Leadership Webinar Series Part 1 Campus Recruitment : Moving Beyond the Meeting with Drew Stromberg and Devon Tackels SSDP Outreach Directors
Drew Stromberg
Wednesday, September 18, 13
Devon Tackels
Who is SSDP? •
We are the only international network of students dedicated to ending the war on drugs. At heart, SSDP is a grassroots organization, led by a student-run board of directors. We create change by bringing young people together and creating safe spaces for students of all political and ideological stripes to have honest conversations about drugs and drug policy.
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Founded in 1998, SSDP comprises thousands of members at hundreds of campuses in countries around the globe
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SSDP’s US Chapter Network
Devon Tackels
Drew Stromberg
Wednesday, September 18, 13
Roles of SSDP National •
Board of Directors: The board of directors represents SSDP’s chapters at the national level and crafts strategy for the organization. They also hire and oversee SSDP’s executive director.
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SSDP’s international staff is based in Washington, DC and in Mexico City and is employed to serve, represent, and grow SSDP’s chapter network. Aaron Houston | Executive Director Stacia Cosner | Deputy Director Devon Tackels | Outreach Director (Northeast, Midwest, and Western) Drew Stromberg Outreach Director (Mid-Atlantic, Southern, Mount. Plains)
Aaron Houston
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Stacia Cosner
Drew Stromberg
Devon Tackels
Staying Connected •
SSDPtalk: this is our national internal google group discussion list of over 700 active SSDP chapter leaders, members, alumni and other supporters. (http:// groups.google.com/group/ssdptalk)
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Chapter Leaders Facebook Group: (https://www.facebook.com/groups/ SSDPchapterleaders/), it has over 500 members who are all currently leading or starting SSDP chapters at their schools, and it really helps to be able to discuss things and ask questions of students who have been exactly where you are now.
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Dare Generation Diary blog ssdp.org/news/blog SSDP National Staff Contact Info: http://ssdp.org/about/staff
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Why Recruit?
ENSIBLE TIP
• Make it a chapter challenge to increase membership by 5 (or more) people each semester.
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The most important thing your chapter needs is members and supporters.
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Chapter membership in most SSDP chapters ranges from two to five core organizers to 20 or more members. Regardless of your current or ideal membership, you should always make an effort to reach out to like-minded students on your campus. Your chapter should grow every semester.
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Having more members allows for more efficient organizing and support.
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It’s much easier to bring about change when you are doing it with larger numbers.
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If you plan to work on campaigns, statewide actions, campus actions, or nationwide actions you’ll need the support of your campus to help.
10 Ways to Recruit New Members on Campus • • • • • • • • • •
Tabling Hosting Events Utilizing Professors and Advisors Posters, Flyers, and More! Advertise Campus Collaboration Getting Personal Freshman Orientation and Student Organization Fairs Online Social Networking Concerts, Festivals, and Shows, Oh My!
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Tabling
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Tabling is essential to recruiting new members and promoting your chapter’s meetings, events, campaigns and presence on campus.
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Secure a table and find a high traffic location on campus to set up. You should be able to reserve a table and space through your school. Table at events like club fairs, orientation days and during concerts.
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Display literature and materials from SSDP and other organizations such as stickers, buttons, leaflets, and booklets. If you have one, wear an SSDP t-shirt while tabling.
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Build your email list by having an Action Alert Sheet available at the table.
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Invest in a sturdy vinyl banner with SSDP’s name, logo, and website. Try applying for funding through your school to pay for a banner. Cover your table with a tablecloth whenever possible. This will make your table look professional. SSDP has banner making resources at www.ssdp.org/resources
ENSIBLE TIP Make sure you take a few minutes to follow up with the people you talked to. • Take all email addresses and add them to your chapter’s email list or Google Group immediately. • Send invites to join your chapter’s Facebook Group Wednesday, September 18, 13
Example Table Set-Up
Tabling Continued What Do I Talk About? Find talking points on drug policy issues on the SSDP website. Talk about current events and news regarding SSDP and drug policy. Ask “What drug policy issues are important to you?” Sound enthusiastic about being involved with SSDP and encourage other students to join. Talking Points “Did you know that America has 5% of the world’s population, but houses 25% of the world’s prison population?”
USC SSDP Members tabling
“Did you know that over 200,000 college students have been denied financial aid for college due to the drug war?” “Did you know that our government has spent over a Trillion dollars on the failed drug war?” “How do you feel about the drug war?” “Do you think there are alternatives to the war on drugs?”
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“Have you ever heard of SSDP?”
When you table, always have a donation jar out for people to make contributions. KSU SSDP Members Tabling Wednesday, September 18, 13
Hosting Chapter Events •
Organizing an event is an easy and fun way to draw in new members.
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For many people, an event is more appealing than going to a meeting for a group they are unfamiliar with.
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An event, like a movie screening or keynote speaker, draws people in and they’re able to learn more about drug policy reform and SSDP.
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At the event, you can pass around an email signup sheet to gather campus supporters and announce when your next meeting will take place. This is a great way to get higher attendance at meetings.
Urban Crime Fighters: How Our Drug Laws Effect Your City
ENSIBLE TIP Hosting a LEAP Officer is a great way to show a new perspective on the drug war.
Law Enforcement Against Prohibition: Why Cops Want to Legalize Drugs Wednesday, September 18, 13
The War on Drugs is a War on Women
Common Chapter Events •
Hosting a Speaker or Panel Discussion
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Documentary Film Screening Hold a Debate Host Rally, Speak Out, or Protest Reality Based Drug Education Event Chapter Roundtable
Educational Seminar Roundtable Discussion Series Hemp Ice Cream Social Fundraising Events Resource: http://ssdp.org/ resources/chapter-event-tips/
Marijuana Law Reform in the Midwest: Legalize or Decriminalize? Wednesday, September 18, 13
Taking Advantage of Professors and Advisors •
What’s a great way to get students to attend your meeting or event? Ask any professors or your chapter’s faculty advisor if you can make an announcement in class about SSDP, why you’re getting involved and what you want the chapter to work on.
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You can also make announcements in your classes and pass out some materials and an email signup sheet for any interested students.
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Often students get professors to offer extra credit to students who attend events. Ask your professor if they will offer extra credit to attend your SSDP event.
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Try to get a professor to speak at a chapter event. This is a great way to start the conversation on your campus.
ENSIBLE TIP Try posting on chalk board/ white boards in lecture classrooms. Something simple like “Legalize Marijuana...Join SSDP” or “Let’s talk about drug policy: ssdp.org”
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Posters, Flyers, and More! •
Posters are vital to helping you get noticed on campus. You should be making flyers for every meeting, event, or action you take part in
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You’ll find posters already made and available to download on the SSDP website but don’t be afraid to make your own if you’ve got time.
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Be creative and include shocking facts about drug policy that students on campus might not know about.
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Always include information on your weekly meetings and an email address for interested students to contact you with any questions.
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Mix it up! Put up a new poster with different facts each week.
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ENSIBLE TIP Try Dorm-Storming throughout the semester and plaster the dorms with flyers. You can also pass flyers under doors, and hand them out to students in the halls. This is a great way to start off the semester.
Check out more resources: http://ssdp.org/resources/flyers/
Advertise • •
Arguably, the easiest way to get noticed is to advertise yourself on and off campus.
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Find out if student organizations can advertise on campus radio, or get your own radio hour once a month to play music and discuss drug policy.
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Often times, there are signs, billboards, or monitors you can advertise on around campus as a registered student organization.
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Chalking the sidewalk is another great way to advertise events and meetings.
Try taking out an add in the Campus newspaper, or better yet write an Op-Ed or letter-to-theeditor in response to a story about drug policy. Sometimes if you send a press release, they will print the entire thing.
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Campus Collaboration •
Attend the meetings of other groups on campus and let them know about your SSDP chapter.
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Contact them in advance of their meeting to ask if you can give a short presentation, hand out materials and collect emails.
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Reach out to any political groups (College Democrats, Young Republicans, Students for Liberty), social justice groups (Amnesty International), ethnic groups (black student alliances, Latino Student groups) and environmental groups (eco-club, Greenpeace). These groups partner with SSDP chapters all the time!
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The war on drugs effects everyone and you’re likely to find allies and new members if you can effectively convey this.
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Be sure to ask what your chapter can do to help them in their efforts as well.
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Have one meeting a semester where you invite students from other on campus orgs to your meeting to introduce themsleves to SSDP and talk about ways you can work together. Wednesday, September 18, 13
Getting Personal •
Reach out to friends personally and tell your members to do the same.
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If 5 people come to your first meeting and express interest in returning, ask them to bring a friend to the next meeting. If they each do that, you’ll double your membership!
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Challenge yourself and your members to bring a new person every week.
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Use your social networking channels to invite friends to events and meetings.
ENSIBLE TIP Try to have chapter members bring a friend of the opposite gender to your next meeting. This is a great way to increase diversity in your chapter.
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Freshman Orientation and Student Club Fairs •
Be sure to mark the dates of freshman orientation down on your calendar.
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Make sure you order a tabling care package from SSDP National: http://ssdp.org/resources/care-packages
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Often times, your school will schedule a “club fair” during the orientation days so incoming freshman can learn about the different clubs and organizations on campus.
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This is a great opportunity to set up a table and interested students will come flocking to you!
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Freshman students are often some of the most active SSDPers because they have ample time to volunteer.
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This is also a great time to network with other student organizations for campus collaboration!
ENSIBLE TIP Kennesaw State SSDPers Tabling
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Make sure you have a flyer for your next meeting or event available to handout. Be sure to include your contact info and social networking info.
Online Social Networking •
Make sure to utilize online social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.
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Creating a Facebook group should be a first step for every chapter.
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Facebook groups allow you to easily keep your chapter membership updated on meetings, events, current news and more.
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You can upload photos and utilize the discussion boards. Friends can be invited through your list of friends or by email addresses. Think of a Facebook group as your chapter’s own interactive (and free) website. Ask your outreach director about a custom redirecting URL for your group so that it’s easier for people to remember, ex: www.ssdp.org/ facebook/vcu
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Events: Once you have created a group, you will be able to make event pages hosted by your group. Every event your chapter hosts should have a Facebook event to allow for an easy place where people can find the time, location and description of the event. This also helps to give you an idea of how many people will be attending and makes it easy to send out reminders.
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Status Updates: Use status updates to share details about upcoming events, campaign information, promote your weekly meeting or to share a news story relevant to your chapter’s work.
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Sharing: See a story that you think will inspire your chapter members? Share the link on the wall of your chapter’s group.
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ENSIBLE TIP Try to share at least on relevant link, article, resource, video, or picture on Facebook per day. This way your fans are always hearing from you. And you show up in their feed more.
Concerts, Festivals, and Shows, Oh My!
http://ssdp.org/amplify/
What is AMPLIFY? AMPLIFY is a project of Students for Sensible Drug Policy that connects student activists with artists who support SSDP’s mission to reform drug policies. With more than 150 SSDP chapters at colleges throughout the country, our chapters are able to act as street teams for artists that are part of the AMPLIFY project.
How does AMPLIFY Work? AMPLIFY creates a mutually beneficial relationship between SSDP and artists where both parties help to promote each other. For example, chapters can put up fliers, create facebook event pages, and pass out handbills and promote concerts near campus via word-of-mouth. In exchange, your chapter gets two free tickets and a space to table for SSDP at the show!
Tabling at a Concert or Festival Tabling at an AMPLIFY show is very similar to tabling on campus. You engage concert goers, hand out harm reduction information and materials, collect emails for SSDP’s Action Alert list and AMPLIFY newsletter, and spread the word about sensible drug policy. The best part is that afer intermission you can pack up the table and attend the concert for fun.
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AMPLIFYers • • • • • • • • •
Slightly Stoopid Lotus Papadosio Umphrey’s Mcgee EOTO Roots of Creation Cas Haley Big Gigantic And More
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AMPLIFY in Action
ENSIBLE TIP AMPLIFY is a great way to get people interested in volunteering with SSDP. It’s a great experience and a lot of fun!
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Beyond Recruitment: Creating value leads to chapter retention
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If you create value for others they will be more likely to stay active in the chapter.
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You can do this by:
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Being Inclusive
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Providing exciting opportunities associated with involvement (IE: Conferences, Regional Events)
Making it easy for students to get involved Allow students the option to create officer positions Always staying on task and being effective Holding fun, informative, and action oriented meetings and events
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Questions? • We are now going to use the remaining time to answer any questions you may have.
ENSIBLE TIP Never be afraid to ask questions. We are all friends here.
You can find this webinar on SSDP’s website here: http://ssdp.org/resources/recruitment/
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