Volunteer Resources - What is an Alumni Group

Alumni Volunteer Resources

What is an Alumni Group?

Cambridge Alumni Groups come in all shapes and sizes. From regional social gatherings to high-tech business networking the 400-strong network of Cambridge Alumni Groups caters to everyone who attended Cambridge. Many of these Groups hold regular events, meetings and activities, encouraging alumni to network, socialise and become supporters of the University.

Alumni Volunteer Resources

What is an Alumni Group?

There is no one size fits all approach to running an Alumni Group, however, to help ensure that volunteer-led Alumni Groups continue to offer valuable support to the University of Cambridge, and that CARO provides the best possible services to Alumni Groups. Around the world Alumni Groups must:

Each Alumni Group will have one, or more, convenors who run events, manage the mailing lists and advertise the Group. To make it easier for us at CARO to keep in touch with the correct Group member, we require one person from the Group to be CARO’s Primary Contact.

1. Adhere to the University’s Core values of freedom of thought and expression as well as freedom from discrimination.

The role of the Primary Contact

2. Act as advocates and ambassadors for the University.

3. Organise regular events and initiatives with the aim of providing an opportunity for alumni to: • continue their education • offer their skills, expertise and networks to other alumni or the wider community • socialise with one another We would expect a Group to organise a minimum of two events a year.

4. Actively encourage alumni to join the Group (without discrimination or prejudice).

1. Receive the monthly email from CARO and distribute news accordingly to the Group’s committee and/ or members.

2. Update CARO with news of Group events and changes of contact details so that they can be publicised on the CARO website.

3. Respond to occasional surveys and requests for information for publications from CARO, including case studies.

4. Attend CARO leadership training events if possible.

5. Update CARO if he or she is unable to continue as the Primary Contact and provide details of the new Primary Contact.

5. Follow the University branding guidelines.

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6. Be legally independent and financially self-sustaining.

7. Create and maintain a database of alumni members.1 8. Appoint a Primary Contact to liaise with CARO. The Primary Contact is responsible for ensuring that CARO is updated about the Group’s activities and contact details. He or she does not need to be the leader of the Group and in many cases is not.

alumni.cam.ac.uk/groups

Please note that data protection laws currently prevent CARO from exchanging alumni contact details with Groups.