Running your club events
Ideas & Budget:
- Set a goal in line with your club objectives.
- This could be a workshop to educate members, a social meet up, field experience or club membership drive just make sure you know why you’re doing what you’re doing!
- What is your available budget? Set an estimated budget cost to work within.
Location & Timing
- On campus: Have you identified an ideal location for your event or do you need help from ECU Guild support staff? Are there any requirements such as AV, computers, labs, kitchenette etc
- Off campus: Narrow down which venues will be suitable and make sure you are aware of all booking conditions, costs, cancellation and refunds policies.
- Pick a date and time that’s convenient for your members. Have a back up date and time ready in case your venue is unavailable.
Catering
- Does your event involve food and/or alcohol and will you or the venue be able to provide the required Safe Food Handling and/or Responsible Service of Alcohol certificates required?
- How will you handle dietary requirements? Will you ask for this in ticket registration?
- There are different levels of risk depending on different ways of catering. Higher risk activities may require more information.
- Refer to more catering/food information here (PPT)
Ticketing
- Will you be selling tickets to the event and if so, what online platform will be used?
- Who will be in charge of managing ticket sales?
- Who will be in charge of approving/denying refunds?
- Do you know how to receive the payout at the end of the event?
- What questions will you be asking of attendees?
- How will you keep track of attendees (scan via phone or manually tick them off on a guest list?)
- Need help with ticketing? Refer to the Humanitix Event Set Up videos here.
- Still not sure? Contact ECU Guild Marketing’s team.
Activities & Entertainment
- There are rules surrounding external parties coming on campus. This is to protect you, your fellow students and the external party.
- If the external party is attending as a guest (such as a guest speaker or trainer) you may just have to notify Campus Support Office.
- If the external party is running an activity or plugging in to ECU’s power, they will be required to provide a certificate of Public Liability and complete an ECU induction.
- Consider parking maps and options for visitors coming on campus.
- Refer to the PPT here for more details about external vendors coming on to campus.
Benefits of Humanitix
- Free for free tickets and low fees for paid tickets. (2.5%+50c)
- Custom ticket options (ECU and Non ECU)
- Custom checkout questions
- Input your bank account or VASCO
- BSB to receive payment
- Ability to ask additional questions and email attendees with changes/feedback.
- Add the Guild in shared permissions to help you manage.
- Canva plug in for artwork templates
Safety
- Adverse weather : do you have a backup plan in case of adverse
- Lighting : If your event is being held at night is there adequate
- First Aid : Have you identified any risks that may require first aid such as insect bites, slips trips and falls, burns, heat stroke etc Do you know how to contact the nearest First
- Aid officer?
- Transport : If using transport is the bus/vehicle company reputable and do they have public liability insurance? Do they have a good safety record?
- Staffing : do you have adequate members and volunteers to help serve/direct and manage people? Have your members and volunteers been briefed and know their roles and what to expect?
- Welfare : If you’re running a long event are there adequate breaks schedule
- Environment : Is there any environmental hazards such as dangerous animals or insects, allergens (pollen), bodies of water, heat, cold.
- Behaviour/Security : Do you have ECU Security’s details on hand in case of an attendee being unruly/misbehaving?
- Activities : Is there any danger in the activities you’re running? Are you throwing a ball near passers by? Offering food or drinks? Using sharp objects? Art and craft supplies are they non toxic? Is food safe for consumption?
- Alcohol : If alcohol is provided free drinking water must be provided. Liquor licencing laws must be obeyed you can only offer alcohol in a licenced premises. Have you planned for what happens if a patron is intoxicated?
- Food Safety : Do volunteers have correct food safety qualifications? If bringing in food from an off campus supplier do they have a food or catering licence and Public Liability Insurance? Do you have appropriate gloves, tongs and equipment? Is food being stored correctly (in a fridge) or disposed of correctly?
- ALL FOOD BROUGHT IN FROM OFF CAMPUS MUST BE CONFIRMED THROUGH GUILD/CSO.
- Allergens : is food signed correctly for allergies and dietary
The ECU Guild Activities & Logistics Officer will be in touch to talk to you about event safety and risk assessments. As a minimum you will need to complete the Risk Criteria to the right.
When planning an event please think about the following: Below is an example of ECU’s Risk Criteria. Every room booking and function on campus requires the below to be filled in via the Activities & Logistics Officer.
Have it all figured out? Submit your event Form!
- Once you submitted your event form it will be reviewed by your Guild Vice President and either approved or denied
- If approved the Activities and Logistics Officer will be in touch to talk about details.
Put your plan into action!
Logistics
Plan your logistics for the day. How many volunteers do you need, what roles are they doing, what times are they attending, do you have a plan for set up and pack down?
Promotion
- Utilise the noticeboards around campus and in the library.
- Post on your club socials or send an email to club members about your event.
- Liaise with the ECU Guild Marketing team at the form here to share your event on the Guild Facebook, Instagram and in the e newsletter.
Event day
- Arrive early and liaise with the Activities and Logistics Officer if required. Ensure you’ve charged any items such as laptops and payment terminals.
- Brief your volunteers and club members on events of the day.
- Put up any signage or decorations.
- Check in with catering, do you have all the right equipment?
- Keep an eye out for safety hazards.
Post event
- Evaluate and get feedback from club members and write a brief document of what went well and what you can improve on. Save this for future club committee members to help them improve.
- Submit your receipts in a float top up if required.