
Our current Liberation Societies:
BAME Society
LGBTQ+ Society
Womens' Society
Social media and communications
Alternative text
When posting on social media you should try adding alternative text (alt text) to images. Alt text is used to describe the meaning, context, and sometimes details, of an image or visual in a digital setting. This can help people with different visual abilities to access the information you are sharing. It is also important to use captions as well as images; if you are posting a graphic to your Instagram with the time, date, and venue for your next event in the image, make sure you share that same information in the caption too!
You may find Microsoft's guide on writing effective alt text useful.
Colour contrast and readability
When creating content for your social media pages it’s important to think about how well your poster/graphic/image conveys meaning. It can be beautifully designed, but if your colour contrast makes it difficult for people with dyslexia or colour blindness, for example, to read, then it’s not effective. Equally, it’s important to think about what type of language you are using and whether it will make sense to everyone, including students whose first language may not be English.
The British Dyslexia Association have put together some guidance on creating clear communications that are dyslexia friendly.
Writing in what is called ‘Plain English’ helps to make your meaning clear to a wider audience. The University of Kent has created a guide on how to write in plain English.
Room bookings and venues
When you're planning an event or activity it’s important to think about whether the space is accessible. This can include things like:
- which floor you have booked a room on
- how close or far it is from a lift
- how close or far it is from a toilet
- is there signage or clear directions to the room or venue
- what is the lighting like in the space
When promoting an event, meeting, or activity to your members it’s worth making sure they can communicate any access needs they may have so you can factor this into your planning and delivery of an event. If you're using a venue, they should be able to provide you with accessibility information. Often this will be available on the venue's website or if you email someone at the venue.
EDI Training
We have introduced an EDI Training for all committee members of new societies during their compulsory induction.
EDI Training Society Induction Slides