CVS Fife - 23-27 Randolph Street, Buckhaven KY8 1AT (Map)
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What is a committee?

A committee is a group of people who take on the responsibility of managing a community group, voluntary organisation, charity, trust or social enterprise. Since Voluntary Sector organisations, as we would class all of the above, have a range of different legal structures (e.g. Registered Charities, Companies Limited by Guarantee, Unincorporated Organisations), committees can be described in different ways as follows:

• Board of Trustees (Registered Charity)
• Board of Directors (Company Limited by Guarantee)
• Committee / Management Committee (Unincorporated Organisation)

Whatever structure an organisation or group has, all committees have certain responsibilities in common. It is these common responsibilities we will outline in this guide.

How do committees work?

Committees are normally made up of between three and twelve people, and should meet regularly to make decisions about the direction of the organisation or group. It is possible to have more than twelve people on a committee, but the more people you have round the table, the more difficult it can become to reach agreement on decisions.

The committee is responsible for making sure that the organisation sticks to its aims and objectives as detailed in the Constitution (see the Constitution Information Leaflet). As committees have overall responsibility for the management of an organisation's affairs, committee members can face personal liability should things go wrong. That is why it is important to meet regularly and make sure that the correct information comes to meetings so that committee members can make informed decisions.

To summarise then, being on a committee involves:

• Having a shared sense of purpose (following aims & objectives)
• Providing direction and leadership
• Taking collective responsibility
• Dealing with compliance issues (e.g. Registered Charities must follow Charity Law requirements)
• Being accountable to stakeholders (e.g. members, funders, service users, the wider community)

For new organisations and groups, this can seem like a daunting list! However, being a committee member can add lots of additional skills and experience to your CV, as well as strengthening skills you already have. This is the case whether you are involved with a very small, volunteer-only group such as a local gala committee or if you are on the Board of a large service-providing charity employing staff and managing premises - you may gain/strengthen experience and skills in a range of areas including:

• Project management
• Budgeting/Financial management
• Fundraising
• Negotiation
• Communication
• Employment Law
• Organising events
• Community engagement
• Advocacy and networking

All committees need people with a mixture of skills to be able to meet their responsibilities. Many people choose to get involved because they want to give something back to their local community or support a good cause as well as recognising that committee work can bring benefits to the individual.

What makes a good committee?

Many of us know of examples of committees that don't work. These are committees where meetings drag on and no actions are agreed, committee members do not take part in discussion or are discouraged from doing so, personal differences make it difficult to focus on the business at hand and so on. To work well, committees rely on the following:

• Members who understand their responsibilities and role
• Having the right mixture of skills, abilities and experience around the table
• Commitment to the role and the aims and objectives of the organisation or group
• Having a sense of purpose which translates into leadership
• An understanding of the boundaries between overall direction and day-to-day management (for organisations with staff)

Often committees form with the aim of making something happen in their local area or community; members have a clear sense of purpose and a list of jobs to be done. However, as the organisation develops and new people become involved, committees sometimes forget to take a step back every now and again and check whether or not they are meeting the requirements listed above. CVS Fife can help any committee which is interested in reviewing its activities. We can deliver refresher sessions for experienced Boards on roles and responsibilities, with specific reference to Charity Law requirements where appropriate. We can also deliver sessions for new committees looking to get to grips with their role. Please contact us for further information.

What makes a good committee member?

Now that we've covered what is required from the whole committee, it's time to think about what is needed from individual committee members. A good committee member:

• Commits to preparing for and attending meetings
• Has a good understanding of the organisation, what it does and how it does it
• Is not afraid to ask questions
• Agrees to stick to the majority decision
• Supports fellow committee members and staff
• Acts as an advocate for the organisation

Most of the things covered in the above list may seem very obvious, but many existing committees find that if they honestly assess themselves against this list then there are usually some areas for improvement. For example, if you are a committee or Board member, have a look at the statements below. Which one is closest to where you are?:

• I always arrive on time for meetings, having read all the papers and considered any questions I want to raise. I also make sure that any action points assigned to me at the last meeting have been progressed
• I usually rush in for the meeting just as it's about to start. I print off the papers but don't always have time to read them beforehand. I'm involved in a few committees or I have lots of work/family commitments and it can be difficult to keep up with the committee work

In all honesty, most committee members are likely to fall somewhere in between these two categories. This is another good reason for committees to stop what they are doing every now and again and take part in a review session as described in the previous section. By doing this, you can identify any problem areas before they grow. Committee members sometimes need some support to help them stay involved, and it's usually much easier to provide this support than to have to recruit a new committee member.

Roles within a committee

As well as having general committee member positions, most committees also have Office Bearer positions which come with specific responsibilities. The most common Office Bearer positions are:

• Chair
• Treasurer
• Secretary

Some organisations will choose to have additional positions such as Vice-Chair - the Constitution will provide guidance on this (see Constitutions information leaflet).

And Finally

Your constitution will give guidance as to who is eligible to stand for membership of the committee (see Constitutions information leaflet). It is important for all committees to be thinking about how they will attract new members on an ongoing basis; as mentioned above, there can be lots of benefits to the individual in getting involved. Many organisations now advertise, using local newspapers and community websites, when looking to recruit.

Support

For further advice on any of the above, including developing your committee, working up role profiles and specific Trustee duties under Charitable Law, please contact CVS Fife.

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