Friday 29-01-2021 - 11:55

 

Thinking of going for a position in our Spring Elections?

 

Great!

 

Running for one of our full-time officer positions is an exciting, CV-boosting, responsibility-filled process, and we’d encourage anyone interested to either take a quick look at the new Student Engagement Officer role descriptions, or to come along to our free, virtual election workshops on Thursday 04 February and Thursday 11 February.

 

Once you’re confident you know what you’re running for, it’s time to get writing your quick manifesto!

 

And after that? You’ll be ready to nominate yourself!

 

 

 

Why do I need a manifesto, and where will it be used?

 

Your manifesto is like your elections ID.

 

It’s your opportunity to introduce yourself, talk about your experience, and address how you intend to use your role to change Edge Hill student experience for the better.

 

It’s also a crucial part of the nominations process; you won’t be able to submit a self-nomination without also submitting a manifesto.

 

Once submitted and you’ve been confirmed as a candidate, here’s where your manifesto will go:

 

• The elections web-app: Your final manifesto draft will be available via our web-app on Tuesday 16 March when voting opens. This means voters can make an immediate decision as to who they think is the best candidate, using the evidence you’ve provided.
   
• The EHSU Website: All confirmed candidates will be published on the EHSU Website by Monday 01 March.

 

Two things to remember here before we move on. First, the draft of the manifesto you submit when you nominate yourself does not have to be a final draft. You can edit your manifesto right up until Friday 26 February when nominations close.

 

And second: don’t confuse your manifesto with any promotional materials you might want to make. All candidates can campaign online when digital campaigning opens, so if you want to write an extended manifesto to go on your social media profiles, feel free!

 

 

 

 

Structuring Your Manifesto

 

You’ll be relieved to hear that we’re not looking for a 10,000 word masterpiece.

 

We’re not even looking for 500 words.

 

Your manifesto needs to be clear, concise, and to the point. That’s why we’ve made it easy by giving all manifestos the following guidelines:

 

• The overall word count for a manifesto is 300 words.
   
• The first section of your manifesto should be a short bio or introductory statement. We suggest this is no more than two or three sentences.
   
• The second section of your manifesto should be three to five bullet point statements on your campaign ideas and intentions, and how you’ll help improve Edge Hill students’ experience.

 

Of course, knowing how to structure your manifesto is one thing...Knowing what to actually include in it is an entirely different question!

 

 

 

 

What to include: writing your short bio / introductory statement

Your short bio / introductory statement should do what it says on the tin: it should be short, and it should introduce who you are to students.

The trick is to make students remember who you are after they’ve read what you have to say.

In previous years, some of the best manifestos have included:  
 

• Who you are: Don’t be afraid of being personal! The best manifestos are those which voters can relate to. Are you a student parent whose unique experience informs what you want to achieve in the role? Tell us about it!
   
• What’s your experience: Remember all of those societies you joined at the EHSU Virtual Welcome Fair? The sports team you captained? The Student Council you attended? All of these things show that you’ve engaged with the student body during your time at Edge Hill, so be sure to include them.
   
• Why are you passionate about the role you are standing for: Simply put, why are you running in our March elections? What makes you stand out above the other candidates? How will you instigate positive change for Edge Hill students by improving their student experience?

REMEMBER: this year, our Student Engagement Officers have faculty links, so it would be good to mention your academic background, and how that means you will be prepared to help students across your faculty.

Don’t consider yourself an award-winning writer? Not a problem!

The best manifestos keep things short, simple, and to the point. And if you need any help, you can come along to our Election workshops on Thursday 04 February and Thursday 11 February.

 

 

 

 

Writing Your Bullet-point Campaign Platform

 

Once you’ve introduced yourself, it’s time to get down to the nitty gritty.

 

In this section of your manifesto, you need to clearly set out what you intend to change about Edge Hill Student Experience, why you believe it’s important, and the specifics of how you intend to achieve this.

 

Sound easy?

 

Remember, you only have two-three sentences per point, so you will have to condense your intentions down to the clearest possible message. Here’s a few tips to help you on your way:

 

• Start with a header: This is like your headline. It should encapsulate exactly what you want to change about Edge Hill student experience, and be snappy enough to grab the attention of wandering eyes.
   
• Be specific! Don’t just say you want to improve placements for Education students…tell us why they need improving and the actual issue students face. Remember, you don’t have to lay out your ten-year masterplan here. You just need to show that you’ve put enough thought into important topics that need addressing.  
   

• How will you use your existing resources and knowledge? Why should a student vote for you? Well, because you already have proven that you can bring about positive change on campus. Alluding to your track record in student politics, or as a faculty rep, or even just as part of a society or team, goes a long way in singling you out as a trustworthy candidate.

 

 

 

Now you’re ready!

 

Covered all of the above? It’s time to take the next step and nominate yourself!

And if you still have some questions, here’s exactly what to do next.

• Have a full look at our Elections Webpages: There you can find FAQs, role descriptions, rules and regulations, and much more.
   
• Attend one of our Election Workshops: We have two virtual election workshops running in February. One on Thursday 04 February, and another on Thursday 11 February.

• Still uncertain? Give us an email! We’d be happy to help with any elections-related query you have. Simply email us at suelections@edgehill.ac.uk.