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Committee

Role of the Committee

The committee is responsible to the Group Leader for supporting the delivery of Scouting in the Group and the management of Group funding, property and equipment.

The Committee will normally meet once a month to discuss matters relevant to running the Group, and to maintaining the property and equipment. Parent involvement is vital and necessary to:

  • Share the load of the volunteer Leaders
  • Ensure the Group is financially stable
  • Ensure that parents are happy with the Leaders and activities
  • Ensure the building and equipment is properly maintained
  • Assist with the recruitment of youth members, Leaders, committee.

Chairperson

The role of the Chair is to lead and manage the committee, monitor the committee's performance, chair meetings and ensure that meetings are properly conducted and minuted.

Vice-Chair

Performs the Chairperson’s functions in the absence of the Chair; the expectation is that this person would become Group Chair in the subsequent year.

Treasurer

The Treasurer is responsible for handling all the money of the group. This includes maintaining accounts, receipting funds, financial records and making payments.

This job would suit a professional Accountant; however, accounting qualifications are not required.

Secretary

The Secretary takes and circulates minutes and safeguards the group records.

Hall Manager / Trustee / Rental Manager

The role of the Trustee is to look after the physical assets of the group. There are normally two (hall and equipment). The Hall Trustee is responsible for hall maintenance, compliance, rental and booking. This includes identifying required works, obtaining quotations, and supervising repair works. A knowledge of compliance requirements is helpful. Much of the day-to-day work is involved with bookings and hall rentals.

Grant Manager

The Committee has resolved to have a Grant Manager on the committee. The role of the Grant manager is to apply for grants from the local community and other sources in order to support the other operations of the group.

The Group has successfully applied for a number of grants over the past several years, the template needs to be refined for each new application (they are all different). It has been our experience that this is a significant source of revenue for the group.

Membership Manager

The Committee has resolved to have a Membership Manager on the committee. The role of the Membership Manager is to support the Group Leader, Secretary and Treasurer by maintaining accurate records of membership.

This job would suit a parent with a bit of time and the ability to centrally manage email and the membership system (an online system called “Dibbs”).

In a normal year, there are 10-20 new group members and about the same number of departures.

Trustee

The role of the Trustee is to look after the physical assets of the group. There are normally two (hall and equipment). The Equipment Manager is responsible for equipment maintenance, repair and replacement. This includes the organisation of the following:

  • manage equipment (i.e. tents, canoes, lights etc.)
  • be present (mainly) after camp when Cubs and Scouts return equipment
  • the leaders are responsible for advising what has been used and broken etc
  • try to keep track of what has been damaged, what needs repair
  • organise repairs or replacement (liaise with the Treasurer)

This job might suit either someone who lives close to the hall or a gear-freak “mum” or “dad” with an interest in camping and equipment. It could be shared. Someone who works in the central part of the city and can get to camping stores etc at lunchtime could also help.

Fundraising Manager

The role of the Fundraising Manager is to run all fundraising activities. This person needs to manage and coordinate the annual fund-raising effort which would occur annually being:

  • Christmas tree sales,
  • wine tasting
  • sale of first aid kits
  • possibly a raffle or other fund-raising campaign.

The group has a documented / comprehensive plan for Christmas tree sales which will be a good guide and starting point for that activity which is the main activity.
Each of these fundraising activities may have its own committee.

Communications Manager

The role of the communications / PR manager is to communicate on behalf of the committee/ coordinate etc. to parents and the local community. This would include sending emails to parents, updating the Group website and sending letters to local schools and the local council to support the Group’s activities, including recruitment and fund-raising.

Webmaster

The Committee has resolved to have a Webmaster on the committee. The role of the Webmaster is to organise the website and any supporting email / digital campaign etc. The new Group website is a WordPress site currently managed by the Cub Leader.

Ideally, this is a longer-term commitment from an IT / technically literate parent who can develop, host and maintain the website for a number of years. The existing site is hosted by Google Sites (free) and will be retired in 2013.

Note: The Group Leaders use a Scout & email management system provided by Dibbs. No work is required to look after that, it is managed by the leaders and also manages membership etc.

Assistant Treasurer

The Committee has resolved to have an Assistant Treasurer on the committee. The role of the Assistant Treasurer is to assist the Treasurer with finances which can be a significant job and require considerable effort.

Badge Manager

The Committee has resolved to have a Badge Manager on the committee. The role of the Badge Manager is to ensure that the Group has an adequate supply of Badges to support the Leaders of each Section.