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Midwifery societies foster a supportive environment, bringing members together across the three years of your degree. Joining a midwifery society with help enhance your learning but is also a great source of connection, compassion and building friendships and networking opportunities in both the university and professional settings. Plus, midwifery societies can host some pretty great student events too.

For existing midwifery societies – have you affiliated with a branch? When branch and society join in an affiliation there is much bigger and better opportunity to collaborate and find support and progression through your degree and into practice. Find out how to affiliate here.

How to join a society

Today the majority of universities that offer midwifery programmes have a midwifery society. You can find out if there is a society by asking your fellow students, lecturers, tutors or by searching for a society on your university’s website.

How to set up a society

If your university doesn’t currently have a midwifery society, you can always set one up yourself. Each student union will have its own guidelines, but generally the steps in the bar below will serve as a rough guide. If you want support from the RCM, why not contact the RCM Student Midwives Forum who have lots of experience in setting up and running societies.

If your university doesn’t currently have a midwifery society, you can always set one up yourself. Each student union will have its own guidelines, but generally the steps below will serve as a rough guide to setting up a society. If you want support from the RCM, why not contact the RCM Student Midwives Forum who have lots of experience in setting up and running societies.

  • Discuss the idea with other student midwives to gauge interest and feasibility
  • Speak with your student union office for advice
  • The society’s core activities must not overlap with an existing group
  • It should be open to all student midwives within the university
  • There is usually a minimum number of potential members set by the university
  • There is often an application process online to set up the society, or you may need to get this information from the student union. You will be asked to provide the names of the organisers, a constitution/set of objectives for the society, an outline of proposed activities, an outline of what funding you will initially apply for, and a petition of interested members of the society
  • Some universities may ask for a declaration of any external organisations who are affiliates of the society at the application stage. Therefore if may be worth stating if this is going to be an RCM midwifery society
  • The application will need to be submitted to the student union, who will decide whether to accept or decline your application. Some universities may ask the society organisers to present to student union officials at this stage
  • If your application is accepted, you will need to agree to adhere as a group to the relevant policies and procedures
  • Societies will need to elect a president (usually the founder and leader of the society), a treasurer (the person who deals with the money), and a social secretary/fundraiser. Some universities will ask for the names of these post-holders as part of the application process while others won't expect this level of detail until the society has been approved. The society will need to hold a yearly AGM
  • The university may set a minimum fee which you can charge for membership

The RCM is very keen to support Student Midwifery Societies and to help thriving student midwife networks across the UK. We hope that Student Midwifery Societies will form strong collaborative links with their local RCM Branches and consider affiliation. 

To encourage the growth and success of student midwifery societies, the RCM is introducing an annual grant of £250 payable to any Student Midwifery Society that can meet the required criteria.

To apply for a grant, RCM members can download and complete the application form and guidance.

Grant Requirements

  • Applications to be made using the relevant forms, setting out in broad detail the purpose and use of the grant
  • Funding is to be used for RCM-approved purposes only. The RCM has the right to seek the return of any monies it deems to have been misused
  • There needs to be a commitment to complete and return an evaluation form within six months of the grant being awarded, showing how the funding has been used and how it has benefited the society. This may include photographs or social media posts, etc.
  • If the funding is to be used for an event, evaluations should use the supplied standard RCM event evaluation form
  • Applicants must commit to sharing society activities and plans with local RCM Branches
  • Failure to demonstrate and evaluate how the grant is used may disqualify societies from any future grants

What can be funded?

Please note, this is not an exhaustive list but should be used as a guide:

  • learning events, study days and conferences
  • subsidised attendance at RCM Annual Conference or other RCM midwifery conferences e.g. European Midwives Conference
  • producing materials that celebrate your midwifery society, to help recruit new RCM members
  • raising awareness about the contribution of midwifery in your community
  • organising International Day of the Midwife events and initiatives
  • running a joint event/initiative with your local RCM Branch

Who can apply for funding?

A named midwifery society committee member, counter-signed either by a local RCM branch officer, RCM national/regional officer or organiser.

How will the funding be paid?

If successful, notification will be given within two weeks via the contact details provided on the form. Payment will be made directly into the midwifery society bank account.

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