Guide to setting up a Liberal Youth Branch
If there is no local branch of Liberal Youth in your area or you can’t get in touch with them, your Regional Chair will be happy to introduce you or help you to set up your own branch.
Don’t be intimidated about setting up a branch, it is a fairly simple and rewarding process, not to mention an excellent experience and opportunity to grow your reputation within the party and meet new people. Just follow the steps below and you will be well on your way:
- E-mail your Regional Chair for a copy of the data protection form, sign and return to liberalyouthadmin@libdems.org.uk (an electronic signature is fine), CCing your regional chair into the email. Liberal Youth can then provide you with contact details of local members (under 26) in your area. Send out an email stating your interest in setting up a branch and ask people if they would be interested in helping out or joining.
- Create a facebook group to keep your members up to date and easily contactable. Sometimes members search facebook when looking to get involved with a branch so this can be a good way of attracting new members as well.
- Create a generic e-mail account (e.g. newcastle.liberal.youth@gmail.com). I would recommend gmail as it has features to share documents and a calendar which allows the committee to email members with event invites.
- When you have a few members together enquire with Liberal Youth and your university’s students union about the possibility of arranging an on-campus stand or event with the aim of recruiting further members.
Tips for running a successful Branch
- Once you have a base of supporters, you will need to look at creating a constitution, a committee, and perhaps affiliating this to your university, college or local party. Please contact us to look at some template constitutions.
- Inform Liberal Youth admin of your new branch and you will be provided with regular updates on how you can coordinate the branch’s activities with LY and also regarding the possibility of applying for funding on specific projects (don’t forget to mention this in your e-mail if you’re interested), and general involvement with our campaigns/ campaigners.
- Kick off your new branch with a social event. A good venue for this is a pub or bar where you can talk and get to know each other over a drink; or you could have a pizza night. Once you have got to know each other a bit, as well as socials, you can start to organise political debate type events, get your branch involved in campaigns and help out with the local party. If you are struggling for a venue for a debating event contact your university about hosting an event on campus.
- Book a stall for freshers and refreshers fairs at your local universities every year. Even if you think you have a solid number of members this can soon change when members graduate or move away.
- Always be friendly and encouraging to potential new members who might be a bit intimidated about coming into a group where everyone knows each other.
- Make sure there is a poster advertising the branch in the politics school/ students union.
For more information, help, or if you would like me to provide you with materials such as fresher’s packs or other recruitment essentials feel free to get in touch.
