The QSU Campaigning Bootcamp is a programme designed to give students the opportunity to embed with local grassroots community organisations and work with them to campaign, lobby, and influence, to achieve political change in their local communities.

The programme is structured to include 20 hours of campaign training, which includes:

1. Understanding the core components of running an effective campaign
2. Campaigning skills development and achieving systemic change
3. Joining a team of fellow students to plan and organise a campaign
4. Meeting a local community group and helping develop an outline campaign to help them achieve change
5. Sharing your experience with other students

The programme will include political influencing, guest speakers, and expert sessions from campaigning and influencing professionals.

Students will be linked with a local organisation relevant to their campaigning areas of interest, with whom students can continue their campaigning journey on completion of the programme.

The Bootcamp will take place in Queen’s Students’ Union on the following dates:

• Tuesday 18 July, 10am - 4pm
• Tuesday 25 July, 10am - 1pm
• Tuesday 4 August, 10am - 4pm
• Tuesday 15 August, 10am - 1pm
• Week of Monday 8 August: Participants will organise to meet their local grassroots organisation

Applications are open to any current Queen’s student who will also be registered in the 2023-24 academic year.

You are expected to:

• attend all sessions of the Bootcamp on the dates outlined above
• meet with your appointed local grassroots organisation to learn about them and to help develop their campaign goals, objectives, and actions

On completion of the 20 hours of the programme you will then have the opportunity to volunteer with your appointed local grassroots organisation to help them achieve at least one campaign action. It is anticipated that this would be for approximately 20 additional hours from mid-August to the end of October.