Before we start
Running a club takes a certain amount of so it's a good idea to check....
- Are there enough potential members?
- Are there enough volunteers to run the club and give time to administration, holding events, attending meetings?
- Have you checked if there is already a club addressing this area? In the case of sports clubs, there are already 60 operating on campus and some may be able to accommodate employees in addition to students.
If you're happy proceed then it's a good idea set up a Committee (or equivalent group).
Create a committee
To avoid one person doing all the work, you're going to need a committee. There are a number of roles to be filled and jobs to be done so a committee will ensure that these are shared out equally. Amongst other things, the committee will;
- Manage the operation and affairs of the club
- Enhance the club’s activities by adopting proper policies and practices
- Oversee correct usage of club resources / seed funding
The size of the club and the nature of the activity may influence the roles you have but it will help if you have:
- Club Chairperson - (to chair meetings and lead the group)
- Club Secretary / Registrar (to manage the paperwork and membership process)
- Club Treasurer - (to manage the finances)
At some point you might also consider:
- Auditor
- Children’s Officer
- Public Relations Officer
- Equality Diversity & Inclusion contact
- Safety contact
Create a constitution
In order to be clear about the clubs direction and the rules for members you are going to need a constitution or a some other document which sets out the objectives, structure and rules of the club.
Before your site can appear on the Culture & Engagement site, twitter feed or other official UCD channel you will need to register your club or group. Registering helps ensures that minimum structures are in place and provides the best protection for those organising club activities. Registration is simple and involves completing and submitting a checklist which confirms the presence of key club structures. The registration form is available in the next section.
Now that you've got your committee and draft constitution, you'll need to hold your first meeting. This will give you a chance to bring new members on board and collectively sign off on your constitution.