Building a successful club isn’t just about the number of people on your membership list; it’s about how you act and how you engage with the wider world.
A Labour club that never does anything is no use to anybody, not least its members. You need to get active. Durham University Labour club aims to have at least one event a week, whether it’s a talk by an MP, a policy forum, a debate, or just a social. Recent guests of the club have included Stephen Byers, Hilary Armstrong and Frank Dobson. We’ve had debates on drugs and racism, and run successful campaigns on homelessness, asylum and child poverty.
Don’t just sit around and argue: get out and change things. That’s what the Labour movement is about, after all. Our Labour club is proud of the strong links it has with the local Labour party. We help them campaign (successfully or not so successfully…) in every election. Our members attend student union meetings and help to make the decisions that affect every student in Durham. Likewise, we’re strongly involved in Labour Students at a national level, regularly sending representatives to conferences and other national events. And we’re not afraid to tell the government when we think they’re wrong - we’ve been involved at every level in fighting top-up fees.
So it’s not hard to be successful: it just takes a bit of effort and organisation. And it’s worth it - as young Labour activists you have a real chance to change things and to make your voice heard. Make the most of it.