Running the Organisation

Guides

• • Affiliated Groups and Sections: This guidance note deals with the types of groups which are eligible to be part of a community association, and explains the differences between such groups.
• • Annual and Other General Meetings: This information sheet explains the general procedures involved in preparing for and running a community organisation’s Annual and other General Meetings. A specimen agenda is included, which you can adapt to suit your particular organisation.
• • Business Plan: This information sheet provides a basic model of a business plan for use by community associations and similar organisations.
• • Committee and Committees Procedures: This information sheet outlines why committees are necessary, how they may be composed, the role that officers play, and how a committee will normally handle business.
• • Community Association Membership: This Technical Guidance Note discusses why it is desirable to have a membership system, how to administer it and how to set fees.
• • Guidelines for Committee Minutes: This information sheet sets out some guidelines on minutes of meetings; setting out what they should contain and dealing with some commonly used terms.
• • Insurance for Community Buildings – Contents Inventory: Guidance on how to carry out an inventory of the contents in your community building and samples of useful forms.
• • Insurance for Community Organisations: This information sheet gives an outline of the many considerations to be borne in mind when deciding what kinds of insurance policies are required by a community organisation.
• • Need for Training: This information sheet explains the importance of training to community organisation committees, where to look for appropriate training opportunities, and how a group could organise its own training event. A checklist in planning an event is also included.
• • Officers of the Community Association and Their Duties: This information sheet names the different officers and other voluntary workers that a community association can have. It also outlines their tasks.
• • Standing Orders for a Community Organisation: This guidance note explains the purpose of Standing Orders and lists a number of topics that could be included, with examples in each case. It is designed to help a community organisation’s committee to develop Standing Orders that meet its particular needs.
• • Trustee Liability Indemnity Insurance: The risks that Trustee Liability Indemnity Insurance can and cannot cover, and considers if it is worth it.
• • What to Do if You Have Concerns About a Hirer: Suggested actions you can take if you have concerns about a particular potential hirer.

Model Documents

• • Community Organisation Code of Conduct: This model document is an example of a code of conduct that a community organisation could adapt for its own purposes.
• • Model Service Level Agreement (SLA): This model SLA is for use by community organisations where they are looking to deliver services on behalf of a Local Authority. It is designed to be used alongside Advising Communities’ Model Lease. The first part of the document contains the guidance notes for completing the SLA followed by the SLA.

Checklists

• • Committee Members Handbook – Suggested Contents: Documents that you could include in your Committee Members’ Handbook.