Annual General Meeting
A club office bearer should be familiar with its legal obligations under the requirements of the relevant state based Incorporation Act. While these requirements vary from state to state, at the basic level, they require an Incorporated Association (Club) to hold at least one AGM per calendar year.
Department of Commerce – How to Conduct an AGM http://www.commerce.wa.gov.au/
Annual Report
A Club’s Annual Report provides members with an operating snap shot for a 12 month period. It provides opportunity to appreciate the efforts of all volunteers and members to proudly formalise their achievements each season. Conveying success both on and off the field allows all member of the Club and wider community (sponsors, politicians, governing bodies, etc) into the wider aspects of the club that they generally have little to no understand of. It also helps unite and reaffirm the vision and mission of the Club.
Incorporation
It is a requirement that all Clubs are registered as an incorporated entity. Either as an Incorporated Association or as a Company Limited by Guarantee.
Incorporation allows your association to:
- continue regardless of changes to membership
- accept gifts, bequests and grants
- buy and sell property
- enter into enforceable contracts
- sue or be sued
- invest and borrow money.
Link to Associations Act https://www.dsr.wa.gov.au/support-and-advice/organisational-development/governance/associations-incorporation-act-update
What is an incorporated association? http://www.commerce.wa.gov.au/consumer-protection/what-incorporated-association-0
Incorporated Associations checklist - http://www.commerce.wa.gov.au/sites/default/files/atoms/files/assocruleschecklist.pdf
Steps to becoming an incorporated association - http://www.commerce.wa.gov.au/consumer-protection/what-incorporated-association-0
Code of Conduct
This Code of Conduct aims to promote and strengthen the reputation of football in Australia by establishing a standard of performance, behaviour and professionalism for its participants and stakeholders. In addition, it seeks to deter conduct that could impair public confidence in the honest and professional conduct of Matches or in the integrity and good character of its participants.
Constitution
Establishing a constitution https://www.dsr.wa.gov.au/clubs/how-to-guides/managing-your-club/constitution
Australian Sports Commission Sports Governance Principles - https://www.dsr.wa.gov.au/docs/default-source/file-support-and-advice/file-organisation-development/asc_governance_principles.pdf?sfvrsn=2
Constitution template https://www.dsr.wa.gov.au/docs/default-source/file-support-and-advice/file-organisation-development/asc_governance_principles.pdf?sfvrsn=2
NFP Law Association - https://www.nfplaw.org.au/constitution
Dispute Resolution
These Grievance Resolution Regulations form part of the FFA Statutes and, subject to clause 1.5, apply exclusively to determine the rules and procedure for the resolution of a Grievance that arises between FFA, Member Federations, District Associations, Competition Administrators, Clubs, Officials, Agents and Players (Members).
1.2 A Grievance includes a dispute in relation to decisions made or sanctions imposed under:
(a) the National Registration Regulations (such as the termination of a Professional Player Contract without Just Cause); for red card infringements);
(b) the National Disciplinary Regulations (such as the imposition of match suspensions
(c) the National Code of Conduct (such as the imposition of a sanction for bringing the game into Disrepute);
(d) the Member Protection Policy (such as the imposition of a sanction for discriminatory behaviour);
(e) the Anti-Doping Policy (where a reference to the FFA Anti-Doping Tribunal is a reference to the FFA Disciplinary Committee); and
(f) any other terms of the FFA Statutes.
FFA D&G Regs - https://www.ffa.com.au/sites/ffa/files/2017-09/National%20Grievance%20Resolution%20Regulations%C2%A0.pdf
Play by the Rules – Mediation https://footballwest.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/PBTR_mediation.pdf
DLGSC – Managing Complaints - https://www.dsr.wa.gov.au/clubs/how-to-guides/managing-complaints
Play by the Rules – Understanding Complaint Handling - https://www.playbytherules.net.au/complaints-handling/understanding-complaint-handling
Meetings & Minutes
Best practice for Minute taking is by a Minutes Secretary or a technological solution (digital recorder which then converts to a Word document). It is efficient to have a Minutes Template prepared and to take your laptop. A Minutes Secretary does not replace the Committee Secretary. The Minutes Secretary is anyone who can accurately take minutes and provide a first draft quickly and efficiently to the Secretary.
The Secretary then checks the Minutes for accuracy and releases them to other Committee members.
Minutes should NOT record who said what unless someone distinctly requests to go on the record. The Minutes should provide a record of the proceedings of the meeting just sufficiently to be useful and transparent. E.g. the Minutes do not need to detail all the points of discussion, rather summarise and provide the resultant decision.
Motions, decisions and other formal aspects are recorded. It is very important that:
- Motions and any actions have a designated person responsible and this person is recorded in the Minutes.
- Minutes must be disseminated electronically to the Committee within seven working days of the meeting.
- The “What Do We Tell Our Members from This” summary for publishing to members is disseminated.
- If a delegate or Committee Member presents to the Committee, the topic, actions and outcomes needs to be provided within the Minutes.
- The Secretary on behalf of the Committee maintains a Record of Key Committee decisions and a Committee Action Tracking List.
How to take and write minutes - http://www.governance.uwa.edu.au/committees/principles/meetings/preparation/minutes
Effective club meetings - https://www.dsr.wa.gov.au/clubs/how-to-guides/managing-your-club/meetings/committee-meetings
A guide for the chairperson - https://www.dsr.wa.gov.au/docs/default-source/file-clubs/file-club-roles/6-effective-club-meetings-2011.pdf?sfvrsn=4
Risk Management
Everyone has a right to be safe when working or volunteering in sport. WHS laws require sport clubs to comply with the WHS Act and WHS Codes and Regulations. This information is provided to assist clubs incorporate risk management and WHS into their club operations and understand and comply with WHS laws.
Since the Commonwealth’s Work Health and Safety ACT 2012 came into effect in January 2012 people conducting a business (including sport clubs) and workers (including volunteers) are protected by the same WHS laws across Australia. The WHS Act provides greater consistency and clarity about WHS laws, making it easier to understand your WHS duties. Most clubs and associations already have safety policies and practices in place, however under the WHS laws, some sport clubs may need to take new actions to comply with the WHS Act and the NSW WHS Codes of Conduct and Regulations.
The FFA Clubs’ Risk Management Plan “Safe Football”, developed by Gow-Gates in conjunction with FFA and the Member Federations, provides a uniform approach to assist the Football Community in assessing and managing the risks associated with the management of football clubs.
The objective of ‘Safe Football’ is to provide a pro-active approach in ‘Raising the Awareness’ of these risks and to provide a practical framework for your club to minimise or manage these exposures.
The plan is based on the general principles underlying a club’s ‘duty of care’ responsibilities to the football community and the general public such as;
- provide a safe place for recreation/Football;
- provide a safe system of rules;
- provide safe and adequate equipment;
- provide the participant with competent fellow participants, and
- provide adequate instructions and supervision for Football
It is further recommended that a designated ‘Responsible and/or Risk Management Officer’ is appointed, within your Club’s organisational structure, to ensure this information is made available to all Club Directors, Staff, Participants and Volunteers.
The ASC “Sporting Clubs guide to a Safe Workplace” and other WHS resources are designed to assist clubs understand and action WHS and Risk Management within their organisation.
Sports Australia – Risk Management - https://www.sportaus.gov.au/club_development/governance#risk_management
Gow Gates Risk Management - http://www.gowgatessport.com.au/football/risk-management-guidlelines/
Risky Business – Club risk management guide - https://www.dsr.wa.gov.au/docs/default-source/file-clubs/file-club-roles/6-effective-club-meetings-2011.pdf?sfvrsn=4
Safe Work Australia - https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/book/essential-guide-work-health-and-safety-organisations-engage-volunteers
Volunteers
Clubs can provide a great opportunity for people to develop their own skills at the same time as volunteering time and resources towards your club. People are the lifeblood of clubs and your most valuable asset. Club committees should proactively manage their volunteer workforce. Coaches, officials and other volunteers need ongoing support, such as induction, training and recognition. Successful clubs are run by enthusiastic and knowledgeable people, who contribute and feel valued.
Some people can feel unwelcome or self-conscious when fronting up to a new club or community group, particularly if they are on their own or don’t have peers or friends already at the club.
Individuals are the most important Ingredient in creating an inclusive club by creating a warm, friendly, open-minded environment for all members. Use the resources provided in this section to support your club members to develop, learn and be trained in the areas required by your club.
One member of the club’s committee should have ‘Volunteer Management’ as part of their portfolio. The Volunteer Manager should make themselves available to individual volunteers and report back to the committee on any urgent issues which require attention.
DLGSC – Rewarding and retaining volunteers - https://www.dsr.wa.gov.au/support-and-advice/people-development/volunteers/rewarding-volunteers