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Frequently Asked Questions
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- Our student group isn't listed or the details are wrong. How do I amend them?
- If you would like to submit details of your student animal rights group for the links page, please contact us. Similarly if any of your details are incorrect or a group no longer exists that is listed, please let us know. Thanks!
- How do I set up a group?
- We have some really simple steps to follow on the page How to set up a SAAC group. It's not as scary and daunting as it first may seem, just do one thing at a time and it will go smoothly.
- What if I set up a group and no-one joins?
- Remember, these things take time! What trickles at first, will turn into a steady stream as time goes by and word gets around. If you do continue to find it slow, consider spending a little more time on marketing the group and drawing people in. Maybe a new poster here and there, or an event that will excite people into finding out more.
- If half the year has dwindled by with still no luck, consider abandoning a group idea until the next year, and focus your attention on solo campaigns or joining a local group. There are plenty of things you can do by yourself, and by hooking up with an existing local group you may learn some tricks of trade to put in practise next year.
- I'm interested in vegetarianism but not really animal rights (or vice versa), can I still set up a SAAC group?
- Of course you can! It is your group and your time, so you can concentrate on as much or as little as you like. Animal rights and vegetarianism do tend to go hand in hand though, and you should be prepared to answer people's questions, such as 'Well you don't want us to eat meat but why don't you care about animal testing'. Whatever you decide to focus on, ensure you have at least some knowledge about the other interlinking subjects.
- It can be useful to include both categories into your group's campaigns, as after all, this will draw more people to it and gives you more opportunities to promote animal welfare. However, if you are at a university that tests on animals or has a strong hunting philosophy for example, you might like to take this into consideration as a priority.
- My university/college/school won't let me set up a group but other types of groups exist, what can I do?
- It sounds likely that in this scenario you are being penalised for wanting to set up a controversial group that may reflect badly on them. Animal rights has got a lot of bad press over the years, so they might be afraid of chaos and a bunch of mini-terrorists running around in balaclavas. The best thing to do is remain calm and explain that your group will campaign peacefully, with no violence or intimidation, and you simply want to speak up for those without a voice. Freedom of speech should be allowed, and they may just need to be shown what it is you want to educate others about. In all instances, please get in touch with us, as we will offer you help and even speak with the union direct if need be.
- There is already a group at my university/college/school, but I want to set up my own, will they let me?
- In theory you are free to set up a group if the existing one doesn't meet your fancy, but this isn't always the best strategy. Ideally, you should meet with the person who runs the current group, and discuss what more you could bring to it to develop it further. Also, there may be a policy at your university etc that doesn't allow new groups to be set up if too similar to existing ones.
- I'm not vegetarian or vegan but want to join a group. Will they let me in or look down on me?
- Individual groups may have their own ideas about who should join, but most are just keen to help people help the animals, in whatever way they can.
- Alexia (founder of SAAC) says, "When I set up a group at university, I had all sorts of people join - meat eaters, veggies, vegans, the lot! I found this even better than simply attracting a bunch of vegans, as it meant I could work with them and educate them about how easy it is to give up certain foods".
- In the long run, you really need to practise what you preach - if you join, say, a veggie society then after a year haven't gone veggie yourself, you may want to look at why you got involved in the first place.
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