BTCV Handbooks Online

Book:	Local Action
Chapter:	Running a group
Section:	A working structure
Metadata:	Details	Buy this book

Most groups are unincorporated associations, or clubs (as opposed to incorporated associations, or companies). Clubs do not exist in law except as the sum total of their members. Property belongs to the members, responsibility for the club's actions falls upon its members, and how the club conducts its affairs is decided by its members. By contrast, a company has rules and conditions imposed by law. A club can make, or not make, its own rules as it wishes; if it does have rules, established in a constitution or otherwise, they may be legally binding on its members.

It is a good idea to write at least a basic constitution, setting out the structure and aims of your group. A written constitution is helpful so that outsiders such as funders can see how you operate and so that members know what is expected of them. (See the model constitution left, which your group might like to adapt.)

Charitable status

Most local groups are not registered as charities and do not need to be so. A few find that charity registration can be an aid to marketing and fundraising. The 1992 and 1993 Charities Acts now require many groups in England and Wales to register as charities.

Association with BTCV, which is a registered charity, does not make a local group a charity. Associated groups are legally separate from BTCV. Groups which are legally part of another organisation are not normally charities unless the parent organisation is a charity. But with independent groups the acid test is the purpose of the group. If your group's main purpose is to benefit your own members then you are unlikely to be charitable. However, if your group's main purpose is to do conservation work and education for the benefit of the public then you are likely to be charitable.

If your group is based in England or Wales and has an annual income of �1,000 or more, owns or occupies land or buildings, or has a permanent endowment, then it is required by the Charities Act to register with the Charity Commissioners. This is a complex process and BTCV produces a Charity Registration Pack* and Model Constitution (see below) specifically designed to help local groups in this situation.

*The pack is not currently available as it is being updated to conform with new legislation - a revised version should be available late 2006.

Groups in Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and Scotland are not required to register as charities, and the process of registering their charitable nature is quite different from that for groups in England and Wales. Generally, the Charities Acts and the jurisdiction of the Charity Commissioners do not extend outside England and Wales.

Further information, including a publications list, is available from the Charity Commissioners by post or from the web site www.charity-commission.gov.uk. Most of their publications are free. Charity law has changed a number of times over the last few years and the point at which charities need to register with the Charity Commissioners is likely to change in the future. For up-to-date information about the legal requirements of registration and how BTCV can help you, please contact the Community Groups Unit.

Another excellent source of advice on constitutions and legal issues is your local Voluntary Action. They often produce newsletter with regular updates on legal issues for community groups.

Here are two sample constitutions used by local and site based conservation groups. A constitution will help you to resolve any disagreements you might have as the group develops.

A constitution for an independent conservation volunteer group (for groups which do not need/intend to apply to become registered charities.)

1. The group shall be called '[insert name]... Conservation Volunteers'.

2. The aims of the group are:

To promote practical conservation through volunteers for the benefit of the public.
To educate the volunteers in the principles and practice of conservation.

3. To fulfil these aims:

a) The group will undertake practical conservation work.

b) Other activities, in furtherance of the aims or for the benefit of the group, shall also be undertaken from time to time as the members see fit.

c) Money shall be raised when necessary for carrying out the aims of the group.

4. The area served is principally ... but projects and activities may be undertaken elsewhere as is seen fit by the members.

5. The organisation shall apply for association with BTCV, and shall observe the conditions of association.

6. Membership shall be open to anyone interested in taking an active part in the work of the organisation.

7. The organisation shall hold regular meetings (at least bimonthly) to discuss its policy and administration. All members shall be invited to these meetings, and each member will have one vote.

8. Such officers shall be appointed as are required to conduct the administration of the organisation. These will include a chairperson and a treasurer. These officers shall be in charge of the day-to-day running of the organisation, but shall be answerable to meetings of members.

9. There shall be an annual subscription to help pay necessary expenses, to be fixed at a members' meeting at such rate as is from time to time thought adequate.

10. Accounts shall be kept by the treasurer, submitted to an independent inspection and approved at a members' meeting.

11. The organisation shall maintain insurance for volunteers on its projects, and for injuries to third parties and damage to property.

12. If the organisation shall, by general consent of its members, cease to exist, all assets shall pass to the BTCV.

This constitution shall only be altered by consent of a majority of the members of the organisation.

Draft constitution for site based projects (for groups which do not need/intend to apply to become registered charities.)

The Group will be called :
The aim of the group will be : 'To.. conserve site X, its flora, fauna and wildlife habitats as a community resource and promote its use by local people as a place for the quiet enjoyment and study of the countryside.'
'To promote practical conservation works through voluntary action for the benefit of the local environment and community.'
To fulfil these aims the Group will :
Plan, organise and carry out practical conservation works and such other activities as the groups sees fit to promote its aim,
Raise money and other support for its activities in support of its aim.
The membership of the Group will be open to anyone interested in taking an active part in promoting its aims
The Group will hold regular, publicised open meetings, which any member will be entitled to attend.
Such officers will be appointed as are required to administer the running of the Group including a chairperson, a treasurer and a secretary. Simple majority at ordinary meetings can elect officers.
Accounts will be kept by the treasurer, submitted to, and approved by an Annual General Meeting.
The Group will set up a suitable banking account and will elect authorised signatories on a two from three basis.
The Group will maintain appropriate insurance cover for volunteers working on its behalf and for third party claims for personal injury or damage to property.
If the Group shall, by a two thirds majority decision of its members at an AGM or EGM*, cease to exist then its assets shall pass to another local group/BTCV?/National Trust - (whoever seems appropriate locally).
This constitution may be altered by the consent of a simple majority of members at an AGM or EGM*

(* Special meetings to be called with at least two weeks notice and publicised to members, and by a notice in the local newspaper stating the purpose of the meeting.)

Sharing the work

It is possible to run a group on your own, but why would anyone want to? The best way to run a group is to ensure that everyone who wants to be involved has got something to do. Unless you have the active support of some larger body - such as your relevant Wildlife Trust - it will, in any case, be very hard to run the group single-handed. It is also the best way of guaranteeing that when you disappear, for whatever reason, the group will collapse. One reason why co-ordinators give up is that they feel the workload has become too great and that no-one will help. A major reason for the disappearance of local conservation groups is that the co-ordinator fails to involve others. It can be quite hard to let go of some responsibilities if you feel the idea was yours. Just try to remember that other people may not do things the same way as you would; they might do them better.

Spreading the work around makes sense for everyone. The work is shared out, the burden is eased, and in time new people will feel confident about taking on more responsibility when long-standing members leave. If people feel more involved they are more likely to bring in new members, to raise money, to turn out on rainy days, and above all to be a positive public face for your group.

Spreading the work around makes sense for everyone.

For some groups it may make sense for these people to meet as a committee, which can deal quickly with financial matters and routine business. However, for really important decisions, remember to consult more widely. Other groups work less formally. The best way forward may be to keep it simple at first but be aware that your group's structure will need to change as your group changes.

Getting more group members involved can also help solve problems. Each person brings their own skills, interests and experience. It should also be obvious that sharing the load means that you can use other people's skills. However good one person is, they can never discuss matters in the way five people can. Targeting interested group members to invite them to carry out a role on the committee can sometimes prove successful.

As your group has no status in law, if someone wants to recover a debt they cannot sue you as a body, but must sue one or more of the members. An ordinary member is not liable simply because he or she is a member. The basic question is: "Who was responsible for incurring the debt?". The answer may or may not be obvious. If one co-ordinator is solely responsible, the liability is his or hers. If the committee authorised the co-ordinator to incur the debt, they will all be liable. In an extreme case the whole membership could be liable if the debt was to be expected from the very existence of the group.

Roles for volunteers

The main responsibilities in most groups are outlined below. In many groups two or more of these posts are rolled into one, but it is important not to overload anyone. Keen volunteers don't need lots of skills to start with, there is lots of training out there to help volunteers who are running community groups.

Your group may not like the idea of giving people titles, which is a traditional way of running a group, but that is a decision for you and your group to make. All these tasks have to be done by someone but it is unlikely that you will ever have a committee with twelve or more people! If you set up a structure that feels right and does the job, there is every likelihood that your group will flourish. Remember that continuity is essential and an effective structure can make sure that handing over to a new co-ordinator goes smoothly. You may not need to do all these things when you start; begin with a co-ordinator, treasurer and someone to keep records.

Co-ordinating the group

The co-ordinator's role is first and foremost responsibility for your group. She or he needs to know what everyone else is doing and to think ahead. A key role is also leadership - setting a positive example to the rest of the group, which may involve being the person who turns out at unsociable hours on wet mornings! The most important role, however, is co-ordination. This means encouraging other people who have taken on responsibility to carry out their duties and ensuring that everything is ready for project work and meetings. The co-ordinator should also gauge direction. This goes well beyond making sure there will be projects to do when the current ones are finished. It is always important to be thinking: "What should the group be doing in a year's time? How do we get there? What kind of training and equipment might we need?". Last but not least, the co-ordinator should ensure that when he or she leaves, the group and committee can continue to be successful. A good co-ordinator will already be training someone to take over.

Treasurer - doing the books

This is one of the most important posts in your group. If correct accounts are not maintained, you may end up with arguments over who is owed what, or worse still, not knowing how much money you have. As more groups become charities (see above), the legal and financial duties become more important. The basic task is keeping the accounts, (see Money and fundraising), which may also involve working with clients and fundraisers. The treasurer should be closely involved with your group and be in regular contact with your chairperson.

Fundraising

This post is sometimes confused with that of treasurer but the two are very different. A good fundraiser needs to be assertive and quite happy to ask all sorts of people and organisations for money. Enthusiasm is more important than experience, since there are plenty of books and training available for this work.

Keeping Membership Records

To function as a group, you need to know who your volunteers are and where they are. This is a relatively routine but vital job that involves keeping membership lists up to date. As with the treasurer, a well-organised person, who preferably likes filing, would make the ideal candidate. This person could also take responsibility for minute taking at meetings.

Looking after Tools

As your group acquires tools, so this role becomes ever more important. The job includes maintenance of tools, ordering new ones and keeping a close eye on where they all are. BTCV offers plenty of training and an excellent manual to support this job.

Organising the Practical Work

Someone in the group should be responsible for all the project work. This involves planning and overseeing the work, sorting out safety and permissions, organising materials and making sure that a sufficient number of volunteers turn up to do the work. They may be responsible for leading on the day, or may simply liaise with the leader.

Organising Transport

If your site is far enough away from people for them to need transport to get there you might want to co-ordinate car sharing. This can be helpful to new volunteers who don't have transport of their own.

Looking after refreshments

This is a popular post in many groups and is a good one for new volunteers. It involves being responsible for getting refreshments such as tea, coffee and fruit juice for project work. The person should also be responsible for organising hot drinks, whether made on site, brought along in thermos flasks or kept hot on a camping stove. Food is a great way of rewarding a group and building a team. It can be a good way to involve people who can't do the practical work. In some groups older members who can't manage to get out and dig holes any more love to make cakes for the workers in the group.

Doing the Publicity

This involves recruiting volunteers and letting people know what your group is doing. This might be done by producing a newsletter, putting posters up in the local area or putting a noticeboard on your site. This person should work closely with your co-ordinator on press work or perhaps with the newsletter editor, if this is a role undertaken by someone other than the publicity officer.

Organising training

This could be work for two or three people, but the main responsibility of the job is to let people know what training is available and to organise it. The role also involves maintaining files of educational materials, and looking after slides, posters and displays.

Enjoying yourselves

Social activities should be an integral part of your group but they won't happen on their own. It's important to find someone for this job who likes socialising, but make sure he or she is also a methodical organiser. Badly run social events can do a group's morale a lot of harm.

The social secretary

Marketing Officer

If you want to broaden the appeal of your group it may be worth having someone take on this role, which could involve attending environmental network meetings, giving talks and generally helping the co-ordinator and publicity officer keep the group's profile high. It would also involve the selling of any publicity merchandise, such as T-shirts and car stickers and could be an extension of the publicity officer's work.

Networking

Running a Website and using email

Many groups now choose to have their own website, or a page on a local environment network's site. They can post details of minutes and programmes on it. Websites need quite a lot of work to keep them up to date so make sure whoever does this has got time to keep on top of it. Some groups also use e-mail to send their newsletter out to members who are happy with this; it can save paper, time and the cost of stamps.