Getting ready for Freshers Week and next term

OK, so you are in an SCM group and caught up in revision and exams. Freshers' week is probably the last thing you want to think about. You don’t want to wish away the summer and think about September yet but planning your Freshers' week and autumn term activities now can take away a lot of the stress later on!

Here are some tips and ideas to make life a little easier come September. If you've been involved in a local group and have other tips and ideas to share, please add them in the comments!

1. Think creatively
Why not hold a visioning and planning session this term with your committee and members? What do you value most about your SCM group? What would you like to do differently? How will you communicate what you are about to others? Think, discuss, pray and share out tasks that need doing for next term.

Tom and Andy at Southampton SCM ran a vision session recently to get their group thinking creatively - get in touch with Tom (south@movement.org.uk) or the SCM office (links@movement.org.uk) if you want some ideas on how to do this.

2. Plan your events and invite speakers
If you want speakers or external workshop leaders for the autumn, you'll probably need to invite them now. We can help you with ideas for speakers in your area if you get stuck. Chaplain(s), lecturers and local churches may have suggestions too. SCM staff can run workshops, training and 'Intro to SCM' sessions. You can also use the gifts within your group, and ask members to prepare discussions or bible studies, or talk about something they are passionate about.

See if you can get a balance of different themes and formats for events - e.g. something reflective, something discussion-based, something light-hearted, something controversial, something theological, something prayerful, something campaign-y.....

3. Think ahead
Book your Freshers' stall with your student union or through your chaplaincy and find out who will be around to help out. Plan a rota now if you want things to be stress-free. If you’d like an extra pair of hands let us know. Prepare flyers for your first event(s), and update your noticeboard if you have one.

4. Plan your Freshers' stall
Plan your Freshers' stall but keep it simple – have flyers for your first event(s) with contact details on, an email sign-up sheet, a clear banner or back-drop with your group's name on (ask the SCM office for a graphic file for the SCM logo).

Think about having something simple to give to people who sign up or become members (be creative – SCM groups in the past have handed out badges, sweets, seeds/plant pots, teabags, goodie bags, fairtrade chocolate).

5. Spread the word
Make sure you order enough SCM publicity material (postcards, leaflets, posters) for Freshers' week and the autumn term. It's free to affiliated groups and chaplaincies, so just get in touch with the office (links@movement.org.uk). Customise with your own contact details and work out where you can put them around campus and beyond to get noticed.

And most importantly, remember why you are doing all this. New people will bring ideas, energy and diversity to your group, and if you can make yourself visible, put on some interesting events and offer a warm welcome in September then your group should grow and thrive throughout the rest of the year.