How to become a section?
Step 1: Get a team
To create a section, you first need a group of enthusiastic people who wish to work on the ESN idea offering services and taking care of international students at your university. A good way to find interested people is by engaging your friends, placing an advertisement in the university newspaper or distributing flyers. Another source of contacts is the administration at your university and especially the International Office and Student Union. They know the names of the former outgoing exchange students and can help you with recruiting members.
After gathering members for the new section, the next task would be to register the organisation legally in your country.
Step 2: Cooperation with your university
It is much easier to work as a section in ESN when you have the support from your International Student Office of the university. Usually, they are willing to put you in contact with visiting international students, help you with financing, getting an office, and finding a place to host the activities.
Step 3: Principles of ESN
We would expect that the sections joining the ESN work in accordance with our official principles. Please have a look at the Vision, Mission & Values and make sure that you can accept the core of ESN.
Step 4: Help and support from your National Board
To help you with creating your section, you can contact the National Board of your country, i.e. ESN Finland. They will give you any needed advice, put you in contact with already existing sections, and help you to become formally a member section of ESN.
Usually, all new sections in a country have to be approved at the National Platform, which is the meeting of all sections on the national level. This is also a reason for contacting your national board in advance! You can email us board [at] esnfinland.eu.
All new sections in Finland have to be approved on the National Platform, which is the meeting of all sections on the national level.
Step 5: Application
To apply for the membership in ESN, you should fill in the application form that you can find on ESN.org: Become a Section. Send it jointly with your statutes to the National Board of ESN Finland (board@esnfinland.eu)
After your successful application we will start the process to get approval from the National Assembly to welcome you in the Network as Candidate Section. We will assist and help you with all necessary information and documents! The period of being a Candidate Section can vary based on many different aspects and in this period you will be prepared to establish a sustainable local network so we can welcome you in ESN Finland as a full member.