Purpose of the System

The Activities Badge Tiering System recognises and rewards clubs and societies that go above and beyond to make campus life fun, inclusive, and community-focused, and work hard to help students thrive, connect, and succeed.

It provides:

A clear development pathway for clubs and societies
Incentives to improve inclusivity, engagement, and collaboration
A simple, gamified structure that’s easy to communicate and track

Affiliation Requirements (Precondition for Tiering)

Before earning any badges or tiers, a club/society must meet these minimum standards:

Area	Requirement
Membership	Minimum of 10 paid members
Committee	Societies: President, Treasurer, Secretary in post and society must appoint or elect a Wellbeing Officer Clubs: Chairperson, Treasurer, and Wellbeing Officer in post
Membership Payment	Committee and members must hold paid Club/Society membership
Training	All committee members complete compulsory SU training, as requested by the SU
Governance	Hold a democratic election and AGM; submit minutes and contact details
Documents	Submit constitution, risk assessment, and any required forms by deadlines
Finance	Maintain positive SU bank balance; all funds kept in SU account
Activity Registration	All events and trips (if any) registered through the SU
Contracts	SU approval for all sponsorships or contracts (if any)
Conduct	Adhere to the SU Code of Conduct and share publicly with members

Once these are met, the club/society is affiliated and eligible to earn badges. Groups that fail to meet or maintain them risk of suspension or disaffiliation.

Tier Overview

Tier	Badge Requirement	Description	Rewards
Bronze	Earn 1 badge	Active club/society going beyond affiliation basics	Recognition, and visibility perks
Silver	Earn 3 badges	Growing and inclusive club/society, engaging members	Priority bookings, comms promotion, and SU visibility
Gold	Earn all 5 badges	Model club/society demonstrating excellence across all areas	Top booking priority, financial bonus, visibility, recognition, and leadership opportunities
Platinum	Earns every requirement at every badge level	Exemplary club/society that demonstrates exceptional quality and embodies the SU’s core values	Top booking priority, financial bonus (as available), visibility, recognition, leadership and networking opportunities, and opportunity to influence future SU direction (consult for tiering next year)

The Badges

Inclusivity Badge

Goal: Create welcoming, accessible, and representative spaces.
Actions (choose any 3):

Run at least two non-alcoholic and accessible socials per year
Host an event celebrating diversity or inclusion
Collaborate with an SU campaign (e.g. host an event with a campaign, such as Advice and Wellbeing Week)
Make events more accessible (quiet zones, pronoun badges, clear info)
Promote Student Wellbeing or Support Services on social media

Engagement Badge

Goal: Encourage creativity, visibility, and active participation.
Actions (choose any 3):

Run a taster session at both Freshers’ (Sept/Oct) and Refreshers’ (Jan)
Maintain an active social media presence (twice monthly posts)
Create a promo video / reel about the society
Conduct a member survey or informal feedback form (which must be submitted to the SU Activities Team) or participate in the SU’s Survey (20% of active members – incl. committee)
20% of active members vote in SU elections (incl. committee)

Community Badge

Goal: Build connections with other societies and the wider community.
Actions (choose any 3):

Run a joint event with another club/society
Take part in a charity or volunteering activity
Nominate another group for an SU award or feature
Invite SU staff/officers/Trustees to attend a society event
Collaborate with a local community organisation (communicate with SU regarding permission to affiliate)

Sustainability Badge

Goal: Support sustainable practice.
Actions (choose any 3):

Run an eco-friendly or sustainability-focused event
Join or participate with an environmental volunteering initiative (communicate with SU regarding permission to affiliate)
Host an environmentally focussed event (e.g. litter picking, recycling, pre-loved clothing drive, etc.)
Promote sustainability campaigns on social media
Include sustainability content in your regular comms

Wellbeing Badge

Goal: Support wellbeing and health of members.
Actions (choose any 3):

Run a wellbeing-focused event
Join or participate with a wellbeing/health initiative (communicate with SU regarding permission to affiliate)
Host a wellbeing or chill social (e.g. walk, games, crafts)
Promote wellbeing campaigns on social media
Include wellbeing content in your regular comms