![\"DSC00248](\"http:\/\/www.vrg.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/DSC00248-copy.jpg\")
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By Heather Francis, VRG Intern <\/p>\n
Are you dedicated about fighting for animal rights?
\nDo you go crazy over Non-Dairy Ben & Jerry\u2019s Ice Cream?
\nAre you inspired to make a difference in your school\u2019s cafeteria?
\nDo you want to start an animal rights club? <\/p>\n
If you said yes to all of those questions, and don\u2019t know where to start, don\u2019t worry. I have compiled a condensed list of steps as a guideline in creating an animal rights group in high school or on your university\u2019s campus. <\/p>\n
Meet with your group
\n1) First, find people who are interested in Animal Rights
\n\u00b7 It\u2019s time you start befriending those who are interested in making a difference, and those who are already. Talking about the idea of creating an organization is a great way to start introducing new people into the movement. Also find an advisor (a professor on campus, or teacher) who is interested in animal activism
\n2) Once you find a handful of people:
\n\u00b7 Meet-up together. Find a place in the center of campus or in someone\u2019s dorm. Go out for some delicious vegan food together.
\n3) Vote on an Executive Board
\n\u00b7 President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. As time goes on you may think about adding a Social-Media Liaison or an Event Planner for what you feel is most needed for your campus community.
\n\u00b7 In the beginning stages of your organization it\u2019s important to choose a strong leadership team who are invested in the organization so the organization will begin with dedication.
\n4) Discuss ways to do outreach on campus to find more members
\n\u00b7 Use flyers, social media, and\/or blast emails.
\n\u00b7 Ask teachers\/professors if you are able to talk in class about the organization.
\n\u00b7 Reach out to other organizations on campus to ask them to advertise the organization.
\n5) Decide on a name!
\n\u00b7 Choose a name that\u2019s simple, to the point, and could be made into an acronym. For example: The VRG (The Vegetarian Resource Group) and PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). <\/p>\n
Obtain Charterment
\n1) Contact Student Government on campus and figure out how to get chartered as a group on campus.
\n2) Set up rules\/regulations for your club (Some schools have a constitution you could adopt with said rules\/regulations in it)
\nExamples of these rules include:
\n\u00b7 Approximation of when the club votes for a new executive board
\n\u00b7 How many meetings one has to attend to be a general member
\n\u00b7 Meeting times and days
\n\u00b7 Who counts the votes
\n\u00b7 What happens if there is a tie
\n\u00b7 How often the executive board meets
\n3) Get chartered
\n\u00b7 This is dependent on your school\u2019s requirement. It may take up to a month or perhaps a week to be recognized as a school organization. Personally, for my school, organizations are only able to become chartered in the spring semester.
\n4) Understand Funding
\n\u00b7 All Schools are different. Some schools use matching funds, which means they will match the amount of money your organization raises, or they provide funds to you.
\n\u00b7 To begin, know how you hope to utilize the funds given to your organization. <\/p>\n
Become educated on animal rights issues related to the environment, health, and ethics.
\n\u00b7 Watch: Cowspiracy, Earthlings, Vegucated, Forks Over Knives, Fed Up, Soul Food Junkies, Blackfish, and more.
\n\u00b7 Read articles online: The Vegetarian Resource Group, One Green Planet, PETA, and more. <\/p>\n
Create a network
\n\u00b7 Create Social Media accounts for your group using Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
\n\u00b7 Jump on your school\u2019s organization portal(if there is one).
\n\u00b7 Start mobilizing and and reaching out to students on campus about your organization.
\n\u00b7 Make connections with animal rights campus organizers on your campus.
\n\u00b7 Keep reaching out to similar organizations on campus, such as The Environmental Club, Public Health Club, or a Nutrition Organization.<\/p>\n
Congratulations, you\u2019re officially an organization…now what?
\n1) Set meeting dates\/times
\n2) Vote in needed Executive Board members
\n3) Start brainstorming with your club about events to do on campus or for the community for outreach
\n\u00b7 Pay Per View
\n\u00b7 Leafleting
\n\u00b7 Information Tables about cruelty-free make up, factory farms, and the vegan\/vegetarian diet
\n\u00b7 Taste Testing using Vegan Food (Use Vegfund.org to apply for Vegan Taste Tests on your campus)
\n\u00b7 Movie Night on campus (Watch Cowspiracy or Vegucated)
\n\u00b7 Vegan Potlucks
\n\u00b7 Yoga night
\n\u00b7 Smoothie Bar
\n\u00b7 Cosponsoring Events with other organizations
\n\u00b7 Vegan\/Cruelty-Free Bake Sale
\n\u00b7 Meatless Monday Campaigns
\n\u00b7 Protests\/Petitions
\n4) Begin to notice the difference your organization has already made<\/p>\n
In conclusion, from my personal experience, I know it definitely won\u2019t be easy to start an organization. There\u2019s a lot of dedication involved. When I was petitioning for more options in the dining halls through my organization, someone said to me \u201cIf there is going to be more vegetarian options then there will be less burgers, and I want to eat burgers.\u201d People will shake their head, or they will make jokes about how you\u2019re a \u201chippie\u201d organization. My advice is to rely on your passion and keep pushing to make a difference in the animal rights field. <\/p>\n
Links for more information: Free Resources for your organization: By Heather Francis, VRG Intern Are you dedicated about fighting for animal rights? Do you go crazy over Non-Dairy Ben & Jerry\u2019s Ice Cream? Are you inspired to make a difference in your school\u2019s cafeteria? Do you want to start an animal rights club? If you said yes to all of those questions, and don\u2019t […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9446","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vrg.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9446","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vrg.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vrg.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vrg.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vrg.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9446"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.vrg.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9446\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9450,"href":"https:\/\/www.vrg.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9446\/revisions\/9450"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vrg.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9446"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vrg.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9446"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vrg.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9446"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nhttp:\/\/www.peta.org\/action\/activism-guide\/start-animal-rights-group\/
\n<\/a>
\nhttp:\/\/www.peta2.com\/about\/frequently-asked-questions\/how-do-i-start-an-animal-rights-group-at-school\/
\n<\/a>
\nhttps:\/\/www.petfinder.com\/animal-shelters-and-rescues\/starting-a-pet-adoption-organization\/starting-nonprofit-help-animals\/\\
\n<\/a>
\nhttp:\/\/adoptacollege.org\/
\n<\/a>Vegfund is a non-profit organization where you can apply for grants to hold taste testing, pay per view, or larger scale outreach programs to students on campus related to animal rights.
\nSee: http:\/\/www.vegfund.org\/<\/a><\/p>\n
\nhttp:\/\/www.vrg.org\/nutshell\/
\n<\/a>
\nhttp:\/\/www.chooseveg.com\/vsg
\n<\/a>http:\/\/veganoutreach.org\/order-form\/
\n<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"