Clubs and Societies COVID-19 Secure Activity Guidance

13/12/2021 UPDATE

Following on from the government’s announcement of Plan B measures in England and the increasing spread of the Omicron variant in the UK and London, you should consider the putting in place additional measures on top of the guidance we have provided. This could include

1. Move activity outdoors - if you are able to move your events outside the risk of transmission can be reduced.

2. Recommend individuals conduct a lateral flow test before attending each of your activities.

3. Reduce the capacity of indoor activities to allow for better spacing between individuals and avoid crowding

4. Postponing activity - if you don't think your activity should go ahead knowing the risks involved, let us know and we will help.

Your events and activities have a hugely positive impact on the UCL community, and we just need to balance this with a recognition of the risks involved – allowing individuals to make informed choices which may be particularly important in the lead up to the winter break. The rates of Covid-19 in the community are currently rising and we want to make sure everyone is aware of the risks involved in attending in-person activity. Attending in-person activities is a personal choice – everyone will have different circumstances and it’s important that there is no pressure to attend any of your events, even if that means people deciding to not attend at short notice.

If you are concerned about an upcoming event going ahead and would like to talk about extra measures you could put in place, please email us as soon as possible and we will be happy to talk through options with you; this could include discussing financial assistance if an event needs to be altered significantly or postponed. 

Clearly the situation is still fast moving and we will keep you updated in the lead up to next term, but our focus and priority is supporting you to run your incredible events and activities in as safe a way as possible, but also allowing individuals to take responsibility for their own safety and that of those around them.

COVID-19 Secure Activity Guidance

Following the governments lifting of most legal restrictions in relation to Covid-19 on 19/07/2021 please see below our updated guidance for Club and Society Activity below.

Please note that this guidance is supplementary to the Club and Society Regulations which outline all the procedures for running activities safely.

While legal restrictions have been lifted, in line with the Government's and UCL's stance we urge a cautious approach, bearing in mind that Covid-19 continues to circulate. 

All groups are expected to lead by example, taking sensible precautions and following the guidance below for all in person activities.

Attendance Recording

• Attendee data must be kept for all in person activities and events - we strongly encourage you to ticket events where possible, if not possible an accurate register must be taken.

• Please note that in line with UCLs new policy, you must hold an accurate record of all attendees for in person activities for 14 days

• This data may be requested from NHS Test and Trace in the event of an outbreak.

• Activity leaders are responsible for ensuring a register is taken and saved digitally in line with our GDPR policy - we will carry out spot checks to ensure the data is being collected appropriately.

• Only club/society members may attend the activity. Memberships must be completed/purchased prior to arrival at any in-person activity without exception.

Incident Reporting 

If you or one of your members develops symptoms of COVID-19 or has been in close contact with anyone who has had a positive test they should do the following:

        •    Contact NHS Test and Trace Immediately to book a test.

        •    Follow any guidance provided by NHS Test and Trace. 

In the event that any member is 'pinged' by the NHS App they must follow the guidance provided.

 If a member of a club or society tests positive they must:

Use the Connect to Protect tool https://app.ucl.ac.uk/ConnectToProtect/ 

Connect to Protect should also be used to report if you have symptoms of COVID-19, a positive COVID-19 test, or are self-isolating, so that we can coordinate risk management. Any data you provide is kept private and confidential.

General Guidance: Applicable to All Activity

Control Measures:

• Legally social distancing requirements have been removed, however it is advisable to maintain distance where possible, and remember that some individuals may wish to continue social distancing - please see UCL's Please Give Me Space initiative for more information. 
• If activity can be carried out outdoors, it should be.
• Any individual taking involved in activity must carry out at least two Lateral Flow tests each week in line with UCL guidance. 
• All participants must maintain good hand hygiene, and should use hand sanitiser or wash hands for a minimum of 20 seconds before and after activities.
• Windows in indoor spaces should be left open to improve ventilation during your activities.
• All activities must be added to our What's On Calendar. 
• You must wear a face cover indoors, at all times when not eating and drinking, in line with UCL policy - https://www.ucl.ac.uk/coronavirus/keeping-safe-campus/wearing-face-coverings-campus
• If any individuals show symptoms of COVID-19 they should self-isolate in line with government guidelines immediately, seek a test from the NHS and inform the activity leader they are doing so.

Trips and Tours

UK based trips are now permitted within government guidance. If you are planning on holding a club or society trip please remember to complete your additional risk assessment at least 3 weeks before your planned trip.

Following on from updated guidance from UCL we are now able to support Clubs and Societies trips abroad to green list countries. However, considering the ongoing impact of COVID-19, trips abroad now pose a significant level of risk.

Step 1

Submit an additional activity form (including risk assessment) a minimum of 8 weeks prior to your planned departure date. You must not continue with your planning until provisional approval has been granted. Where a third-party travel provider is being proposed, you must submit their COVID-19 policy for our review.

Step 2

Once your trip has been provisionally approved you will need to submit a Budget following the normal process.

Step 3

Before any member purchase a ticket to go on a trip, they must have read and agreed to the terms of the below disclaimer. It is the President's responsibility to ensure this disclaimer is sent out to all prospective attendees, BEFORE they purchase a ticket.

Step 4

Resubmit your updated additional activity form including full list of attendees and confirmation that they have read and agreed to the disclaimer.

If you are in any doubt about an activity or what you can/can’t do, just pop the Activities Team an email at [email protected] and we will do our best to help!

Sporting Activity

All sports clubs should familiarise themselves with their National Governing Body (NGB) ‘return to play’ plan. Most NGB plans can be found here: https://londonsport.org/covid-19/return-to-sport-and-physical-activity-guidance/ all sporting activity will be delivered in line with the respective NGB return to play plan.

Democracy and Elections

Please keep in mind that some of your members may still be learning remotely, or unable to get to campus, so you should adopt an online first approach where possible. All AGMs, EGMs, by-elections and changes to constitutions etc. must be carried out through the Union website - you can request an online by-election through this webform. If you would like to have a referendum to make changes to your constitution, please email [email protected].