2009/2010 Jhr Chapter Handbook

chapter handbook

2009/2010

jhr UNIVERSITY

http://www.jhr.ca/en/ uni_hp.php

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welcome to the team! Domestically, jhr’s university program offers students incredible opportunities, such as the abilities to:

• GET PRINTED in Speak magazine, jhr’s nationally distributed journalistic publication • or get your essay PUBLISHED in Writes In Review, our online peer-reviewed academic journal • TRAVEL to Ghana with our Overseas Media Internship Program • become a CERTIFIED HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATOR through our regional Train the Trainer Workshops • CREATE awareness about human rights in your community by harnessing the power of the media

Welcome to the jhr (Journalists for Human Rights) community! You are now a participant in Canada’s largest media development organization, a group dedicated to building dialogue around human rights abuses globally. Internationally, jhr sends journalists overseas to build the capacity of local journalists to cover human rights abuses. jhr has operated in 14 countries and currently reaches over 20 million people a week with human rights stories. jhr truly believes in the power of youth to promote social change. As a university student, you have the power to be the change you want to see in the world: your chapter will empower students to take on the challenge of producing Rights Media and spreading human rights awareness in their communities, in Canada, and over the world. Any one individual is capable of initiating a dynamic jhr Chapter - and of learning and creating dialogue on the pressing issues of our day. When you take action, people watch. When you talk, people listen. Thank you for getting involved in the University Chapter Program. We are looking forward to helping you develop a successful chapter - and seeing how you and your chapter decide to increase the reporting and awareness of human rights. Sincerely, The Student Engagement Team

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program structure university chapter program

train the trainer page 7

media creation page

event coordination page 10

speak magazine

epic party

writes in review academic journal

speak silence

human rights documentary festival

film screenings

chapter publications

speaker series

art showings + pub nights

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ghana media internship page 15

be the change. jhr’s main goal is

to make everyone in the world fully aware of his/her rights

rights media:

Rights media is the process of writing, collecting, editing and publishing news stories that create societal dialogue on the issues at hand. Under the right circumstances, this, in turn, can galvanize people, governments, and civil society to change their behaviour or policies.

Rights media is the most powerful form of journalism - it can change the world. Rights media must be both ethical and objective to be effective: the credibility of the journalists, news outlets, and sources involved is crucial.

“We are in the middle of a global communications age. The power of journalism to create change is growing daily. Now is the time to act.”

It sheds new light on old issues, or brings light to new issues.

It can be positive, but it can be critical as well.

Ben Peterson Executive Director, jhr

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It can be focused on human rights, social justice, or environmental issues. But it can also be related to sports, business, or any other journalistic pursuit.

program goals The jhr University Chapter Goals: • foster proliferation of human rights awareness of both international + domestic issues • provide vehicles through which the power of the media may affect positive change • coordination of educational and awareness projects Each Chapter will work towards this goal through:

• promoting awareness about jhr’s operations on campus by media creation and hosting events emphasizing relevant topics • providing a community and forum of discussion for students interested in journalism and human rights • organize fundraisers towards worthy causes related to jhr’s operations 1. Holding the Best Events A successful event is well attended, bolsters human rights knowledge, and/or raises funds for the cause, leaving students with a positive impression of jhr’s impact and a desire to come to future jhr events. Chapters should organize one event per month during the school year. This will include the major nation wide events - Train the Trainer and Speak Silence, as well as all of the other events listed under the Event Coordination pillar of our program.

3. Recruiting Members Each chapter should attract students passionate about jhr’s cause, those with a burgeoning interest in human rights and journalism, and promising student leaders: recruitment is about more than simply a table at a Clubs Far - members should actively be recruited throughout the year. By focusing on the amazing opportunities the jhr University Program offers students, the program can be marketed as being one of the best student experiences on campus! 4. Making Members Feel Involved Delegate tasks to members to keep them interested and active throughout the year. Be careful, though, to refrain from micromanaging! Feel comfortable delegating and make sure to integrate your team.

2. Getting Out There & Being Seen Chapters should be present at all major campus activities, be it concerts, peer group events, sporting games, etc. By showing support of other events, Chapters not only publicize jhr, but also encourage other students to reciprocate and attend their events.

5. Keep the Group Sustainable Ensure that you are constantly recruiting younger students to ensure the sustainability of the chapter. First and second year recruitment should be a priority, along with ensuring that young students assume executive roles as students graduate. 6. Execute the four pillars of the jhr University Program!

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forming the executive All organizations require some form of organizational structure in order to encourage efficiency and avoid conflict. While each jhr Chapter is encouraged to individualize the structure of their executives, the following is the base structure that must be used: President - The Chapter President is responsible for communicating with head office, serving as the chairperson at meetings, co-signing financial transactions with VP Finance, and acting as the public figure of the Chapter. Vice President - The Vice President is the second in command to the President. They are responsible for managing any capital assets of the Chapter, working with VP Recruitment to ensure members, attend meetings, and assuming the President’s responsibility if s/he is unavailable. VP Finance - VP Finance is the treasurer of the organization. They co-sign all financial transactions with the President, and are responsible for managing the Chapter Bank account and providing jhr Head Office with financial information.

VP Communications - VP Communications is responsible for all communications within the chapter, both internal and external. Internally, through emailing information to Chapter Members and updating the Facebook Page. Externally, though issuing press releases, sending out messages over the listserv, and updating the Chapter Website. VP Recruitment - VP Recruitment is responsible for coordinating the recruitment of new chapter members. They are responsible for heading up the Chapter’s presence at the opening clubs fair, and creating innovative recruitment strategies throughout the year. They are also responsible for heading up the jhr Street Teams. Secretary - The Secretary is responsible for booking rooms and recording attendance at meetings.

the successful meeting

Chapters are expected to have meetings at least once a week. Meetings are required to keep chapter members up to date and to keep track of projects your chapters are undertaking. Here are some tips to ensure your meetings are productive, short, fun, and straight to the point: • Come Prepared - Make sure you have sufficiently prepared for the meeting: make an agenda and handouts if you need them. • Listen - Make an effort to listen to all ideas presented. Help people develop their thoughts if they are having difficulties. • Direct the Conversation - While you want to ensure that everyone participates, redirect the conversation if it is heading in the wrong direction. • End with Clear Steps - Make sure everyone knows what they need to do following the meeting. • Keep Minutes - Keep a written record of everything that is said over the course of the discussion.

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pillar one train the trainer jhr has developed a Train the Trainer Program that provides certification to all participants who attend the workshop and then successfully move on to deliver their own workshop. There are three tiers to this program in order to help jhr reach the goal of increasing the overall awareness of human rights in Canada. Each level of workshops, starting with Train the Trainer, will educate and empower more Canadians on human rights issues. The first tier of jhr’s Train the Trainer program begins with the delivery of three regional workshops across Canada. Each workshop will include twenty-five jhr Chapter Member participants. These workshops will train Chapter members to deliver the same workshop to their colleagues. This year, Train the Trainer will be hosted in Vancouver, Toronto, and Halifax. The second tier of jhr’s Train the Trainer Program is Chapter Sponsored Workshops, which will be delivered by the seventy-five Chapter members who participated in the initial Train the Trainer workshops. These follow-up workshops will train participants how to design and deliver their own workshop on ‘how to run a human rights media campaign’.

The third tier of jhr’s Train the Trainer program is Campus/ Community Workshops. These workshops are designed and delivered by the participants of the Chapter Sponsored Workshops. These workshops will train participants how to run a human rights media campaign.

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pillar two media creation The Media Creation pillar is the jhr University Program’s most significant contribution to Change Journalism. They provide students with a plethora of opportunities to use the written word to create a dialogue on human rights.

writes in review

Writes in Review is jhr’s bi-annual peer-reviewed academic journal: through scholarship addressing human rights awareness and improving peace and security, jhr looks to provide a forum for dialogue and the exchange of ideas from a variety of perspectives, regarding the pressing human rights and social justice issues of our day. Writes in Review accepts student submissions from all levels of study over any articles addressing issues centering on jhr’s mission to enhance human rights awareness, improving peace and security, and strengthening the democratization process are welcome. Thanks to all who contributed to this new initiative in Spring 2009 - look out for the call for submissions for jhr Writes in Review Fall 2009!

speak magazine Speak Magazine is a collection of student-authored articles on human rights issues. With a distribution of 5000 copies in 2009, the magazine offers an incredible opportunity for students to have their work nationally published - this year, Speak will transition to online publication!

The student participation in the document does not end at merely contributing articles - each year the magazine is edited, laid out, and designed by one of jhr’s university chapters. Article submission occurs in the fall semester, with the magazine launch occurring in the spring.

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chapter publications

jhr’s Writes in Review and Speak Magazine are just the beginning! Many chapters design their own media - be it podcasts, blogs, email newsletters, etcetera.

HR docfest

Human Rights DocFest is the newest national platform for Canadians to engage in a discussion of human rights issues: HR DocFest 2009 was the first of what will become an annual national documentary film festival that welcomes both emerging and established filmmakers to showcase their creative skills while raising human rights awareness in the community and abroad through documentary films.

IMPORTANT DATES

january 1, 2010: Launch of Writes in Review Fall Issue

september 1, 2009: Speak Magazine Editorial Team in Place

january 15: First call for Writes in Review Spring Issue Submissions

october 1, 2009: First call for Speak Magazine & for Writes in Review Journal Fall Issue Submissions

february 15: Second call for Writes in Review Submissions

november 1, 2009: Second call for Submissions

march 1: Last call for Writes in Review Submissions

november 15, 2009: Last call for submissions

Late March 2010: Launch of Writes in Review and Speak Magazine

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pillar three event coordination Event organization plays an integral role within the jhr University Chapter Program. Not only do they raise awareness about jhr; they also act as a source of fundraising, which helps to fund both jhr’s International Program and Engagement Program.

epic party:

is a fundraiser completed by every school chapter in the fourth week of January. The event is based upon the main fundraiser that jhr Head Office Coordinates every year, which is an epic open-bar party and auction, where over 500 people get together to raise funds for the great work jhr undertakes. Organizing the School Chapter version of Epic Party is a large undertaking, and has plethora of variables that need to be considered.

How to Do it: The main decisions that must be considered when organizing this event are as follows: 1. What form will my Chapter’s Epic Party take? Decide what the evening will look like - your Party can take various forms, be it a club night or concert, or more of a film night or art showing. There are advantages and disadvantages to each option. If your Epic Party is centered on music, do you want to have bands playing, or hire a DJ? A concert is great because each band brings fans, which eases pressure on you to advertise; conversely, though, concerts require meticulous logistical planning - for example, you need sound equipment, someone to run the equipment, the bands could be late, and the music selection might not cater to everyone’s tastes. 2. Where should my Chapter’s Epic Party be located? After you decide what your Epic Party will look like, you need to choose location. If you are organizing a concert, you need to either choose a venue with a sound system, or be prepared to rent all the necessary equipment. If you are organizing a club night, do you want to have it an already established club, or rent the equipment to host it at the space? Do you want to make revenue off bar sales? If this is the case, then you need a space that regularly has beverage services, so that you can get a one night event liquor license. A film screening or art showing, on the other hand, can easily take place at a campus theatre or sponsoring art gallery. 3. Is anyone sponsoring my Epic Party? Attaining sponsorship for your Chapter’s Epic Party definitely has its advantages. Independent sponsorship usually allows for a wider margin of expenditure on the event, and a wellrecognized sponsor may additionally attract interest. If sponsorship is something your Chapter would like to pursue, contact jhr head office for assistance in writing sponsor request letters and tips on contacting the right people for donation. To avoid overlap in sponsorship requests, do not contact sponsors without first getting approval from jhr Head Office. 4. What should my Chapter’s Epic Party be priced at? Pricing for the Epic Party is based entirely upon what you as a Chapter decides, depending on the comparative costs of other similar events on campus. If it’s a closed bar event, anywhere between $8-$10 is appropriate. If it’s an open bar - you need to balance the price between profitability for your chapter, and affordability for your target demographic of students. 5. How do I advertise an event like Epic Party? Epic Party needs to be advertised to two primary groups: university students and the general public. Get the word out to university students through postering popular student spaces, chalking sidewalks outside student buildings, inviting friends of friends with Facebook, or your student paper. When advertising to the general public, get your party listed in the events section of community papers and send your press release to the jhr Head Office to be sent out on the Canadian News Wire.

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speak silence:

raises awareness for those in the world that do not have a recognized voice, and involves Chapter Members taking pledges to go on a vow of silence. The vow can last anywhere from 6 hours to 30, depending on the chapter and is a great and easy way to raise money and awareness for jhr. The event has three parts:

Vow of Silence: Individuals participating in jhr’s Speak Silence campaign commit to taking a collective vow of silence. For six hours, participants gather in one location to recognize those silenced by human rights abuses around the world. During this time, participants can engage in a variety of activities related to silence: play silent games, watch silent films, write messages on the walls, create art, etc. Leading up to the vow, participants are encouraged to collect pledges from their friends and family. Since Speak Silence is jhr’s national fundraiser, the money raised from this event goes directly to supporting jhr’s Chapter Program. Breaking the Silence: Breaking the silence is a crucial component of the campaign. At the end of the six hour vow, participants come together to collectively break the silence of the last hours. Breaking the silence should be a loud and highly visible moment that brings all participants together to celebrate the end of the silence. Some thought should be given before the event as to what breaking the silence will look like. In the past, participants have yelled, spoken in a megaphone for a 30-second period, read aloud the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and so on. Whatever is chosen, this part of the event should bring all participants together to collectively join in the end of the silence. Celebration: Following the breaking of the silence, participants will be invited to celebrate the completion of their vow. The celebration can either take place in the same venue at which the vow was taken, or at an alternate location (such as the campus pub or a local bar). There is also the option of turning the celebration component of Speak Silence into a fundraiser by partnering with a local bar and collecting a cover charge from people who did not participate in the vow of silence but do support the cause and want to make a contribution to jhr. How to do it: 1. Sign Up: Download additional Speak Silence Resources and a pledge sheet online at www.jhr.ca. 2. Recruit: The more people, the more dramatic. Try and round up as many of your friends, classmates, peers, and random strangers involved in Speak Silence as you possibly can. Start handing out the flyers early. Approach first-year classes and make announcements. Send an invite to all your Facebook friends. The more people you get involved the more fun and successful your event will be! 3. Advertise: Post Speak Silence posters in highly visible areas on campus and in your community. Cotnact relevant faculties and similar clubs, asking them to help you promote your campaign. Create overhead sheets with Speak Silence information on them for your professors to project at the beginning of their classes/ and or write the information on the classroom chalkboard. 4. Brainstorm: Think about what you want your Speak Silence to look like. Break the event down to its composite parts (vow, breaking the silence, wrap-up party) and plan accordingly. Be creative! 5. Take the Vow: On the day of, take the vow of silence. Make sure there are plenty of activities (silent, of course) to keep people having fun. Feel free to send groups of participants out into the hallways and streets to pass out information and spread the word.

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film screenings:

Whether watching Hotel Rwanda, or a small independent film, screenings are low cost/cost-free, fairly straightforward events that offer a chance for students to meet and spotlight an issue while fundraising for jhr. After the film, a panel discussion about the topic could also occur.

How to do it: 1. Brainstorm - Get together with your school chapter and brainstorm a film that you would like to screen. Ensure that it is somewhat related to jhr’s mandate of human rights and/or the media. 2. Find a Venue - Find a classroom with a projector or a movie theatre in your school or your community. Rent the space for the evening. Try to get the venue for free as a student (most universities rent rooms free to students). 3. Additional Variables - What will the event’s admission be? What is the budget? Are you going to have a jhr info booth? A concession? A panel discussion after the film? Something else? Discuss in a Chapter Meeting what special additions you can add to the evening to truly make it your own event. 4. Advertise - Get the word out there! Make posters, chalk sidewalks outside main buildings, invite friends on Facebook, and get your event posted in your community papers. If you wish to distribute a press release, draw up one and send it into Head Office so the communications department can give it a onceover and distribute it across the Canadian News Wire. 5. Host - Host the event! 6. Post-Event Evaluation - Evaluate the successes and weaknesses of your film screening, and how this event could be improved in the future.

Bring in either a jhr member of Head Office, former overseas trainers or media profesionals to give a presentation. Invite both your chapter and the broader university community. How to do it:

:speaker series

1. Brainstorm - Get together with your school chapter and brainstorm a speaker that you would like to host. Ensure that it is someone relevant to jhr’s mandate of human rights and/or the media. 2. Find a Venue - Find a venue in your school or community. Rent the space for the evening. Try to get the space for free as a student (most universities rent rooms for free to students) 3. Additional Variables - What will the event admission be? What is the budget? Are you going to have a jhr info booth? A concession? A panel discussion after the speech? Discuss in a chapter meeting. 4. Advertise 5. Host - Host the event! 6. Post-Event Evaluation - Evaluate the event’s successes and failures, and how this event could be improved upon in the future.

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art showings:

How to do it:

jhr has a traveling photo exhibit from Ghana that you can bring to your school to showcase, or you can choose to display other art that represents the main themes of jhr (human rights and the media).

1. Brainstorm - Get together with your school chapter and brainstorm whether you would like to show the Ghana exhibit or select new art for your exhibit. 2. Find a Venue - Find a venue in your school or community. Rent the space for the evening. Try to get the space for free as a student (most universities rent rooms for free to students). Consider contacting local galleries to form a partnership. 3. Additional Variables - What will the event admission be? What is the budget? Are you going to have a jhr info booth? A concession? A panel discussion after the speech? Discuss in a chapter meeting. 4. Advertise 5. Host - Host the event! 6. Post-Event Evaluation - Evaluate the event’s successes and failures, and how this event could be improved upon in the future. How to do it: 1. Brainstorm - Get together with your school chapter and brainstorm whether you would like to have the event. 2. Find a Venue - Find a pub that is willing to host the event. Ensure they will let you charge cover, and even possibly set up a drink special, where all of the profit from a particular event goes to jhr. 3. Additional Variables - What will the event admission be? What is the budget? Are you going to have a jhr info booth? A concession? A panel discussion after the speech? Discuss in a chapter meeting. 4. Advertise 5. Host - Host the event! 6. Post-Event Evaluation - Evaluate the event’s successes and failures, and how this event could be improved upon in

pub nights:

host a party in a pub! Pub night style events are often popular on campus, as it gives students a chance to meet new or reconnect with old friends.

HR docfest: Pioneered in 2009 by jhr UVIC, the Human Rights DocFest is a new documentary short film festival featuring socially engaging projects that use the documentary medium rights concern, and promises to showcase the creative talents of both new and established film makers. jhr’s newest platform for Rights Media, documentaries may be submitted by anyone. A jury of industry professionals and human rights experts make the selection of films to be screened on the HR DocFest CitizenShift online dossier, in addition to a screening of shortlisted films.

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pillar four ghana media internship

The cross-cultural education of the Ghana Media Internship provides students with the opportunity to implement the skills they have developed with the jhr Chapter Program, overseas. The jhr Ghana Media Internship sends 2-5 jhr Chapter Members to community radio stations in Ghana for three month periods, where they work to produce news stories in cooperation with African students while also assisting with programming, editing, soliciting, advertising, and performing other activities that assist with the running of the station. Along with the time spent overseas, interns are expected to complete predeparture manuals for the four months preceding the experience, and be involved in their chapter for at least one year following their placement.

IMPORTANT DATES

january 2010: Interns Receive Pre-Departure Module 1

september 1, 2009: Call for Internship Applications

february 2010: Interns Receive Pre-Departure Module 2

november 1, 2009: Deadline for Internship Applications

march 2010: Interns Receive Pre-Departure Module 3

november 10-14, 2009: Phone Interviews for Short Listed Candidates Occur

april 2010 Interns Receive Pre-Departure Module 4

november 19, 2009 Successful Internship Applicants Contacted

may 2009 Pre-Departure Training and Commencement of Internship

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pillar five

communications strategy + social media chapter presence online When attempting to reach a large number of people - both on campus as well as off - and especially as the school year gets busier, committing to a regular online jhr Chapter presence is key. Chapters should establish a Facebook group (e.g. titled “jhr UBC”as well as become fans of jhr’s official Facebook page. The Facebook page is used for internal communication between Chapter members (or Chapters) and are used for posting pictures and videos, and is helpful in facilitating online discussion. Additionally, some Chapters go beyond this and choose to run their own blog. Blogs can often be used more collaboratively than Facebook pages, and more user-friendly with regard to uploading text articles and showcasing a Chapter radio program, for example; however, keep in mind that an interesting and up-to-date blog requires more maintenance time! For more information on how to set up either of these resources, or assistance in starting up a Chapter blog, drop us a line at [email protected].

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chapter finances jhr is a Registered Canadian Charity. As such, it is responsible for every cent raised and for every cent spent. As a Registered Charity, jhr is exempt from certain taxes and is able to issue tax receipts. With these privileges, comes a high degree of responsibility: to both the Canadian Government and to the donors who support our work. As members of jhr, chapter finances are held to the same standards as the rest of the organization, as well as the rest of the non-profit sector. This means that thee proceeds from every bake sale, film night, or bar party that your chapter holds, are held to the same accountability measures as the money spent renting our office in Liberia, or the cost of sending the journalism trainers overseas.

jhr is required to annually have external auditors go through our records to confirm our compliance with federal financial procedures for charities. The results of this audit are released in jhr’s Annual Report which is sent to funders and the Canada Revenue Agency. During an audit, jhr is required to provide a paper trail for all money incoming and outgoing from the office and its affiliates (e.g. school chapters). This includes receipts, invoices, copies of cheques and documentation accounting for all income and expenditures from the previous year. If jhr were unable to provide the proper documentation and fail the audit, it would lose its status as a charitable organization. In this eventuality, all jhr programming including the Chapter Program - would cease immediately.

chapter responsibility: As Chapter Executives, it is your responsibility to make sure Chapter finances are running smoothly. Vice Presidents of Finance (Treasurers) play a crucial role in maintaing jhr’s status as Registered Charity. Every chapter needs a VP Finance who is responsible and committed to the financial integrity of the organization.

jhr’s financial rules of thumb: 2. ASK! VP of Finances are faced with the daunting task of knowing about every dollar that passes through the chapter account. In order to facilitate this task, VP of Finances are encouraged to keep in touch with the Student Engagement Coordinator at jhr’s Head Office in Toronto. If you are ever unsure about anything to do with Chapter finances, call the office (416-413-0240).

1. REPORT! Chapters are required to submit financial reports BI-ANNUALLY!!. Chapters must submit a monthly report on the 15th of Dec. & Apr., detailing all the income and expenditures from the previous semester (i.e. Report due Dec 15, accounting for all incomes/expenditures from Sept. 1-Dec 14). These reports can be submitted electronically provided all receipts, copies of cheques, invoices and all other documentation is mailed to the office. [16]

Steps to Setting up a Chapter Account: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Designate a VP of Finance Find a bank that meets your needs Set up a meeting Open an account Send account information to Student Engagement Coordinator

Overall Strategy: Each chapter has their own bank account which is autonomous from jhr’s national account. Each account has two co-signers (President and VP Finance). The online access information is sent to the Student Engagement Coordinator. Each Chapter’s VP Finance should keep an up-to-date balance sheet that details expenses and revenues from the chapter, as well as the date they occurred (and a brief explanation). This balance sheet will go a long way toward ensuring the monthly report is accurate and up to date. Monthly reports are due on the 15th of April and December for all the transactions during the previous semester. The reports are submitted electronically and paper records are maintained of the transactions for future audit purposes (these must be kept for 3 years). Tax receipts are issued only from the Head Office. Any cheques from people who require tax receipts must be made out to “Journalists for Human Rights: and sent to the Head Office to be deposited. These deposits can either be transferred back to the Chapter account or credited towards the internship/project. Each chapter is expected to fundraise during the course of the school year. It is recommended that student chapters do not dip into their fundraising money to finance events, but rather search for outside revenue sources within the university. (See Section entitled “How to get Funding”). At the end of the Academic year, all of the money raised by student chapters will be sent to the jhr Head Office. This money will be used toward sustaining the student chapter program, including the Chapter Summit, Speak Magazine, Summer Internships, as well as other national and regional conferences. This money will also go toward funding jhr’s international programs. Some student governments demand that the Chapters bank through the university. In this case, Chapter VP Finances should contact the Student Engagement Coordinator who will work with the university to share financial information between Chapter, jhr Head Office, and University.

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Policies • All cheques must be signed by the President of your chapter and the VP Finance. This means that all cheques must have two signatures. • The names and full contact information (addresses, phone numbers) of your two signatories must be sent to Head Office May 1 of each year, or any time they are changed. • Disbursements (i.e. any expenditures, cheques, etc) over $200 must be approved in advance by the Domestic Programs Director (through e-mail is no problem). • For any purchase greater than $2000, multiple quotes must be obtained, where possible. • Monthly financial reports for transactions in the previous onth must be sent to the Head Office before the 15th of each month. • Donation (tax) receipts are issue donly form the Head Office. Any cheques from people who require donation receipts must be made out to Journalists for Human Rights” and sent to Head Office to be deposited (they will be tracked back to your chapter). Reporting Financial reporting from the chapters to the National Office is critical for the proper oversight processes to occur, and for complete financial records of both your chapter and for the entire organization. Monthly reports are due on Dec.15 for the first semester, and Apr.15 for the second for all the transactions during the previous semester. A template for these reports (listing income and expenditures) will be sent to Chapter VP Finances and will also be available on-line. The reports are submitted electronically, but Chapters must mail in all the paper records of the transactions each month for future audit purposes (these must be kept for 3 years). In these bi-annual reports Chapter Treasurers are basically reporting every financial transaction that happened in the semester previous, either as an expense or revenue. They will also be required to describe the nature of the transaction (for example, indicate an expense was for a publication or that a cheque was a Speak Silence donation). In April, Chapters should mail a cheque for 90% of funds in the Chapter bank account to jhr head office. Journalists for Human Rights 147 spadina avenue, suite 206 M5V 2L7

These financial reports should match Chapter bank statements. So, for example if a cheque was written on Nov. 20, but the funds didn’t come out of the account until January 1, then the transaction should be reported on the October financial report (rather than when the cheque was written).

receive funds. The rule of thumb should be that deposits should be made once per week. Second, always photocopy cheques before they are deposited. In this way, Chapters will have a paper record of the donor’s contact information and reason for writing the cheque.

fundraised and put it into a petty cash fund. Head Office Accounts

As mentioned above, every cheque you write should have two signatures on it - one from the President and one from the VP of Finance. The names and contact information for these signatories Head Office Accounts Third, when keeping records, need to be designated with the Chapter VP Finances should keep bank (see the banking section The Head Office has an accounting all the paper copies of cheques that below), and need to be system complete with details of they deposit in one transaction communicated to the Student each individual chapter and together (e.g. staple all of these Engagement Coordinator. transaction. This is maintained by together with the receipt from the Head Office Staff and the Student Before writing a cheque you should Engagement Coordinator, and is a deposit). know clearly what you are writing long-term record of everything to Fourth, cash should be deposited the cheque for and keep a receipt do with jhr’s finances. separately. When Chapters have (and record the cheque number on an event that involves receiving this receipt so that you can cross One thing that is important for cash, Chapter VP Finances should reference this later against your Chapters to remember about this is count the cash before the end of bank statement). Each of the that the funds for your chapter are the evening, put it in a sealed signatories on the cheque should tracked precisely, regardless of envelope, with the amount written carefully review all available where they are received. For on it, and have two people sign the information about the expense example, if your chapter gets a envelope certifying the amount of before signing the cheque. Do not $1,000 that requires a donation cash is indeed inside. Chapter VP pre-sign blank cheques! receipt, it will be deposited in the Finances can then take this Head Office bank account in envelope to the bank to deposit it in Paying with Cash Toronto, but will be tracked in the their chapter’s account and keep accounting system as revenue for the deposit receipt for this. There may be cases when you your chapter. In this way, you can have to pay someone with cash think of your chapter as having two Last, if the funds are coming from instead of a cheque - for example, bank accounts, the one that you someone who needs a tax/donation when ordering pizza for a general maintain locally, and the one you receipt (most individual donors who meeting. There are two ways to have with the Head Office in will want a donation receipt), then handle this: Toronto. the cheque should not be cashed in the chapter account. It should be 1. By having someone pay Chapter VP Finances can get the sent to the Head Office and will be personally (see the Paying balance of Chapter Head Office credited to the Chapter Head Office personal expenses section account at any time by asking the account. Only donations over the below) Student Engagement Coordinator. amount of $20 are eligible for a tax 2. By maintaining petty cash Funds can be transferred back to receipt. the local chapter account at If your chapter is maintaining petty anytime by asking the Student With expenses by cash, you should cash, then you must follow a Engagement Coordinator. Funds have at least two people on hand specific procedure: first, any cash can be transferred back to the local who can sign something saying that you maintain must come by chapter account anytime needed that cash has been removed from writing a cheque to the bank (for by asking the Student Engagement your petty cash fund this covers “cash”) and withdrawing cash. This Coordinator. your bases and ensures that there provides support for how much are clear lines of accountability. cash you should have on hand, Money In which you should obviously keep in Under no circumstances should a single secure place (an envelope First, deposits should be made as you take cash that you’ve in a locked file or drawer in your soon as possible after Chapters chapter’s office generally works).

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When you pay expenses, then you expense has been incurred, or at simply replace the cash you pay out least within 30 days. with a receipt that you take in. The tracking of petty cash becomes 2. If someone pays an expense but simple then: the total of the cash has lost the receipt, you can still you have on hand, plus the total of issue the cheque if you trust that the receipts you have on hand will they actually paid for the expense always equal the amounts that you and it is relatively small (under have withdrawn from your bank $50). However, this is not a account. When you are paying an practice with which you should expense by cash, you should have become accustomed. If the at least two people on hand who amount is still over $50, then you can sign something saying that cash should contact the Student has been removed from your petty Engagement Coordinator. cash fund - this covers your bases and ensures that there are clear Record-Keeping lines of accountability. In addition to the financial reports mentioned above, the paper trail Under no circumstances should you associated with your chapter take cash you’ve fundraised and put finances is very important. There are a few number of reasons why: it into a petty cash fund. Paying personal expenses There are cases when chapter members or leaders will incur expenses on behalf of the chapter that you will need to reimburse. The procedure for this is simple. First, the individual who incurred the expense should complete an expense reimbursement form (which will be available through the Head Office) and attach all receipts to it. Second, the two cheque signatories should review this expense form and all the receipts - they should then sign the bottom of the form if they approve of everything. Third, a cheque should be written to reimburse the chapter member. The expense reimbursement form then becomes the documentation for that cheque that you keep around at the chapter. There are a couple things to note with this: 1. Expense reimbursement forms should be completed and a cheque issued ASAP after the

for each school term and having the paper records simply stored in order of the date of the transaction. 4. Paper records MUST be sent to the Head Office twice a year once in December and then again in May. This is to ensure that records are on hand in Toronto in case they are requested during an audit and to ensure that a paper trail is maintained through executive transitions. Tax Receipts

As a Registered Charity, jhr is authorized by the Government of Canada to issue tax receipts. However, because tax receipts are as good as cash, there are tight regulations on how we can issues 1. If, by chance, something these receipts. There are a number happens to the electronic records of these regulations that are of your chapter finances, the relevant to chapters: paper records will allow this to be 4. reconstructed. 1. Tax receipts can only be issued in the specified format for the jhr 2. During the time when we have an Head Office. This also means external company reviewing the that any cheques requiring tax financial transactions of jhr (the receipts should be sent to the year end audit), they often ask to Head Office to be deposited. see paper records. 2. jhr does not issue tax receipts for contributions under $20. 3. If there is ever a case when we 3. As a general rule, jhr does not need more information about a issue tax receipts for in-kind particular transaction than is donations or events. If you have recorded in the accounting questions regarding tax receipts system (i.e. the name of a donor). please contact the Student Engagement Coordinator. The specific paper information that you should keep is: • A copy of cheques that you write (hopefully you have a duplicate cheque book) • A copy of cheques that you deposit • Original receipts for expenses paid • Original expense reports with receipts attached To keep all of this information, if your chapter doesn’t already have a system you should start an organized system of files. The best way to do this is by keeping one file

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sample constitution Here is an example of a Chapter Constitution - feel free to use this as a template for your Chapter’s own!

THE CONSTITUTION OF jhr UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO CHAPTER ARTICLE I: NAME The official name of the Chapter shall be the “Journalists for Human Rights Chapter at the University of Toronto” (jhr UofT).

ARTICLE II: PURPOSE The purpose of the JHR U of T Chapter shall be to foster the proliferation of human rights awareness of both international and domestic issues and the power of the media in affecting such change through the coordination of educational and awareness projects. jhr UofT will work towards its goals by: a) Promote awareness about jhr’s operations on campus by means of media creation and hosting events emphasizing relevant topics; b) Provide a community for the students interested in journalism and human rights and a forum of discussion; c) Organize fundraisers towards worthy causes related to jhr’s operations; and d) Communicate effectively with jhr Head Office to fully participate in its University Chapter Program offerings.

ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP Section 1. Membership in jhr UofT shall be open to any interested undergraduate and graduate students of the University of Toronto at any of its three campuses. Section 2. University of Toronto faculty and administrators may join the club as "Associate Members." Associate members may not run for office and do not have voting rights.

ARTICLE IV: EXECUTIVE Section 1. The executive of jhr UofT shall be the President, Vice/Co-President, VP Finance, VP Communications, VP Recruitment, and Secretary. The creation of additional officer positions (e.g. Co-President, Web Master, etc.) must be approved by a two-thirds vote of the active membership. Section 2. Only students may serve on the Executive. Section 3. The duties of the President shall include: CONSTITUTION OF jhr UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO CHAPTER 1

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A. Responsibility for the overall operation of the chapter and overseeing the duties of other executive members; B. Coordination of monthly/bi-monthly executive meetings and preparation for events and speaker-series throughout the academic year; C. Chairing all meetings of the Chapter; D. Providing leadership to the Chapter; E. Communication with head office; F. Co-signing financial transactions with VP Finance; G. Application for appropriate club recognitions on campus in August/September and development of a positive relationship with the university administration; and H. Election of a suitable successor Chapter President. Section 4. The duties of the Vice President shall include: A. Assisting the President with the fulfillment of his/her duties; B. Management of capital assets of the Chapter; C. Working with VP Recruitment to ensure members and attendance; D. Working with the VP Finance to establish budgets for committees which are created (when needed); and E. Assuming the responsibilities of the President in the event that he/she is unavailable. Section 5. The duties of the VP Finance shall include: A. Keeping a record of all financial transactions; B. Meeting with Chapter President/VP on a regular basis to review account balances and financial transactions; C. Co-signing all financial transactions with the President; D. Managing the Chapter Bank Account; E. Preparing any and all budgets, financial budget requests/appeals, etc.; F. In case of special events hosted by the Chapter, responsibility for all related financial activities; E. Providing jhr Head Office with financial information through bi-annual financial statements in December and April, sent to jhr's Student Engagement Director; and F. Actively seeking funding opportunities from various sources on campus and be the main organizer for all fundraising activities on campus. Section 6. The duties of the VP Communications shall include: A. Promoting the Chapter's presence on campus through list-serv announcements, Facebook pages, and student newspapers (such as The Varsity & Saltarrae); B. Assisting in setting executive meetings; C. Promoting the Chapter's presence outside the campus, such as writing press releases; and CONSTITUTION OF jhr UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO CHAPTER 1

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D. Coordinating with Chapter President and jhr Head Office, as well as with other campus chapters across Canada. Section 7. The duties of the VP Recruitment shall include: A. Actively informing the University of Toronto community about jhr's mandate and the functions of the chapter; and B. Organizing Chapter's participating for the Club Fair and other Open House events on U of T to promote the cause. Section 8. The duties of the Secretary shall include: A. Keeping detailed minutes of all meetings; B. Managing RSVP lists for various events organized by the Chapter; C. Working with the President and VP in event planning; D. Communications with related on-campus clubs.

ARTICLE VI: EXECUTIVE ELECTION/IMPEACHMENT Section 1. All Chapter Executives shall be elected before April 15 and will serve a term of May 1- April 15 of the following year. The time between elections and the new term shall serve as a transition period for new officers. Section 2. Executive elections will consist of the following three step process: i. Nominations; ii. Elections; and iii. Run-off elections (if required). A. Nominations - will be held the meeting prior to the scheduled date of elections. Any active club member may nominate a fellow Chapter member to any of the Chapter Executive positions. The President position must be nominated from a current Executive member. Nomina tions will only be accepted during the meeting prior to elections. Candidates can be nominated f or more than one position and they may nominate themselves for a position, if they are not nomi nated by another member. B. Elections - Elections will consist of each candidate speaking for up to five minutes, followed by up to three minutes of questions and answers from the club membership. Only active members present at the meeting shall cast a vote, and only these votes shall count toward the computation of the 50%+1 required margin for election to office. The order of elections shall be as follows: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary.

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C. Run-Off Elections - In the event that no candidate receives at least 50%+1 of the vote of currently active Chapter members, a run-off election shall be held between the two candidates receiving the most votes. Section 4. Notice of elections must be given two weeks in advance to the Chapter Members. Section 5. Nominations for the candidates shall be made on the day of the election. Section 6. The order of elections shall be President, VP Finance, VP Communication, VP Recruitment, and Secretary. Section 7. Candidates will have two minutes to give speech to the Chapter, followed immediately by voting. Section 8. Candidates who are not successful in election to a particular Executive position are eligible to run for another. Section 3. In the event that an Executive is judged to be deficient in his/her duties as decided by a unanimous agreement of all other Chapter Executive members, he/she may be removed by a two-thirds vote of the Chapter's membership.

ARTICLE V: FINANCES Section 1. Possible sources of funding for the Chapter include, but are not limited to, the Journalists for Human Rights Head Office, College Funding, UTSU short-term and long-term funding, Hart House Good Ideas Fund and Dean’s Student Initiative Fund. Section 2. All expenses must be approved by the co-presidents and if consensus is not reached amongst the co-presidents, the decision will be made by the majority of the IRS executives. ARTICLE VII: AMENDMENT Section 1. Amendments to the jhr UofT constitution normally requires approval by two-thirds majority of the voting members of the Chapter, after two-weeks notice has been given.

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rights media: it can change the world Through promoting Rights Media globally, jhr is creating a dialogue over important issues which in turn, propels individuals, government, and civil society towards positive social change. Rights Media has the power to change the world - and so do you! jhr’s Executive Director, Ben Peterson, was only 24 when he co-founded Journalists for Human Rights; eight years later, jhr is Canada’s largest media development organization. The jhr University Chapter Program gives you the chance to affect positive change through Rights Media - be it writing articles, hosting Human Rights fundraising and awareness events, receiving human rights training, or traveling overseas to Ghana to intern in a community radio station. You have the power to step up and make change. Ultimately, whether the tasks be large or small, menial or demanding, we are confident that you are equal to this challenge - you have an incredible power to make incredible changes in our changes. So go for it. Be the change. [24]