As an Equity Student Deputy you will undertake a vital role for yourself, your coursemates and your union.
In universities, colleges and drama schools, as well as in theatres and on film sets, Equity Deputies (or Deps) play a key role in building the union’s power. Just as workplace Deputies represent Equity in professional settings, you will be your union’s representative where you study or train.
You might be the first Student Deputy in your institution or there may already be a small team of Student Deputies already established. Equity’s Student Organisers can put you in contact with any existing Student Deputies in your institution to help you work together as a team.
What is an Equity Student Deputy?
As an Equity Student Deputy you are your union’s representative in your training institution. As Student Deputy you will represent the interests of your coursemates, encourage students to engage with the union, and champion the work Equity does. You will also be the first point of contact between Equity staff and your institution. Student Deputies are instrumental in maintaining a support network for Equity student members and making the union more aware of the issues students face.
As a Student Deputy you can:
- Represent your peers;
- Champion the union’s cause;
- Recruit fellow student members from your school;
- Receive training to support fellow students and act on their concerns;
- Network with Student Deputies from all over the UK;
- Organise and campaign on issues that are important to you;
- Shape the future of Equity!
What support is available?
Training
Student Deputies are invited to training via Zoom or in person, which will be available at intervals throughout the year for current Student Deputies or those interested in becoming one in the future. However, you do not need to have attended the training to become a Deputy, and Equity’s Student Organisers will be on hand to advise and support you.
Your Student Organisers
Equity has two Organisers that jointly manage Equity’s student outreach work. This team is currently made up of:
Rosie Archer (she/her)
Organiser – Recorded Media
rarcher@equity.org.uk
Steffan Blayney (he/him)
Organiser – Live Performance
sblayney@equity.org.uk
Both Student Organisers are contactable via students@equity.org.uk.
Your Student Organisers are there to support you, and you should contact them if you need advice or assistance in your role. As Deputy, you are likely to be the first point of contact for students who would like to learn more about Equity, how to join or get involved. For any more complicated queries or issues that people might need help with, you can signpost them directly to Equity’s Student Organisers via the contact details above.
Resources for Student Deputies
If you were elected Deputy during a visit from a Student Organiser or other Equity Official you may have been given a Dep’s Pack containing our Equity Student Deps booklet, information about Student & Graduate membership, or other materials relating to Equity’s current campaigning activity. Copies of these materials are available via PDF by emailing students@equity.org.uk you can request additional hard copies of materials to hand out to members or display in your workplace by contacting your Student Organisers.
How do I become an Equity Student Deputy?
You can become an Equity Student Deputy by being elected by the other Student Members on your course and informing Equity’s Student Organisers. Often Student Deputies are elected during an Equity visit. However, you don’t need to wait for a staff member to visit to put yourself forward as Dep! You can become a Student Deputy at any point throughout the year and email us on students@equity.org.uk to make it official.
I'm an Equity Student Deputy - where do I start?
Introductions
Introduce yourself as a Student Deputy to those who need to know, such as fellow Student Deputies at your institution and your coursemates. You can choose to inform your tutors or University staff if you’d like to, or you might like to tell your students’ union about your activism with Equity.
Establish an Equity presence
Establish an Equity presence in your institution. You can put up Equity posters or make a noticeboard notifying fellow students who their Student Deputies are. You can also hand out information, guides or campaigning materials from our website. A WhatsApp Group for
fellow student members has been useful for some Deputies. You could even think about holding meetings or events for Equity members at your institution.
Identify the issues
Identify the issues that are important to students at your institution. Is there an active students’ union, or are there other groups in the institution or the local community campaigning on issues relevant to Equity members? Think about how you could help to organise students at your course or institution to get involved.
Work as a team
For a large course or institution, it’s useful to be able to share these activities across a team of Deputies, so you may wish to recruit student members from other courses or year groups as additional Deputies to make sure everyone is represented
Membership drive
As active members, Student Deputies are the most effective people to grow the union’s membership by recruiting non-members to Equity. The higher Equity’s membership levels are, the more powerful the union and its members are in driving change. Students and recent graduates can join at discounted rates. Equity’s Student Organisers can provide you with membership forms or people can join easily online.
Share the news
Have regular conversations with students on your course and in
your year group to make sure you are aware of any issues and that students know how to get involved with union. As Equity achieves change across the sector, make sure you share these stories with others in your college so they can see the impact of their union.
Student Deputies Committee
Equity’s Student Deputies Committee brings together Deps from training institutions around the UK. This is the main way for student members to have their voices heard within Equity and to shape the future of the union. The Student Deputies Committee can submit motions to the Equity Council throughout the year, which have a direct impact on the union’s policies and the way the union is run. The Committee also submits a motion to the annual Equity Conference and sends Student Deputy representatives to vote on the union’s policies for the coming year.