What's involved?
A club's success is largely down to the work of its committee, the group of people who manage the club's affairs. The committee exists to serve the club and to ensure that its members receive the best possible service and experiences. To help your committee to be as successful as possible, make sure it follows a structure that works and is made up of a diverse mix of people with the right skills and experience.
Your club should be regularly electing new committee members, or at least asking existing members to stand for re-election, as an opportunity to develop or bring in new skills, experiences, and perspectives.
New committee members are typically elected at your club's Annual General Meeting (AGM). Remember to refer to your club constitution as there should be rules in place around the recruitment of committee members. For example, make sure you know whether nominations for new committee members must be taken in advance or if you can take them at the meeting (most AGMs require a proposer and a seconder for each nomination).
You might also look for new committee members if:
- Some of your committee members have left or are intending to leave.
- Your committee needs further skills and experience, e.g. in areas such as governance, finance or marketing.
- You generally feel that your committee needs reinvigorating.
When appointing new committee members, you should make sure that you take skills and diversity into consideration.
Check out our Club Handbook for an overview of the key types of meetings your committee will hold and how to run these effectively and successfully. At Strathclyde, our club committees have four compulsory positions called the CTSW (captain, treasurer, secretary, wellbeing officer). Below is a summary of all four positions to help students understand their roles & responsibilities:
Club Captain (President)
Purpose
To act as the figure head of the club, and ultimately be responsible for the functioning and development of the club with the best interest of its members and the Sports Union in mind. The full role description can be found by clicking here.
Roles & Responsibilities
- Act as the main point of contact for Strathclyde Sports Union and queries from club members
- Take responsibility in coordinating the completion of the club affiliation form each academic year
- Chair the Committee meetings & AGM so that everyone has a chance to present their views and make sure all decisions are properly understood and recorded
- Lead the committee in making decisions for the benefit of the whole club including communicating any disciplinary matters to the Sports Union
- Have the casting vote on any unresolved club issues
- Be completely familiar with all Sports Union policies and procedures, including own club constitution and duties of committee
- Ensure smooth running of the sports club, taking ultimate responsibility for events, meetings and communication
- Liaise with the Treasurer to ensure that funds are spent properly and in the best interests of the club, taking joint responsibility for funding applications
- Ensure maximum participation in the sports club by students through active promotion at Freshers' fair each year
- Arrange continuation of club from year to year, e.g. co-ordinating the annual handover
- Consult the Club Handbook and make sure relevant information is distributed to the committee and members
- Attend any meetings that involve the sports club, e.g. the Sports Union GMs and AGM
Club Secretary
Purpose
To act as the principal administrator for the club in conducting club correspondence and record keeping. The full role description can be found by clicking here.
Roles & Responsibilities
- Ensure communications between the club & the SU, keeping staff informed of events and activities to aid support and promotion on social media/website etc.
- Manage the club membership by following processes through internal club management systems
- Work with Club Captain to organise and attend the club AGM and all other club meetings.
- Prepare and distribute committee meeting agendas, taking minutes of all club committee meetings & distributing copies, keeping signed copies of all files
- Maintain club records
- Work alongside the Sport Programme Coordinator to arrange and distribute fixtures and/or competitions
- Seek advice from the Sports Union on safety issues for your club
- Promoting safe practice within the club at all times
- Assess the safety of proposed events and venues, working with the Club Captain on updating the club risk assessment
- Work alongside the treasurer to ensure that all affiliation/registration documents are accurate and paid on time.
- Ensure that all members have access to relevant club documentation including the club constitution
- Take responsibility in ensuring communication with members on club business for any club activity such as training, matches, competition and social events.
Club Treasurer
Purpose
To act as the lead in administering and managing the clubs accounts and finances. The full role description can be found by clicking here.
Roles & Responsibilities
- Work with the Club Captain to coordinate the club Affiliation Form and contribute towards the Budget Plan
- Attend all committee meetings and club AGM
- Manage the club budget which must be through the Strathclyde Sports Union bank account only. No external accounts may be used for club business
- Collecting subscriptions and all money due to the organisation (affiliation etc.)
- Be responsible for tracking all income and expenditure on behalf of the club
- Follow financial procedures in administrating payment requests and invoices, keeping a record of all receipts/proof of payment for auditing purposes
- Ensure that any handling of cash is done in a trustworthy manner with full records kept
- Liaise with Strathclyde Sports Union office on any matters of finance
- Make sure that other members of the club are aware of financial regulations and their responsibilities
- Ensure that external agencies used by the club send correct invoices if they need to be paid
- Be responsible for filling out grant applications and submitting them to the Strathclyde Sports Union Office for review of the finance committee on a timely manner (the finance committee convene on the last Tuesday of every month)
- Affiliating the club to any relevant organisations such as Governing Body/BUCS/SSS and working with the Secretary to register players
Club Wellbeing Officer
Purpose
To act as the lead in improving member wellbeing and club inclusion, taking responsibility for reporting concerns and signposting to Students' Union and University services. To reiterate, the wellbeing of members is the responsiblity of all committee members, not just the wellbeing officer. The full role description can be found by clicking here.
Roles & Responsibilities
- Be the main point of contact for club members parents/carers, coaches and volunteers if they have any concerns
- Provide the membership with awareness of Students' Union and University signposting for anything linked to behaviour and wellbeing
- Ensure everyone in the club recognises they have a common-sense duty of care towards one another
- Raise awareness of the Sports Union Code of Conduct with all members
- Make a conscious effort to get to know all members and demonstrate approachability, reiterating your role and responsibilities at points throughout the year
- Follow Sports Union policies and procedures, particularly around behaviour and wellbeing
- Take responsibility to appropriately report any concerns or incidents with the Sports Union in an efficient manner, engaging in any processes laid out by the SU
- Take the lead in building inclusion within the club in consultation with the full CSTW, providing opportunities for all members to engage in
- Take the time to attend appropriate training and workshops relevant to the role as outlined by the Sports Union, such as safeTALK etc.
- Attend all committee meetings and club AGM