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FAQ's and Mythbusting

Have a concern or question about running?

Below, we have busted some myths about our elections and how to stand for them! If we haven't answered your question, feel free to get in touch with us here.

"You have to be a great public speaker to run for election"

Absolutely not. Working at the KPA is a very friendly and informal space, so you do not need to be fantastic at public speaking to be able to carry out any of the roles. Public speaking is a skill that the KPA can provide the opportunity to strengthen, it is by no means a requirement of the job!

"But making a manifesto is really hard..."

This really does depend on the individual candidate, but some top tips for creating a manifesto are as follows. Think about all the skills you have, why you want to be an officer and what things make you passionate about the postgraduate experience at Keele. If you are worried more about the "design" or "creation" of the manifesto itself, 'Canva' is a really great and FREE platform you can use to make your manifesto stand out!

"Okay so this time I want to run for a voluntary officer position, does that mean I can't run for full-time officer positions in the future?"

You can run for a voluntary officer position as many years/times as you like provided that you are a registered postgraduate student at Keele. You can only run for a full-time paid sabbatical position for a maximum of 2 years. So, in theory, you could be a voluntary officer 'x' amount of times and then run for a full time sabbatical officer position should you wish. 

"I am an international student on a tier 4 visa, can I be a sabbatical officer?"

Yes, you can be a full-time paid sabbatical officer if you are on a tier 4 visa, there is a clause in being a sabbatical officer that enables you to do this. If you want to be a volunteer or part-time officer, you just need to be mindful of the hours of work you are undertaking for the KPA if you have other part time responsibilities. If you are worried, you can get in touch with Keele's friendly visa compliance team here.

"What is a charity trustee?"

As a charity trustee, your duties are to follow these six different guidelines: 

1. Ensure your charity is carrying out it's purposes for the public benefit. 

2. Comply with your charity's governing document and the law. 

3. Act in your charity's best interest. 

4. Ensure your charity is accountable. 

5. Manage your charity's resources responsibly. 

6. Act with reasonable care and skill. 

For more detailed guidance on what it takes to be a charity trustee, click here.

Don't panic though! - If you are elected as an officer who is also a trustee of the KPA, full training will be given during handover. You will also be able to access training throughout the year, covered by the KPA, should you want it. 

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