Governance
Building strong clubs
What is Governance?
Governance is a fancy word for good club management!
Good club management is achieved through strong club structures, defining roles within the club, delegating authority, policies, and procedures, conducting effective meetings, planning and good communication.
Good club management helps to create successful clubs by increasing membership, volunteerism and reducing conflict.
RULES OF INCORPORATION
Rules of Incorporation, Purpose and Rules, or Constitution all refer the rules under which a club has been formed. The Rules of Incorporation define the rights of members and the responsibility of the Association in meeting these rights.
It is essential that a club committee know where the Club Constitution or Rules of Incorporation are, regularly refer to them, and ensure the members can gain access to them.
INCORPORATION
Incorporation is the legal process used to form a legal entity. Incorporation provides your club committee with protection for decisions made whilst conducting the operations of the club. Incorporated clubs have a constitution or rules of incorporation which is a contract between the members and the club and sets out how the club will be governed.
The process and requirements for incorporation will depend on what state/territory your club operates in.
Check the relevant state authority for more information.
New South Wales – Fair Trading
South Australia – Consumer and Business Services
Tasmania – Consumer, Building and Occupational Services
Western Australia – Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety
CLUB STRUCTURE
Documenting your club structure clarifies what roles and subcommittees exist in the club. It enables people to understand where they can help and how the club works.
TERMS OF REFERENCE
Terms of Reference define a committee’s purpose and role and delegate authority for the committee to act on behalf of the Club Committee.
CLUB COMMITTEE
The Club Committee are a group of people, elected according to the club’s constitution, to run the club on behalf of its members. The Club Committee is responsible for ensuring the club is financially sound, manages risk, drives strategy, promotes participation by club members, and operates within laws, rules, policies, and regulations relevant to the club.
ROLE DESCRIPTIONS
Writing down roles at your club helps to define where a person’s role begins and ends and how roles work together at your club. Here are some templates to help your club document your club roles:
- Club President (Chair)
- Club Vice President
- Club Secretary
- Club Treasurer
- Coach/Instructor
- Council Liaison
- Equipment Officer
- Grant Coordinator
- Marketing/Communication Coordinator
- Media Officer
- Member Protection Information Officer
- Newsletter Coordinator
- Public Officer
- Recruitment Officer
- Safety Risk Officer
- Social Events Officer
- Social Media Coordinator
- Sponsorship Coordinator
- Team Manager
- Volunteer Coordinator
- Website Coordinator
ANNUAL REPORT
Documenting your club’s year is a fantastic way to celebrate your club and promote all the things that have happened during the year. Annual reports are great for promoting your club to potential sponsors and government bodies.
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