How to write a manifesto - FXU Students Union

How to write a manifesto
Fri 12 Feb 2010 …
at 12 noon Nominations Close
at 3pm Manifesto deadline
at 4pm Candidate Talk - MANDATORY
at 5pm Campaigning Begins
A manifesto
is a public declaration of principles and intentions,
often political in nature.
Manifesto is derived from the Italian word manifesto,
itself derived from the Latin manifestum,
meaning
clear or conspicuous.
(Wikipedia)

Thinking about writing a manifesto for the FXU elections…
So, you know which position you want to run for?
The next thing to figure out is what you wish to achieve in the role you have
chosen.
As a democratically elected representative of the student body, you have a great deal
of freedom to shape the future of the FXU and the student experience – so time to get
thinking about what you would like to achieve.
Simply, a manifesto is
a public statement of intentions or a brief summary of your ambitions
- what you want to achieve in your term of office (July 2010 – June / July 2011).
It is the document which says:
who you are,
what you intend to do should you get elected
and why people should vote for you.
Examples can be found on the FXU website:
http://www.fxu.org.uk/content/244593/representation/elections/manifesto_exapmles/
Bear in mind that to make your goals achievable
there are a couple of considerations you will need to take into account.
Time and money.
Time
If you are elected you will have less than 8 months to achieve your objectives! Bearing
this in mind, some of your most important objectives will need to be achieved with the
first 3 months of your election to have the greatest impact with students.
Money
By the time you are elected, the budgets for the forthcoming year will have already
been set and approved by the previous year’s officers and the permanent staff.
There is a degree of flexibility in the budgets and you will be able to shape the
activities within your role. However because money will have been allocated into
specific areas you will need to appreciate these when forming your goals.

Writing a Manifesto
The manifestos for all candidates will be collected together and published on the FXU website and
facebook, and voters will use these to decide who to vote for.
What would you want to read if you were a voter?
Remember – writing an election manifesto needn’t be something to tear your hair out about.
Essentially, your manifesto should state what you would plan to do in your time of office, and
what changes you would make.
Take some time before you write it to think about
what you believe you can achieve and what the voters would respond to.
It isn’t an excuse to bad mouth your opposition, or make unrealistic promises.
Some top tips:
Talk to students and find out what they actually want. Be concise and
use clear language. Avoid long, complicated words – you won’t win awards for being
clever and you might just alienate important voters. Please ensure you use an easy to read
font, like Arial or Times New Roman; text should not be smaller than font size 12. Set out
your goals for your time in office and ensure they are realistic & achievable
– officers are answerable to the student body who might decide to ask why you’ve not managed to
rebuild the Union building. Your manifesto is about you and not about your
opponents. Avoid discrediting and disrespecting others as it is not professional and
ultimately it will lead to being disqualified! Be relevant. Examples of where you have shown
leadership, tenacity, and tact would indicate to voters your suitability for
the role, even if you have no previous union experience. Be creative and
inspiring.
Heres a nice framework you could use – but remember that a manifesto is a highly
personal thing; you may want to alter the framework to suit what you have to say.
Remember, above all else, this is your chance to express yourself.
1. Have something you feel strongly about
Doesn’t really matter what it is. It can be a political or social issue or cause, your opinions on a
sport, a hobby, or other activity, or something else entirely. All you need is to have a strong
opinion on it.
2. Have some points you want to make
At least two points in your manifesto as you must remember you will only have a couple of
minutes to talk to people before they loose interest
3. Be clear and concise in your writing
Nobody is going to care what you have to say if they can’t understand what you are saying.
Know what you want to say and say it. Get someone you trust to proofread for you to make
sure you’re saying what you want to say and maybe practice saying it to an audience.

Writing a manifesto in general…
(were talking ‘meaning of my life’ stuff here, so if you’re not interested, go to the next page!)
You write the rules
A Manifesto is a document that you write which declares your goals, rules, and guidelines for your
life. It is usually one page, with bullet points. Straight to the point, and covering all aspects of your life
you want to grow. By writing down your intentions in life, you commit to what you feel is important and
it ensures that you will not forget over time. It keeps you focused on your goals and what is important
to you.
Be creative, honest, open, and inspiring. You manifesto should be a document you can read many
times. It should also be flexible so that you can update it as your life develops. It could be posted
somewhere in your room, and openly shared with others who are curious.
It's about strength, power, and growth. Identify your goals and flaws, and work on improving yourself.
Your manifesto is your roadmap to a better future. You write the rules, reach for your dreams.
How ?
Write a list of all the things in the world that matter to you.
Don’t focus completely on altruistic deeds. Be honest with yourself. Write it all down.
You want to base jump off the Eiffel Tower? Write it down.
Like making sausages? Write it down.
You’ll thank yourself later.
Take that list. Look at it. Consider it.
Walk away from the list.
Give it a couple of weeks.
Think about it, but don’t stress, let your brain do the creative work on its own.
The theory is that when you think about what you want, you will discover it.
So think about what you are Great at. That thing which you love to do and were born to do. When you
do something which you lose all track of time during - maybe it’s gardening or maybe it’s tractor pulls
- In essence, find what you love to do, what you care about most in the world and your manifesto will
follow.
If your plan is of any magnitude it will likely take great
resources, focus, luck, and perseverance to make it happen.
This is not a negative thing, but something to be conscious of.

Submissions
All manifestos should be submitted on one side of A4
in printed and/or electronic format, with a photo of you.
We will also be including your details in student publications,
details to be disclosed at the candidate talk.
All original hardcopies
must have the candidates name, position, and type clearly visible on the front.
E.g. “Joseph Bloggs for Exeter President”
Electronic documents
should likewise be titled with the candidates name, position and title,
e.g. “JosephBloggsExeterPresidentManifesto.doc”.
Submit your manifesto to the FXU office between
1 st February 2010 9am And 12 th February 2010 3pm
Dates:
Links. Some you may find useful, others you may not:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manifesto
http://www.manifestotv.com/communique/?p=73
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/2550920/How-to-write-a-manifesto
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/2550920/How-to-write-a-manifesto
http://www.youthspace.haringey.gov.uk/home/haveyoursay-
2/youth_council/how_to_write_a_manifesto_.htm
http://e.piphanies.com/manifesto.php
http://www.uclunion.org/get-involved/manifestos.php
http://www.rusu.co.uk/home/StudentOfficers/Elections/how_to_write_a_manifesto.aspx
Feel free to search for others, and please let us know if you find any good links!
Mon 1 Feb at 9am Nominations Open
Fri 12 Feb at 12 noon Nominations Close
at 3pm Manifesto deadline
at 4pm Candidate Talk - MANDATORY
at 5pm Campaigning Begins
Thu 18 Feb at 12 noon Meet The Candidates (Upper Stannary, Tremough)
Fri 19 Feb at 4pm Meet The Candidates (Woodlane Bar)
Mon 22 Feb at 5pm Meet The Candidates (Rat & Emu, Dartington)
at 7pm Voting Opens
Mon 1 Mar at 2pm Voting Closes
from 5pm Results Party at Woodlane Bar!