UNION HEAD CONTACT / CONTACTS
Recruitment Pack
Welcome
Hello
Thank you for your interest in becoming a Union Head Contact / Contact for Freshers Week 2015.
We have put this pack together to help you to understand the role, any limitations and your time
commitment required. Union Contacts are pivotal in delivering a positive experience for new students
during the first week of term. It is a demanding role but equally rewarding. We want you to be aware of
the skills you will gain from taking on the role and benefits available to you before applying.
The role exists primarily to welcome new students onto campus, help them with their transition into
university life, provide advice and information, coordinate engaging activities and promote the services
that the Union of Brunel Students provides.
Every year we gather feedback from the contact team and spend time developing the contact scheme.
Year upon year the contact team has grown stronger and the experience had by all teams has been
enjoyable. You will work as a close knit team supporting each other to deliver a fantastic week with
support from UBS .
It is a popular role and each year we receive hundreds of applications. Take time over your application and
let us know just how fantastic you are and why you should be representing the Union of Brunel Students
delivering one of the best weeks in the academic year!
We look forward to receiving your application,
The Events Team
Freshers’ Week 2015
The purpose of the week
Our Aims
Engagement - Ensure that newly arrived students are informed and aware of the opportunities provided
by UBS
Environment - To Provide a safe, relevant, social environment to aid newly arrived students with the
transition into University life.
Experience - Provide opportunities to:
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Enjoy aspects of University life
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Enjoy the first week and make it positively memorable
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Facilitate friendships
Objectives
Our key objectives for 2015are:
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To improve our engagement with students living off campus prior to their arrival at Brunel.
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Developing how the Off Campus team will operate.
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Developing the recognition of International Students within the Halls & Off-Campus Teams.
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Transparency in expectations of the contact role during the application process.
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Continue to work closely with International Student Support in developing our programme to
encourage further integration.
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Continuation of residential Head Contact training.
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Redevelopment of contact assessment and training with consideration to 2014 feedback.
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Further enhanced contacts rewards.
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Delivery of Freshers Week 2015 to the aims set outlined above: Engagement, Environment,
Experience.
Equal Opportunities Statement
The Union of Brunel Students is committed to providing a safe and comfortable environment for all its
members and have adopted our own equal opportunities statement.
You can expect that at all times you will be treated in accordance with this statement and we ask that you
also uphold this statement throughout your time as a contact. It is important that all Fresher’s are made
to feel welcome at Brunel and as contacts you have a central role to play in that. The Union’s equal
opportunities statement is a s follows:
“The Union of Brunel Students will not tolerate the Discrimination or Harassment of any person on the
grounds of Race, Religion, Political Belief, HIV status, Age, Gender, Sexuality or Disability”
Should you experience or witness any breach of this statement, please report the incident to a member of
the Events Team in the Student’s Union.
Role Summary
Head Contact
Brief Description
Head Contacts are students that volunteer their time to welcome Freshers to Brunel during Freshers’ week. Your role
is to promote the activities of the Union of Brunel Students, to make new students feel part of the University
community, enjoy the first week experience and ensure that there is an easy transition into university life. As a Head
Contact you are expected to coordinate a large a team of Contacts throughout the week and work alongside other
Head Contacts teams. You are a key link in the communication chain between contacts and the Union Projects Team
who coordinates the week. At all times we expect contacts to uphold the aims of freshers week; engaging new
students with the opportunities provided by UBS, Providing a safe and relevant social environment to help students
with the transition into university life and providing a positively memorable experience for the first week of term.
Time Commitment
Head Contacts are expected to work a full busy day and evening, timetabling yourselves amongst your Head Contact
team to ensure at least one Head Contact is always available to coordinate the Contact team and be on call in case.
Your duties begin on the Sunday that freshers move onto campus until the following Saturday. It is a demanding role,
you will need to remain enthusiastic and be able to continue to motivate your team.
Halls allocations
Head Contacts will be assigned to a particular hall in groups of 3 to 4 and will be responsible for a team of contacts
within the halls team. Head Contacts will be asked to give a preference of halls allocation when applying and where
possible we will take into consideration your request
Main Responsibilities
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Coordinating your contact team
Managing team rotas, distributing meal vouchers
Attending morning meetings
Promoting morning meetings
Organising your own team events
Freshers Fayre set up and pack down
Supporting Union staff if requested with tasks
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Clearing down areas after events
Emergency first aid
Communicating with the Events team
Ensuring your base camp is kept tidy
Talking to Freshers about the Student’s Union
Being a first point of contact for freshers
You will not be expected to
You will not be expected to police other contacts but simply report back any concerns to your Head Contacts to
communicate to the Events Team who will deal with it in the appropriate way. You are not expected to work alone at
any time but always in a minimum of pairs. You will be placed on evening shifts and we do not expect you to
challenge any decisions made by Security staff, Bar managers or stewards. If you have a complaint you should raise it
the next day with the Events Team. At any time a Union event is underway you are not expected to run your own
socials or meet and greets in direct competition.
Transferable Skills
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Communication Skills
Initiative
Interpersonal Skills
Problem Solving
 First Aid Training
 Leadership
 Planning & Organisational
 Team Building
 Team Work
 Event Delivery
What have Contacts said about their role?
“It was interesting and fun, at times a little challenging “
“ I loved being a contact! Its so much fun and I got to meet so many people.”
“More enjoyable personally this year because I felt a lot closer and bonded to my team.”
Contacts Code of Conduct
Our Expectations
Introduction
Feedback from contact noted a need for transparency in what behaviour is expected from Contacts whilst
representing the Union of Brunel Students. Whilst we want you to have fun in your role it is important to
note that it is not Contacts week but rather Freshers week and we have a responsibility to ensure the
safety of all students.
General Behaviour
Training must be attended in full, we are aware that many applicants will have been contacts before,
nonetheless, training has been redevelop and there will always be new information for you to digest. It is
important for you to spend training time getting to know your team and learning each others strengths in
order to propel you into Freshers Week.
You will be expected to have a welcoming, positive and supportive attitude towards freshers throughout
the whole of Freshers Week, you will be the first point of information and advice to new students. At all
times you must conduct yourself with reasonable standards of behaviour.
You will organise safe and relevant events for your freshers. You should not undertake, or encourage
others to undertake any activity which could bring the Union into disrepute.
You are expected to adhere to the zero tolerance Drugs policy and the Equal opportunities Policy as a
Union Contact.
Communication
Contacts are to keep in contact with and be accountable to your Head Contact who in turn keeps in
contact with and is accountable to the Freshers Team.
Bar and venue managers are legally responsible for the safe provision of the venue for all of our
customers (and a safe working environment for our staff). Any guidance they provide should be obeyed
without challenge.
Projects team are allocated to everyday and every night. Their role is to ensure contacts are supported in
the delivery of their expected tasks, and to ensure everything runs smoothly. They should be seen as a
first point of call for any problems contacts may face. The projects team will not overrule the decision of a
venue manager. The freshers team will monitor activity and ensure any rules or guidelines issued are
strictly obeyed.
Officers are the full time student leaders of the organisation, they are not managers and will not be able
to overrule staff “in situ”. Should they raise any concerns it will be with the senior management team, to
be addressed at an appropriate point.
T-Shirts
You must remain presentable throughout the week, you are not permitted to modify or write on t-shirts
given to wear as Contact uniform.
Contacts Code of Conduct
Our Expectations
First Aid
Under no circumstances should any Contact or Head Contact carry out or offer advice on First Aid related
incidences whilst under the influence of alcohol.
Alcohol
Contacts will not be expected to be partaking of alcohol prior to 6pm during Freshers Week.
On allocated ‘nights off’ feel free to party as you wish provided you do not wear your contacts t-shirt/
hoody.
Anytime you are wearing a Union branding clothing (i.e. Contact T-shirt) you are not permitted to drink
alcohol. Should any staff judge you to be inebriated, you will be asked to leave and invited to a disciplinary
discussion the next day.
Court
The Union of Brunel Students does not condone activity where students are expected to perform a task or
tasks as a means of gaining credibility or status. This may involve peer pressure (though not explicitly)
exerted on students, and may compromise a person’s inherent dignity as a person by forcing or requiring
and individual to drink alcohol, eat mixtures of various food stuffs, nudity and behaviour that may be
deemed humiliating.
The Union of Brunel Students recognises that social activities are an important part of activity groups;
however they must not involve degrading acts and/or the abuse of alcohol.
In conducting social activity contacts should never put students in situations where they feel pressurised
in to participating in activities they do not wish to.
Overall Commitment
We would expect you to be available for assessment days, the relevant training days, Sunday arrivals and
Monday-Friday of Freshers. We will have a level of flexibility for such things as UBS committee position
holders of Clubs and Societies and paid work commitments. You will be invited to notify us of such
commitments.
Benefits & Rewards
What you can expect from us
What you can expect from UBS whilst volunteering:
 Advice and support during your time as a Head Contact, provided by the Events Team, Officers and
Union Staff
 Appropriate Training
 Contact T-shirts
 The opportunity to work with and meet other contacts, UBS student leadership team, staff and
freshers
 Meal vouchers for your time working as a contact
 Entrance into Freshers Night time events
 Transport to take you safely home when working on a night time via ‘The Safety Bus’
 You will be eligible to receive the bronze volunteering award for hours given to freshers week
 An exclusive contacts party and awards night on the Saturday after Freshers week
Contact Rewards:
Last year’s reward booklet contained a variety of vouchers including free entry into academy nights,
Starbucks discounts, a free pizza and other vouchers for local food outlets.
We have taken on board the feedback from last year and pledge to extend the expiry dates on the
vouchers, include subway vouchers and obtain further discounts for local shops as well as maintain
previous rewards like Starbucks and free entry into Academy nights.
The Recruitment Process
Our selection process
Online Applications
Applications to become an off campus contact will be open until the 17th April. You will be asked standard
questions across all roles and a set of questions specific to the role you are applying for. You should think
about how you want to portray yourself and not rush when filling in your application as this is the first
thing we will read about you.
How do we assess applications?
Personal information like names and contact details are removed from the applications and the members
of the Events team will mark the applications. Any applications with vastly differing marks between the
two assessors will be reassessed. Applications that receive a mark of 7 or above are automatically put
through. Any applications with a mark of 4 or below will not be selected and applications with a rating of 5
-6 will be further discussed.
You will find out if you have been successful by the end of august and you will be invited to attend training
which takes place the week before Freshers Week.
Training & Key Dates
Your commitment
Key Dates
April 17th - Application deadline (compulsory)
Sunday or Monday 17th, 18th May– Assessment days (compulsory)
Monday, 7th to Wednesday, 9th September - Head Contact Training
Thursday, 10th to Friday, 11th September - Head Contact and Contact Training
Sunday, 13th to Saturday, 19th September - Freshers Week
Training
All Head Contacts and Contacts must attend training regardless whether they have had training before.
Each year the training is developed from the previous year’s feedback and new information is distributed.
This year we will keep the offsite residential Head Contact training in order to better equip Head Contacts
with the skills to manage a contact team and to be able to facilitate more team building activities.
Head Contacts will also receive training in First Aid during training week.
Contact training will run on campus on Thursday, 10th and Friday, 11th September.
It is important you keep yourself free for training week and not book holidays. Unfortunately, if you do
not attend training you will not be able to undertake your contact role.
Union of Brunel Students
For an informal discussion regarding the
application process you can contact:
Emily Timmins on 0189526205
[email protected]