Detailed plans

Aberdeen University UCU has developed a detailed plan for building our local association. This has involved:

1. creating a comprehensive department by department table/map indicating who is our rep or contact in each case, how many non-members there are there and developing a plan for recruiting in each department.
2. using a tailored approach to non-members in various departments - we use emails that address their concerns and make the case for UCU membership wherever we can. We use the same approach when we're writing to members asking them to become contacts or reps and wherever possible, we phone them up and talk to them about how they can help.

We've also had great support from UCU organisers. They helped us to develop our plan and got stuck in with a few days of intensive recruitment, walking the floors in our target departments, together with local reps or contacts wherever possible and doing the really basic face-to-face contact with non-members.

Having a proper map that records what the plan is in each department and what action has been taken is helping us to focus our efforts effectively. Combining sensitively used email communication with face-to-face approaches gives us the best chance of reaching busy staff and making sure they are aware of us and thinking about joining.

(NB: Aberdeen is another growing branch and its recruitment campaign is already bearing fruit. Ed.)

Susan Bateman
Aberdeen University UCU