di don t know HELP! what to do about OUR MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE A guide to

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1 HELP! di don t know what to do about OUR MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE A guide to services establishing and maintaining effective management committees in early childhood Community Child Care Co-operative Ltd. (NSW)

2 I Don t Know What To Do About Our Management Committee A guide to establishing and maintaining effective management committees in early childhood services A Help! Booklet (previously part of the Children s Services Management Series) Written by Gael Kennedy Community Child Care Co-operative Ltd

3 First released as Effective Committees First edition written by Gael Kennedy Revised and updated by Alannah Ball and Jane Thompson Design and production by ARMEDIA Proofreading by Annemarie Jonson 1999, 2002, 2004 Community Child Care Co-operative Ltd. (NSW) Revised second edition 1999 Updated and reprinted 2002 Re-issued in 2004 as Help! I Don t Know What To Do About Our Management Committee Community Child Care Co-operative Addison Road Community Centre, Hut 6, 142 Addison Road, Marrickville NSW 2204 Phone: (02) Fax: (02) info@ccccnsw.org.au Web: Help! I Don t Know What To Do About Our Management Committee 2

4 Contents Foreword...5 What s your management structure?...6 Terms used...7 Glossary...8 Introduction...9 Role and structure...10 Why have a committee?...10 Committee structure...10 Different committees have different roles...10 What is your committee s role?...11 Committee responsibilities...12 Overall responsibility...12 Legal...12 Financial...12 Employment...12 Planning and policy making...12 Accountability and reporting...13 Publicity and public relations...13 Maintenance of premises...13 The committee as the licensee...13 Responsibilities of the licensee...14 Administrative tasks of the licensee...15 Role of the director...16 Clarifying the roles...16 The director s role...16 The director and the committee...16 The director as the authorised supervisor...17 Responsibilities of the authorised supervisor...17 Committee, director and staff: How do they relate?...18 Role clarification exercise...19 Key roles...21 The president...21 The vice-president...21 The chairperson...21 The secretary...22 The treasurer...23 Help! I Don t Know What To Do About Our Management Committee 3

5 Sub-committees...25 Clarifying the roles...25 Things to remember...25 Useful sub-committees...25 The new committee...27 Orientation...27 A new committee checklist...27 Committee job descriptions...29 Maintaining the committee...31 Conflicts of interest...32 Confidentiality...33 Checklist...34 Resources...35 References and useful further reading...35 Help! I Don t Know What To Do About Our Management Committee 4

6 Foreword Welcome to Help! I Don t Know What To Do About Our Management Committee. This series has been written as a guide for the management and staff of children s services. The management of children s services is diverse. There is no one management model that could typify the industry. With the growth in the number of children s services, many people are finding themselves involved in the management of children s services in some capacity or other. The sector is becoming increasingly complex and the accountability requirements are becoming more demanding. There is an increasing focus on the legal obligations of both management and staff. Irrespective of which type of management structure you have, it is necessary to undertake sound management practices in all aspects of your service s operations. The Help! Series is designed to assist those involved in the management of children s services. These people can range from the manager of a service (the authorised supervisor) to those involved in an individual capacity as the proprietor of the service, to members of a management body or those representing a sponsoring organisation. Similar issues arise and solutions to common problems are needed. The Help! Series is designed to provide a sound basis from which decisions, future planning and policy development can be made. Help! I Don t Know What To Do About Our Management Committee 5

7 What s your management structure? There are many different types of children s services, and the role and responsibilities of the committee varies according to the legal structure and management arrangements of that particular organisation. Before you can find out what you can or should be doing, you first need to know what type of organisation your children s service is. Use this chart as a guide: Is your committee... A commercial service which is managed by a proprietor or company. NO The management committee of an independently incorporated service. NO Sponsored by another organisation which performs other functions as well as providing children s services, e.g. a church, neighbourhood centre or university. NO YES YES YES The proprietor, or company, has responsibility for the overall legal, financial, employment, planning and policy-making decisions. They have total management responsibility. It has an important legal role. The committee makes all major legal, financial, employment, planning and policy-making decisions. Its responsibility is total. The committee has no ultimate legal responsibility. Its role varies in each organisation. Sometimes, it may only have a social and fund-raising role. On other occasions, it may be involved in a lot more decision-making, planning, and staffing. It may be a sub-committee of the sponsoring organisation, in which case, the committee should be delegated the power to make decisions. These then become formal recommendations that have to be agreed to by the sponsoring body. Check with your director and sponsoring organisation to establish your exact degree of responsibility. Sponsored by another organisation which only provides children s services, e.g. Sydney Day Nursery and Nursery Schools Association Inc. NO YES The committee has no ultimate legal responsibility. The role varies with each organisation. Sometimes, it may only have a social and fund-raising role. On other occasions, it may be involved in a lot more decision-making, planning, and staffing. Check with your director and sponsoring organisation to establish your exact degree of responsibility. A committee of council. NO Directly administered by council. YES YES Your powers vary depending on how the council operates under the Local Government Act. You may be able to have input into the management of the service but you should check with the Council to find out exactly what your responsibilities are. Help! I Don t Know What To Do About Our Management Committee 6

8 Terms used Management refers to management by: boards of directors of incorporated organisations; sub-committees or advisory committees of larger incorporated organisations; multi-focused or umbrella organisations; committees of council (formerly 527 and 530A Committees); parent committees and parent groups; owners of commercial services. Based Child Care Services Regulation In some services they may be known as the: Coordinator; Teacher/director; Manager. Special note: While this series of booklets contains some information that is specific to New South Wales, many of the issues and ideas covered in it will be of use to committees and staff in children s services throughout Australia. Services refers to children s services and centres including: Iong day care; preschools; occasional care centres and services; mobile children s services; family day care services. (These booklets have not been specifically prepared for family day care services but many of the issues will be relevant.) Director/authorised supervisor is the person recognised as the authorised supervisor under the NSW Regulations. Refer to the Centre Based and Mobile Child Care Services Regulation (No 2) 1996 and the Family Day Care and Home Help! I Don t Know What To Do About Our Management Committee 7

9 Glossary Committees Committees refer to management committees and boards of directors of incorporated organisations; subcommittees and advisory committees of larger incorporated, multi-focused organisations; committees of council (formerly 527 and 530A Committees) and parent committees and parent groups. Goals Goals are a general statement of what your service is trying to achieve as outlined in its mission statement. They describe the outcomes or end results you want. Policies Policies provide guidelines or a framework for your service. They are simply decisions that are made about the way in which the service operates. Procedures Procedures are the ways in which the service carries out its policies. A set of procedures is sometimes called a system. Mission Statement A mission statement describes the purpose of your organisation. It states what you want to achieve, and what you wish your service to be. It is a statement about what your service is there for. Philosophy A philosophy is a broad statement that describes the beliefs and values that underpin your service. Your philosophy guides your plan, policies and work. Help! I Don t Know What To Do About Our Management Committee 8

10 Introduction Each member of the committee and staff is responsible for some aspect of the service. It is important that people know what they are responsible for and feel some achievement when their work is completed. Rural and Remote Children s Services, 1990, A Management Manual, Lady Gowrie Child Centre Maybe you are a committee member, or are thinking about becoming one. How will you know what your role is, or what you are supposed to do? What will your part be in the management of the service? How will the committee s management role differ from the director s management role? What are the responsibilities of the president, chairperson, secretary, treasurer and subcommittees? How can the committee become strong and purposeful and stay that way? The answers to these and other questions are in this booklet. Read and find out... Help! I Don t Know What To Do About Our Management Committee 9

11 Role and structure Why have a committee? Nearly all children s services have some sort of committee made up of parents and family members of the children attending the service. The committee is usually elected by parents and family members and provides a way for the users of the service to have a say in what happens there. It can also be a way for them to participate in the management of the service. When they are actually involved in decision making they are more likely to understand decisions and make a commitment to support them. It s also more likely that the service will reflect their real needs. Committee structure Committees are usually elected at a meeting of people who use the service. This meeting is normally the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the organisation. The committee is generally elected for a one year term. The number of committee members varies, and will be specified in the organisation s constitution or rules, but is usually between eight and fifteen people. Within the committee there are three to five key roles: president or chairperson, vice-president, secretary and treasurer. Individually, these are known as office bearers; together, they are called the executive. They may be elected by all members at the AGM, or by the committee itself at its first meeting after the AGM. The whole committee normally meets once a month, but the executive may meet more frequently. This is because they may be more involved in the day to day management of the service. Similarly, there may be a number of subcommittees formed from the main committee. These groups take on specific responsibilities or tasks and meet as often as is necessary to carry them out. The roles of the committee, office bearers and subcommittees are looked at later in this booklet. Different committees have different roles The committee is involved mostly with broad management and decision making, although the extent to which this happens varies greatly depending on the legal status and management structure of each particular service. The committee may be the management committee of an independent, incorporated organisation and in this case would be fully responsible for the legal, Help! I Don t Know What To Do About Our Management Committee 10

12 financial and industrial management of the service. Other committees are actually sub-committees of another incorporated organisation which is the sponsor of their service, for example, a sub-committee of a large neighbourhood centre. These committees may have a great deal of input into policy making, planning, budgeting and staff selection, or they may have a purely advisory and fund raising role. It depends on the relationship between the sponsoring organisation and the individual service. These committees don t have any ultimate legal responsibility for the service. Committees of council and committees in services which are directly administered by a council also have varying degrees of input into the management of the service. It depends on the particular council s interpretation of the law and their particular approach to community involvement in services. What is your committee s role? It is important to find out exactly what your committee s role is and what is expected of you. You should consult the chart at the beginning of this booklet and ask for help from the director and long-standing members of your committee in answering the following questions: Is the committee the management committee of an independent, incorporated service? If so, is your committee the official licensee of the service? Do you have legal responsibilities? Is yours the committee of a service which is sponsored by another organisation? If so, what does the sponsoring organisation expect of you? What degree of control and input do you have in the management of the service? What is your role and what are you responsible for? Is the committee a committee of council or a committee of a service which is directly administered by a council? What does that council expect of you? What degree of control and input do you have in the management of your service? What is your role and what are you responsible for? There is no standard set of responsibilities and tasks for each type of committee. The degree of input and areas of decision making vary enormously and the only way to find out is to ask. Help! I Don t Know What To Do About Our Management Committee 11

13 Committee responsibilities This section discusses the responsibilities of the management committee of an independently incorporated service. Because committees of council and committees of services sponsored by another organisation may not have all these responsibilities, you should check which of these responsibilities apply to you. Overall responsibility The broad role of the committee is to oversee the work and activities of the service. Depending on the management structure, the committee may have the ultimate responsibility for the operation of the service. Legal The committee must meet the requirements of federal, state and local government laws and regulations, for example, licensing regulations, incorporation, insurance, industrial legislation, awards and taxation. Financial The committee is responsible for the financial state of the service. It has to be in control of the organisation s money and know where it comes from, where it goes to, and how to budget for future plans. It must make sure that proper financial records are kept, keep track of spending, set fee levels (where appropriate), provide financial statements and an annual audit to government departments and parents. Employment The committee is the legal employer and as such is responsible for hiring staff; providing work conditions and salaries in accordance with awards and industrial legislation; providing staff with opportunities for support, professional development and training; and developing policies and procedures to deal with health and safety, disputes and grievances, dismissals etc. Planning and policy making Responsibilities here involve making sure there are guidelines so everyone in the service knows where it is headed, what it aims to achieve, and how each job fits into the overall plan. It s important to monitor and evaluate (that is, check out how the service has been going), to regularly assess needs and to plan effectively. The committee is able to change the policy and direction of the organisation although it must Help! I Don t Know What To Do About Our Management Committee 12

14 stay within its constitutional powers and the licensing regulations. In order to provide a quality child care service, a committee should consult and plan with parents and staff. It is good practice to put aside time once a year to look at the service, its direction, aims, program and policies to make sure that what you are doing is still effective and worthwhile. Accountability and reporting The committee must be answerable to, and provide reports to, relevant government departments, possibly to a sponsoring organisation or council, to members of the service, and to parents and family members. For example, when a service receives government funds and fees or donations it must show that it is using that money responsibly and for the purpose it was intended. It does this by having its financial records and accounts independently scrutinised by an auditor, and by presenting the audited report to the government funding department, and to members at the AGM of the service. Publicity and public relations These responsibilities involve raising awareness about the service in the general community. The service should be promoted in terms of what it can offer, its aims and achievements. Maintenance of premises The committee is responsible for making sure the building or van and equipment are well maintained and properly insured. The information on responsibilities was adapted from the NSW Community Management Training Kit, 1993, Local Community Services Association, Sydney. The committee as the licensee Under the NSW Children (Care and Protection) Act 1987 all children s services (with the exception of Out of School Hours and Vacation Care Services) must have a licence before they can operate. In NSW, the Department of Community Services issues licences to suitable organisations. Similar licences are issued by relevant authorities in other States and Territories. Organisations must operate in accordance with the Department s licensing Regulations. The licensee is the holder of the licence for a child care service. This may be the incorporated management committee itself, the sponsoring organisation, a council or a private individual. If your service is an independent, incorporated organisation, the committee is probably the licensee. The committee will therefore have the responsibilities shown on the next page. Help! I Don t Know What To Do About Our Management Committee 13

15 In NSW the Regulations that apply to centre based services are the Centre Based and Mobile Child Care Regulation (No 2) There is a similar set of regulations for family day care and home based services. There are also equivalent regulations in other States. Committees of these sorts of services should read these Regulations. There should be a copy in your service. Check! Special note: Copies of the NSW Children (Care and Protection) Act 1987 and the Regulations can be obtained from the NSW Government Information Service. Phone (02) Responsibilities of the licensee No person or organisation shall operate a children s service except under the authority of a current licence granted to that person or body by the Minister for Community Services. The Licensee of the service shall: Be aware of the statutory requirements of the Children (Care and Protection Act Ensure that the conditions and requirements of the Act and the Centre Based and Mobile Child Care Regulation (No 2) 1996 are met at all times. Employ an authorised supervisor in accordance with the requirements in the Regulation. It is recommended that consultation take place with Children s Services Advisers with regard to the qualifications and suitability of persons considered, prior to the applicant s appointment. Ensure that the authorised supervisor is responsible for the day to day operation of the programs and supervision of staff. Employ suitable staff to meet the needs of the service and verify that those staff are of good character. Organise for the staff-to-child ratios to be met at all times, taking into account the number and ages of the children in attendance. Provide adequate office space, staff facilities and facilities for storage of materials and equipment. Arrange for the cleaning and maintenance of the premises (both indoors and outdoors). Ensure that fire extinguishers are maintained and checked every twelve months, and that staff members are knowledgeable about fire drills and evacuation procedures, and practice these at least every four months. Ensure that the grounds, buildings, equipment and amenities comply with licensing standards. Help! I Don t Know What To Do About Our Management Committee 14

16 This information is based on that contained in the Centre Based and Mobile Child Care Regulation (No 2) For more comprehensive information, refer to the appropriate Regulations in full. Administrative tasks of the licensee Ensure effective and efficient management of the service. Ensure that proper records relating to the services are maintained. Effect and maintain public liability insurance in relation to the service for a cover of not less than $10,000,000. Advise the Department when the authorised supervisor leaves, and complete an application for a variation to the licence. Forward copies of staff qualifications to the Children s Services Adviser, as appropriate. Advise the Department in writing if any member of staff is charged with, or convicted of, a criminal offence. This information is based on that contained in the Centre Based and Mobile Child Care Regulation (No 2) For more comprehensive information, refer to the appropriate Regulations in full. Help! I Don t Know What To Do About Our Management Committee 15

17 Role of the director Why talk about the role and responsibilities of the director in a booklet about committees? The reason is that there is often confusion about who is supposed to do what. What exactly are the different roles of the committee and the director in the management of the service? Clarifying the roles In many services the boundaries between the director and the committee are not clear and can shift according to the personalities of those involved. It s really useful for the committee, director and staff to spend some time clarifying their respective roles. It will help avoid misunderstandings and future problems. Find the time to do the role clarification exercise included later in the booklet. It s an important tool that can improve the wellbeing and health of your organisation. The director s role The director is sometimes called the coordinator, especially in occasional care services. Their primary role is managing the service on a day to day basis, within the requirements of the state licensing regulations. Broad overall management decisions and policy are made by the committee and/or sponsoring organisation and/or the council (depending on the management structure of the service). The director, however, is responsible for managing the service by implementing those decisions and policies. The director is specifically responsible for: the care and safety of each child attending the service; the educational environment; the program and the curriculum; the daily management of staff; the administration of the service; the management of the premises; encouraging and supporting parent participation; interpreting and implementing the policies and goals of the service. The director and the committee The director is the communication link between the committee and the staff. When the service is sponsored by a council or another organisation, the director may also be the link between that organisation and the committee, parents and staff. Formal communication from committee to staff should flow through the director. If the committee has concerns about the service or its staff, they should talk Help! I Don t Know What To Do About Our Management Committee 16

18 first to the director. The director heads up and represents the staff team. At committee meetings the director should speak on behalf of the staff and present a report on the day to day work of the service. This may include recommendations for decision making. They contribute to the discussion by providing input about children s needs and staff needs. The director also provides the committee with professional advice regarding policy, programs, equipment, finances and staffing issues. Whether or not the director is a member of the committee will depend on the constitution. If they are not formally a committee member then they should not be able to vote, chair the meeting, take minutes, or take on the committee s role, for example, by making major policy decisions. Whatever the constitution, the director should be required to attend meetings as the staff person responsible for the day to day management of the service. The director as the authorised supervisor The law in NSW says that the licensee (that is, the person or organisation who has been granted the licence to operate the child care service) appoints an authorised supervisor to manage the service. This is usually the director. The director as authorised supervisor has very specific legal responsibilities that the committee needs to be aware of. Responsibilities of the authorised supervisor Under the terms of the Children (Care and Protection) Act 1987, the authorised supervisor of a centre based child care service shall: Be employed by and be responsible to the licensee. (N.B. in private care services, the licensee may be self-employed as the authorised supervisor). Be aware of the statutory responsibilities of the Children (Care and Protection) Act 1987 and the Centre Based and Mobile Child Care Regulation (No 2) Ensure compliance with the Code of Conduct at all times and be responsible for the care and education of each individual child attending the service. Assist with the recruitment, selection and training of appropriate staff for the service and provide ongoing support, supervision and professional development for all staff members. In consultation with the licensee, purchase suitable play equipment for the service. Services may wish to consult with Children s Services Advisers on suitability of equipment. Plan, develop and implement Help! I Don t Know What To Do About Our Management Committee 17

19 appropriate programs for the children; provide a range of activities and experiences designed to enhance the social, emotional, intellectual, cultural and physical skills of each child, as well as special programs for children with disabilities and other special needs. Ensure that at least one staff member on duty possesses a current first aid certificate and that a first aid cabinet is satisfactorily maintained. Ensure that all appropriate records as described by the Regulations are maintained and kept up to date. This information is based on that contained in the Centre Based and Mobile Child Care Regulation (No 2) For more comprehensive information, refer to the appropriate Regulations in full. Committee, director and staff: How do they relate? It is important that both committee and director are clear about who does what and what each expects of the other. Problems are likely to arise when roles are fuzzy and blurred and the committee or director starts performing each other s duties. To be clear, there should be policies and procedures as well as standard formats for communicating and reporting. Areas where it s useful to create policy and procedures include: dealing with complaints from parents; disputes and grievances between staff and committee; methods of reporting (e.g. written, verbal, how frequent); sub-committees; employment; confidentiality. Case study complaints Sam is on the committee of the Birkdale Occasional Care Service. His friend Costas calls around one night with his neighbour Gina, who is worried and angry. Apparently her three-year-old child (who uses the service) is coming home crying because she s being bullied. Gina doesn t like or trust the coordinator and she complains to Sam that there s no proper supervision. Sam decides to take action. He feels responsible for what happens at the centre and starts asking other parents their opinion of the way staff supervise the children. The coordinator and staff find out what Sam is doing. What do you think will happen next? What would you have done if you were Sam? Sam is quite right to take his responsibility as a committee member seriously, and to try to do something about the Help! I Don t Know What To Do About Our Management Committee 18

20 problem. However, if he continues with his queries in this indirect way he is likely to create conflict between the staff and the committee. There should be open consultation between everybody involved in the complaint. If there was a complaints policy and procedure at the service, Sam and Gina would have known what to do. When policies exist, everyone parents, committee members, coordinator and staff can be clear about their roles when issues such as this one arise. This situation could be handled in a relatively straightforward way, without it becoming a major conflict between the committee and the coordinator. Role clarification exercise who decides what? This exercise is for the whole committee and staff to do together. Use it as a springboard for discussion whenever a new committee begins, or whenever there are problems because of misunderstandings about roles and responsibilities. There are no wrong or right answers. Each service will divide up responsibilities differently according to its legal status and management structure. Check the chart and first section at the front of this booklet. Here s what to do: 1. As individuals, select answers to the questions below from the list provided. Choose more than one answer per question if you think it s appropriate. 2. When you ve written your own answers down, discuss them as a group and clarify any differences of opinion. (If yours is a large committee, more than eight people for example, you might wish to discuss your answers in groups of two or three people and try to reach agreement before discussing the answers with the full group.) 3. Write down the decisions that you make as a result of this exercise and note any policies that need to be made. Also use the information as part of your orientation material for new committee members and staff. Here are the questions and possible answers: Questions: Who is responsible for: deciding what times the service should open? writing submissions for funds? interviewing for a new director? disciplining a staff member? dismissing a staff member? supervising students? producing a media release? deciding how much craft Help! I Don t Know What To Do About Our Management Committee 19

21 equipment to buy? making policies, i.e. whether the building should be used by other groups? deciding what training staff need? deciding what new directions the centre should be involved in? signing the cheques? changing the insurance policies and company? taking minutes at meetings? attending official functions? changing the layout of the outside play area? Possible answers: staff in general; director; any committee member; sub-committee; the full committee; president. Help! I Don t Know What To Do About Our Management Committee 20

22 Key roles The work of the committee is divided up with special functions being performed by the president, the vice-president, the chairperson, the secretary and the treasurer. Sub-committees and working parties may also be formed to deal with particular issues. The president The president has the task of making sure that the committee is running smoothly and achieving its aims. Key responsibilities include: being spokesperson for the service in the community, with the council or sponsoring organisation, where appropriate; making sure monthly committee meetings are held and organised in advance. Proper notice must be given and a quorum of members must be present. (A quorum is a specific number of members required to be present at a committee meeting and is defined in the constitution or rules of the service); making sure all decisions made at meetings are followed through; acting as a communication link between committee members and committee and director. The president needs to stay in touch with day to day happenings; acting on behalf of the committee in between meetings. When emergencies happen the president and other key members such as the secretary and treasurer should make decisions on behalf of the committee. The president should call special meetings where necessary. An involved president can give the director and staff a great deal of support and practical help. Where a good rapport exists between president, committee, director and staff, the service overall is stronger and better. The vice-president The vice-president usually helps the president and shares some of the tasks on a daily basis. When the president is absent the vice-president usually acts as president. The chairperson President and chairperson are terms that are often used to mean the same thing, and in many organisations it is assumed that the president will carry out the chairperson s role. However, this need not be the case. The chairperson s job relates specifically to meetings. He or she has to make sure committee Help! I Don t Know What To Do About Our Management Committee 21

23 meetings are effective. The job requires skills that everyone can learn with time, a good role model and practice. You should consider the idea of rotating the chairing of meetings so committee members have opportunities to develop their skills. Some key responsibilities of the chairperson include: drawing up an agenda (usually with the secretary and director); working out a priority for dealing with these items and if necessary setting time limits; Ieading the meeting through the agenda, keeping discussion relevant and decision making clear; making sure people who wish to speak are able to and encouraging all who attend to participate; noting motions (with the secretary) and putting these to the meeting to vote or agree on; suggesting procedures to deal with any difficulties in getting through items being discussed, and to get the meeting to agree to them; signing the minutes after they have been confirmed as a true record of the previous meeting; making sure the meeting is being run in accordance with the service s constitution, rules or articles of association, for example, that there is a quorum present. (Usually the secretary, public officer or other longstanding members will share this responsibility.) The chairperson should not move motions. Whether the chairperson has the right to vote depends on the rules of the organisation. When the vote is tied, the chairperson usually has the casting vote. Special note: For more information about the role of the chairperson and chairing/meeting skills, see the booklet in this series called Better Meetings. The secretary The secretary is responsible for keeping the records of the service (other than financial) and for dealing with the correspondence. In meetings the secretary s job is: to take minutes (and then to write them up and distribute them to members before the next meeting); to put together a list of items of correspondence (that is, letters received and sent) and to point out any that are of special importance or that are urgent; to note notions to be decided on and the precise wording of resolutions and decisions. Outside the meeting the secretary should: Help! I Don t Know What To Do About Our Management Committee 22

24 make sure the correspondence is up to date and in order; and is available for anyone to look at. In small or more formal organisations, details of all letters written and received might be given at all meetings and the whole committee may decide what reply should be given to each letter. A larger or less formal group may give this responsibility to the secretary or a sub-committee. Instead of dealing with every letter, the committee would expect a list of correspondence to be sent out with the agenda and the correspondence to be tabled at the meeting. The secretary should then draw attention only to letters of particular importance and members might request further information on particular items of interest to them. Special note: In some services the secretary may be responsible for keeping the organisation s records in order and up to date. However, if your organisation is incorporated independently this is often the job of the Public Officer or Company Secretary. For information about the role of the Public Officer or Company Secretary and what legal records to keep, contact your state Department of Consumer Affairs (if your service is incorporated as an association or a co-operative), or the Australian Securities Commission (if your service is incorporated as a company). Check with your sponsoring organisation too, as they may have particular record keeping requirements. Usually fines apply if an incorporated organisation fails to keep its records correctly. The treasurer The treasurer has responsibility for overseeing financial management and keeping the committee informed of the financial state of the service. The amount of financial management and administration that the committee is responsible for differs depending on the management structure of the service. This obviously affects the workload of the treasurer so it s very important to be clear about just what is expected of you if you take on this position. The treasurer may be responsible for the following: preparing a budget, that is, making sure the finances are planned in advance; monitoring the receiving and spending of money and making sure it s done properly, for example, paying wages, deductions, bills, collecting fees and donations; keeping all the books and financial systems up to date; keeping a proper record of all payments and all money received. This involves Help! I Don t Know What To Do About Our Management Committee 23

25 maintaining evidence such as invoices, receipts and bank statements; presenting financial reports at committee meetings. These reports should be easily understood by committee members. Your group might need to organise some training for committee members to enable this to happen; organising and preparing the necessary information for an audit; making sure that the audit and other financial returns are sent to the relevant funding bodies and government departments; presenting the annual balance sheet and audit to members at the AGM of the service. The treasurer s role has two areas of responsibility: information (keeping the committee up to date with the service s position) and administration (the daily management of the finances). One way of streamlining the treasurer s job is to separate the information-giving role from the many tasks of financial administration. These tasks may be done by different people. Who does what depends on the size of your service and its legal and management structure. Many services employ bookkeepers or clerical assistants to take care of the day to day financial tasks like paying wages and bills and doing the bookkeeping. In other places these jobs may be done by the director and/or committee members. In many local government sponsored services and large sponsoring organisations like Sydney Day Nursery Schools Association (SDN), these tasks are done directly by the sponsoring organisation s staff. Special note: Some services, particularly those sponsored by a large organisation like a council or SDN, may have formal procedures and policies that specify the role of the treasurer and the responsibilities of that position. Don t assume that the responsibilities outlined in this booklet are necessarily correct for your service. Check with your sponsoring organisation for information on the role of the treasurer and for all existing financial procedures and policies. Help! I Don t Know What To Do About Our Management Committee 24

26 Sub-committees Sometimes it is a good idea to set up a sub-committee or working party in order to delegate a particular area of committee work. It can be a more efficient and effective way of working. A sub-committee may deal with an area of expertise such as finance or staffing, or with a particular action like fund raising, or it may have a short life and be specifically set up to draft a policy or write a submission. Clarifying the roles Unless the role, responsibilities and relationship of the sub-group to the main committee are clearly defined, problems and conflicts can arise. Different people may have different understandings and expectations of what they are supposed to do. Things to remember These are important things to remember if your committee wants to set up sub-committees or working parties: establish them to perform specific tasks, for example, set up a staff sub-committee or a budget subcommittee; keep them small, about three to five people; set them up formally at a committee meeting; choose one person as a convenor to call meetings and coordinate the group where necessary; do not take communication for granted. Make sure everyone is clear about what has to be done and who is going to do it. Give the sub-committee specific guidelines, duties and powers; state that the sub-committee is responsible to the full committee. In practice this means that a minute taker should be nominated and minutes and reports should be presented regularly at a full committee meeting; any action or policy recommendations need to be agreed to by the full committee before anyone can act on them (unless decided otherwise by the committee). Useful sub-committees Here are a few typical responsibilities for some of the more common types of sub-committees: Finance sub-committee providing support to the treasurer; developing the yearly budget; monitoring the financial state of the service; assessing the financial Help! I Don t Know What To Do About Our Management Committee 25

27 implications of decisions; preparing annual reports for members, government departments, and/or the sponsoring organisation. staff selection and recruitment; staff support and staff development; dealing with staff grievances and disputes. Policy sub-committee developing policies and procedures for the service; assisting parents and staff to understand these policies and to contribute to their development; monitoring and evaluating the policies and procedures. Buildings and grounds subcommittee ensuring the buildings and grounds are well maintained (to liaise with the sponsoring organisation or council, if appropriate); organising working bees or contracts to carry out maintenance and repairs; overseeing the purchase, maintenance and security of outdoor equipment. Fund raising sub-committee organising fund raising plan and program of events and action; organising and coordinating the fund raising events; obtaining permits if necessary. Staffing sub-committee the development of employment policies and procedures; Help! I Don t Know What To Do About Our Management Committee 26

28 The new committee Orientation Committees need training and information soon after their election. That is, they need orientation. This could include a number of strategies such as: setting aside the first committee meeting for a special orientation session. This could provide a history of the service, a snapshot showing where the money comes from, how many children use the service, the staff, their roles, who does what, with a simple drawing or diagram of the organisation showing the structure, and who is responsible and accountable to whom. Leave lots of time for questions; a guided tour of the office, service, van or centre, showing where things are and what things look like; a special time to meet all staff, for example, a social time such as going out to dinner or a barbecue; time to explain how the finances work and how to read a financial report; time to explain various policies and procedures, for example, health and safety policies and requirements, anti-discrimination policies and legal obligations. Do all this in a way that does not overload or overwhelm new members, perhaps during a special information hour every few weeks; put together a special orientation kit for new members to keep. This can be given to new staff too. Who will be responsible for organising an orientation? Different services do this in different ways. In some the director may take primary responsibility, in others it might be done by experienced members. In services sponsored by local government or a large sponsoring organisation, orientation for the new committee might be done by that sponsor. A new committee checklist At the first meeting of a new committee, for example after the AGM each year, everyone on the committee including the director should discuss and agree on answers to the following sorts of questions. You should adapt this list to suit your needs. Organisation has everyone got everyone else s name and address? who takes minutes? (by rotating) Help! I Don t Know What To Do About Our Management Committee 27

29 who chairs the meetings? (again, try rotating) when should meetings be held? whom do you tell if you can t come? who has the power to cancel a meeting? who makes the agenda? how can people get things onto the agenda? when are the minutes and other papers for the agenda distributed? how/who will do this? who will set up the meeting room, organise refreshments and child care? work on making the service able to cater for younger children; fund raising for new playground equipment; new policies about non-payment of fees; a new brochure for parents? what implications will this have on the existing work of staff? This checklist is adapted from Getting Organised, 1985, Holloway and Otto, London. Committee responsibilities what is the committee s job and its responsibilities? what decisions will the committee make? what decisions will the staff take? what sort of things must the director tell the committee about? how will the committee know how the service is going? For example, will it receive reports? In what form? How often? Covering what? The year ahead what are the overall aims of the service for the following year? are there areas of work or direction that will have top priority this year, for example, Help! I Don t Know What To Do About Our Management Committee 28

30 Committee job descriptions Another way of helping committee members understand their roles and responsibilities is to provide a list of duties written in the form of a job description. As with paid staff, this should be given to people before they stand for election so they are clear before they start about what is expected of them and what they will gain from involvement in the committee. Here is an example of a committee member s job description which you can adapt for your service. Job description for committee members 1. Background The (name of the service) is made up of (description of service, size, numbers of staff and children etc.) The purpose of the service is (philosophy, mission, statement of purpose, overall goals). Formal control and responsibility for the management of the service is (describe the management structure, legal status, details of sponsorship and sponsorship arrangements). A committee is elected every year at the AGM and is made up of (number of members). Committee members are elected for (how long) and are eligible for re-election (as your constitution/rules allow). 2. The committee s role The committee has responsibility for some or all of the following to varying degrees: (Spell out how much responsibility the committee has in each area.) legal obligations financial management; planning and evaluation; developing guidelines and policies for the operation of the service; employment of staff; building and grounds maintenance; community liaison. 3. Accountability The committee reports to and is accountable to (the members/ parents/sponsoring organisation/ council). It reports annually at the AGM (and other times?) and to the (name the relevant government department) regarding the proper expenditure of funds and grants. 4. Committee members duties (Select from this list, add or change as necessary). Committee members are expected to: attend committee meetings and participate fully in decision making; Help! I Don t Know What To Do About Our Management Committee 29

31 support and attend subcommittee meetings as necessary and as required; understand and perform the necessary duties; represent the service and be a spokesperson at all times; take part in fund raising activities from time to time; take part in orientation and training sessions; work co-operatively with all other committee members, staff, volunteers and parents. 5. Training and support Every committee member will have an orientation session to learn about the service and how it operates. Any information needed will be made available to committee members. There will be further information and training sessions as appropriate. 6. Committee members time commitment Each committee member is expected to attend (number of meetings). Each meeting is approximately (how many hours) long. Reading the papers for the meeting will need about (? hours) prior to each meeting. Each committee member is also expected to be part of (one?) subcommittee. Committee members are encouraged to participate in subcommittees and working parties according to their skills and interests and time. 7. Qualifications Committee members should be committed to the aims and work of the service and be willing to take part in meetings and other committee activities. Other qualifications are: Essential Knowledge and experience: as a parent/family member using the service; as a member of a service from the local community; as a worker or member of another similar service. Desirable Knowledge and experience of: legal issues; financial management; fund raising; community-based management; working with other children s services. This job description has been adapted from material included in the Community Management Handbook, 1991, Victorian Council of Social Services, Melbourne. Help! I Don t Know What To Do About Our Management Committee 30