2020 YOUNG GREENS INTERNAL ELECTIONS

All Young Greens can stand in these elections, regardless of experience. We particularily encourage women, people of colour, and LGBTQIA+ Young Greens to do so. If you're interested in standing, all the details, including the rules and instructions on getting on the ballot paper, are available on the Convention democracy site. The election's returning officer (ERO) is in charge of ensuring the roles are followed and the election is carried out correctly and fairly. This year's ERO is Hannah Clare, and you can contact her with questions or concerns here: [email protected].

How to stand

Submit your nomination on the Convention democracy site!

Let us know which role you're applying for, why you think you’d be the best person for the role, and what you plan to do if elected! Here you can also share links to social media channels and/ or your campaign website to lead people to more information about your campaign. Make sure to read the rules for candidates and watch out for emails – don't miss the hustings because you've not checked you inbox.

Remember: You’ll also need two supporters to back your nomination who must also be members of the Green Party. Feel free to drop the current committee and email if you're struggling to find nominators.

There are five sets of elections taking place:

Co-chairs

First, we're electing two new co-chairs for our executive committee. The EC co–chairs have sweeping roles. They have political responsibilities as the faces of the Young Greens in and out the party, as well as representing the Greens as youth and students spokespeople. They also have administrative and organisational roles, for example fixing agendas for and chairing regular EC meetings, helping manage the Young Greens administrative officer, representing young people on the national Party executive (GPEx), and co-ordinating the non-portfolio officers and treasurer.

Hours: Between 4-12 a week

Positions: 2 available

Eligibility: Due to gender balancing quotas, 1 position is reserved for someone that does not self-define as a man.

Responsibilities:

The Co-Chairs of the Young Greens coordinate and support the Young Greens Executive Committee, leading on team strategy and priorities as mandated by the membership, and act as key spokespeople for the organisation. This involves:

• Acting as a key spokesperson for the Young Greens, including at public events and in the media

• Representing the Young Greens on the Green Party Executive (GPEx) at meetings every six weeks

• Working with the Green Party staff team to ensure support is available to the Young Greens

• Chairing regular meetings and away days with the Young Greens Executive Committee

• Coordinating and overseeing the Young Greens Executive Committee team strategy and supporting individual officers to ensure they are able to achieve their goals

• Working closely with Liberation Groups and Green Students Committee to ensure these groups are able to input into organisational and political strategies, and deliver impact on the ground

General Committee Responsibilities:

• Chairing and preparing Executive Committee fortnightly meetings (online) and away days and residentials less regularly

• Contributing to email and chat discussions between the committee meetings

• Responding to emails from members

• Providing a monthly report to the membership and attend a Quarterly Q&A

• Providing two biannual reports to the membership

• Contributing to Young Greens communications

• Adhering to the Code of Conduct agreed by the committee

• Supporting other members of the committee with their portfolios where they can

Non-portfolio officers (Ec)

Second, we're electing a new batch of 6 NPOs to EC. Unlike some organisations, we don't elect officers into specific roles – apart from the co-chairs and treasurer, there's no direct elections to defined portfolios like 'comms officer'. Instead, candidates run to be elected as a non-portfolio officer and then work out the boundaries of their roles once in place. Typically, your manifesto will include the role you'd like to fill, and then once elected you, the co-chairs, and other NPOs will work together to make sure everyone is happy and knows the work they're doing.

Hours: Between 4-10 a week

Positions: 6 available

Eligibility: Due to gender balancing quotas, some positions are reserved for individuals that do not self-define as a man. The number of reserved spaces will be allocated in a way that after the election of Co-chairs and Treasurer, the Executive Committee does not consist of more than 50% of individuals that do no self-define as men.

Responsibilities:

As Non-Portfolio officer, you’ll be able to choose your own portfolio once elected. It’s a good idea to hint what you’d be interested in doing during your election campaign however, so people know why you’re standing and what you’d like to bring to the team. Over the years, our non-portfolio officers have taken on roles such as:

Elections Officer - Setting and delivering a strategy for how we can campaign to get Young Greens elected, and mobilise young people from all across England and Wales to get involved in local and national election campaigns
Membership Officer - Generating plans to recruit and retain members, including managing regular emails to the membership, phone rounds, and social media campaigns to help get members involved
Social Media Officer - Setting the strategy for our social media channels, creating dynamic content, delivering messaging plans and managing our channels on a day to day basis
Campaigns Officer - Working with various stakeholders to develop effective and exciting Young Greens campaigns, and supporting the creation and distribution of resources and training to groups and the membership.
Events Officer - Coordinating our two annual bi-national events, Young Greens Convention in Spring, and the political mobilising event in Autumn, as well as others tied into the team strategy.
Press Officer - Setting and delivering a strategy for our press work, including cultivating a broad list of press contacts, sourcing and editing articles from key Young Green activists, and making recommendations for pitching stories, interviews and press coverage tied to the team strategy.
Societies and Groups Officer - Supporting and coordinating our Young Greens Groups and Societies across England and Wales, including working closely with the Senate, and delivering core skills and activist training throughout the year.
Policy Officer - Coordinating the development of our Young Greens elections manifestos, supporting policy formation in the Young Greens tied to our campaign priorities and supporting our members to bring policy to Green Party Conference.
International Officer - Coordinating with the Global Young Greens and Federation of European Young Greens, and supporting cross-border collaboration, campaigns and learning.
Equality and Diversity Officer - Liaising and working closely with the Young Greens liberation groups (Trans, LGBTQIA+, People of Colour, Women of Colour, Sex Workers, Disability, Women & Under 18), in order to ensure our movement is as diverse and as accessible as possible.

General Committee Responsibilities:

• Attending fortnightly meetings (online) and away days and residentials less regularly
• Contributing to email and chat discussions between the committee meetings
• Responding to emails from members
• Providing a monthly report to the membership and attend a Quarterly Q&A
• Providing two biannual reports to the membership
• Contributing to Young Greens communications
• Adhering to the Code of Conduct agreed by the committee
• Supporting other members of the committee with their portfolios where they can

Treasurer

Third, we'll elect a new treasurer, responsible for looking after the Young Green's budget.

Hours: Between 4-10 a week

Positions: 1 available

Responsibilities:

As the primary budget holder for the Young Greens, this role has the responsibility to ensure the financial stability of the Young Greens, alongside the Executive Committee as a whole. Responsibilities thus include:

• Devising a fundraising strategy and activities to support the financial growth of the Young Greens.
• Helping to deliver fundraising appeals to finance our programmes and phone rounds to build up the monthly income of the Young Greens
• Producing budgets for the Young Greens.
• Signing off on expenses.
• Providing financial reports where necessary.
• Working closely with Green Party finance staff.

General Committee Responsibilities:

• Attending Executive Committee fortnightly meetings (online) and away days and residentials less regularly
• Contributing to email and chat discussions between the committee meetings
• Responding to emails from members
• Providing a monthly report to the membership and attend a Quarterly Q&A
• Providing two biannual reports to the membership
• Contributing to Young Greens communications
• Adhering to the Code of Conduct agreed by the committee
• Supporting other members of the committee with their portfolios where they can

Structures and procedures Committee

Fourth, we're electing 5 new members of SPC. SPC uphold the Young Green's constitution, make sure EC are sticking to the rules, as well as running convention's democracy. One of the SPC co-chairs also usually attends EC to offer advice. SPC co-chairs aren't directly elected as the EC co-chairs are, but are instead chosen by SPC.

Hours: Between 2-10 a week, and heavier during the internal elections period

Positions: 5 available (SPC Members will decide between themselves an SPC Chair)

Eligibility: Due to gender balancing quotas of this committee, we will be electing at least 3 people that do not self-define as a man.

Responsibilities

• Upholds the constitution and makes rulings
• Makes clarifications and minor edits to the constitution
• Organises elections within the Young Greens
• Oversees Young Greens Complaints processes
• Ensures that elected members are held to account
• Responding to emails and democracy related queries from members
• Adhering to the Code of Conduct agreed by the committee
• (Chair:) Organise and chair meetings of the Structures and Procedures Committee
• (Chair:) Attend Young Greens Executive Committee calls where necessary

Green Students Campaign Committee Co-convenor

The Green Students co-convener will work with external bodies – such as the NUS, Student Left Network, or People and Planet – to advance the progressive green cause. This role would especially suit someone with experience in student bodies, but went unfilled over the last year so there is plenty of scope do things with it.

Hours: Between 0-2 a week, heavier during periods with events

Positions: 2 available, 1 reserved for a person who does not define as a man

Responsibilities:

• Organise and chair meetings of the Green Students Campaign Committee

• Ensure the Young Greens have a presence at external student-related events

• Help to ensure Young Greens are standing for election and organising effectively in the National Union of Students and within individual Student Unions

• Help to coordinate close and strategic working with progressive student movements

• Working with the Young Greens Executive Committee to support and train Young Green student groups across England and Wales

• Help to lead our campaigns on student-specific issues