Constitution
What is a constitution?
What to include in a constitution?
Why do we need a constitution?
What to avoid?
Constitution templates
What is a constitution?
The constitution is a document establishing the Club and setting out the purposes for which it has come together and all of the rules under which it proposes to operate. It must reflect the way in which the Club works.
The constitution outlines for your members and others the name, objects, methods of management and other conditions under which your Club operates and generally the reasons for its existence. It also regulates the relationship between members by setting out the basis for working with other co-members and should also set out members' rights and liabilities.
No two Clubs are the same in their aims or objectives. However, there are examples of generic constitutions which can be modified to suit most Clubs. In any constitution there are certain matters which are common and which should always be included for the protection of members.
What to include in a constitution?
The constitution should define the rights and duties of individual members and those of the members of the committee, who are elected to run the Club on a day-to-day basis. Thus a constitution should specify:
- Name of Club
- Powers of the Club
- Qualification for membership; that is, who is entitled to be a member; how an application is made and who decides on applications for membership (usually the committee)
- Classes of members and their rights; such as honorary life members who have all the entitlements of ordinary members but who may not be eligible to vote
- Termination of membership; that is how a membership can be cancelled other than by resignation (e.g. overdue membership subscriptions) and the reasons a person can be expelled or suspended from a Club.
- Management Committee/Office Bearer positions
Powers of the committee; which enable committee members to manage the day-to-day running of the Club
The number of members on the committee, the regularity of meetings and number of committee members required for a quorum
Timing, manner and voting procedures for major meetings and the minimum number to make meeting valid (quorum)
Financial procedures
Procedure for amending (changing) the constitution
- The manner of winding-up the Club and the distribution of assets
Changes to the constitution are usually required to be debated and voted upon at an annual general meeting or a special general meeting.
The constitution should always be kept up-to-date by the Secretary, so that there can be no confusion as to the rules at a certain time. It is good practice to send copies of all amendments to those who hold copies of the constitution.
Why do we need a constitution?
The benefits of a constitution are that it:
Explains to members and non-members what your Club is about
- Provides clear guidelines for all members as to the management of your Club
- Provides a mechanism for debating and resolving internal issues within your Club
- Can help in seeking resources from other organisations, such as a government agency (i.e. grants)
- Is one of the pre-requisites for incorporation (i.e. a constitution complying with the Associations Incorporation Act)
Click here for more information on Incorporation.
What to avoid?
A constitution can be made up of two parts; the rules which include the basic principles of the group and can be changed only by a General Meeting, and the regulations or by-laws which can be changed by the committee.
You can place almost anything within a constitution, however the rules in your constitution should relate specifically to the administration of the Club. Other aspects of your Club's operation are more easily handled outside the formality of these rules. For instance, you would not include the membership charges or Club colours in the rules, as they do not relate to the conduct of the activities of the Club.
Additional non-administrative rules should appear in regulations and by-laws. A clause in the rules empowering the committee to make, alter or delete regulations or by-laws should appear in the constitution.
Constitution templates
Click below for constitution templates.
constitution template 1
constitution template 2
Acknowledgements
Reproduced with permission from the Australian Sports Commission and Department of Sport and Recreation Western Australia
