Setting up + Maintaining a Society or Sports Team

This section is covers:

• what you need to start up a society; 
• what existing sports and societies need to repeat each year; and
• what existing sports and societies need to do to make changes.

Starting (or renewing) a Society or Sport

New or re-started societies: we want to make it as easy as possible for you to start a new club for students. There are a few steps you must take before you have a fully functioning society or sports team. 

See below for information and templates, and once you have your documents and committee ready, fill in this form: 

Form to start a new society or sport - https://forms.office.com/e/bsEMqEcbFp

Start by thinking about these three things; 

1. Who is going to help me run my sports team or society? 
2. Is there already a sports team or society organising the kinds of events that I want? 
3. Who is going to join my sports team or society? 

To start a Society of Sports Team you will need; 

1. An idea for a club or society that does not already exist 
2. You need a minimum of three committee members (president, treasurer and secretary) who will lead the new group for the rest of the academic year 
3. 16 other students who will register their interest in this new group being formed (this can be gathered after forming, but as soon as possible)

You will then need to submit a completed constitution and risk assessment.

Existing Societies will also need to renew their documents every year, including the coaching agreement for those who employ trainers.

Templates for these forms can be downloaded:

• Template Constitution (download to edit your own version)
• Risk Assessment templates (see the RA guidance page)
• For competitive and recreational sports, and any groups who employ instructors or coaches, you will need to read and sign the Coaching and Instructors Service Level Agreement. 

All committees need to be aware of requirements and guidance on safeguarding, insurance, under 18's &c. We have a page on keeping your members safe.

Once you complete these steps and are approved by the Co-President for Activities and Events, your group will officially become a society/sports team!

Approved societies

Once your society has been approved it will be added to several systems so you can do things like book spaces, bring in members and access funding. 

All societies are set up with the following:

• a web page on this website
• a society SOAS email address (this can take a couple of weeks, but will be able to be used year to year as long as the society exists). The email is set up as a shared account which you access through your soas email. Guidance on shared accounts.
• access to the SU room booking system
• access to native, for ticketing events and posting them on the website and socials

Maintaining an existing society

Changing your committee.

If you need to swap someone out who stepped down, or otherwise make any change to the composition of your committee, please complete this form so staff can make the changes on our systems.

Changes in Committee Composition Form - https://forms.office.com/e/CQ1m1D3HHi

It should take no longer than two weeks to change our existing system; changes to the society email may take a little longer.