Clubs here at UC are based off the Incorporated Society model.
What is an Incorporated Society?
Any society is a membership-based organisation that exists for some lawful purpose other than making a profit. An incorporated society is one that has registered under the Incorporated Societies Act 1908. Basically, all clubs are expected to run as if they are Incorporated Societies, even if they are not one. There is no requirement for a UC Club to be an incorporated society, but it is expected they follow the same objectives:
There are some key requirements for an Incorporated Society:
- Not for financial gain – The society cannot operate for financial gain, which means it cannot make a profit with the intention of passing it on to the members. Any profits must be returned to the society to be used for its purposes and for the benefit of those in the community who the society serves. In the event of a breach, the members involved can be held personally liable for any debt or obligation that the society took on in breaching the rule.
- Minimum membership – The society must have at least a certain number of members.
- Rules – The society must have a set of rules that meet certain requirements under the Incorporated Societies Act. This is commonly referred to as the society’s Constitution.
- Acting within society’s objects – Once registered, the society must operate within the scope of the objects (aims) stated in its rules.
What structure does a club take?
All clubs have the same basic structure:
- They have members! Much like the UCSA only exists because of students, clubs only exist because of members. It’s up to each club who counts as a member, but as this is written into the club’s constitution, it’s important to keep it consistent. Clubs are responsible to their members by, among other things, holding an Annual General Meeting (AGM) each year, and their members have a responsibility to keep the club honest, by among other things, attending the AGM.
They have a committee! Formed by members who are (usually) elected onto the committee, the committee guides the club on behalf of the members. They make decisions, organise events, and generally support the members.