Set up a Community Action Team

Step 1: Recruit the community action team

■ Advertise the opportunity to students and form tutors using our email template and posters. Older year groups, in particular, will benefit from the chance to develop organisational and leadership skills they can use for their CV and UCAS application. Click here to generate a template email

Step 2: Choose you event(s)

■ Assign actions to specific team members

■ Highlight any key risks and make sure the team has thought of ways to avoid or reduce them, as well as potential ‘Plan Bs’

■ Agree time and place for the next meeting

Step 3: Assign roles and responsibilities

■ Explain the leadership roles and responsibilities, for example

■ Team Leader: chair of the group

■ Publicist: responsible for marketing and recruiting for events

■ Producer: responsible for logistics such booking a room

■ Fundraiser: responsible for raising money from the event  

■ Get students to decide on leadership positions

■ Decide on how best to communicate - recommend that they set up a group chat, like a WhatsApp (although you won’t be able to take part), making sure they include everyone

Step 4: Plan the event

■ Help students organise the event timeline, making sure they add in key milestones to mark progress

■ Encourage them to use the event checklist (below) to think about everything they need for the event, such as room space, materials, permissions, sponsorship and advertising

■ Assign actions to specific team members

■ Highlight any key risks and make sure the team has thought of ways to avoid or reduce them, as well as potential ‘Plan Bs’

■ Agree time and place for the next meeting

Step 5: On the day

■ Confirm room bookings 

■ Get a final announcement in form time or assembly 

■ Assign actions to specific team members

■ Leave time to go over finishing touches

■ Have a team meeting before the event starts - check that everyone knows what they’re doing