An online learning resource for community groups
Module 2 : Running your organisation well
Introduction
This module is about running your organisation well - this is often called governance.
Many organisations are so focused on supporting and helping their members that they forget to think about their organisation. Strong communities need strong, effective and accountable community groups.
To be effective as a group, you have to focus on both running your organisation well AND what you want to achieve.
It's also important that you are seen to have good governance by your members and those who give you funding or other help.
These module will help you consider and plan for the four key pillars of governance:
Purpose - what is your purpose as a group?
Roles and responsibilities - how do you organise as a group to get things done? How do you help people develop their skills?
Running effective meetings - how do you run effective meetings and take good decisions and actions?
Your values and being open/accountable to your members - what are your values as a group and how do you let your members know what you are doing?
Explore the modules
Let’s get started - why governance matters
As a group, discuss the following questions:
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Why do you think it is important to have a well-run and well managed organisation?
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What might happen if your organisation is not well run?
Write your answers onto this form.
Remember to download and save it after your group has completed the exercise.
Running a community organisation - An overview of what you need to do
Now watch this presentation which provides an overview of the main governance issues.
It has slides and an audio soundtrack, so you will need to have your speakers on or use headphones. Remember that you can stop the presentation using the pause button just like any other video and also watch the presentation as often as you need to.
As individual committee members, now think about the information in the overview and take a note of any questions you might have or things that you want to know more about.
For more information, you can also see our factsheets:
The four pillars of good governance
There are four key pillars of governance that are essential for any group:
Purpose - what is your purpose as a group?
Running effective meetings - how do you run effective meetings and take good decisions and actions?
Roles and responsibilities - how do you organise as a group to get things done? How do you help people develop their skills?
Your values and being open/accountable to our members - what are your values as a group and how do you let your members know what you are doing?
Now we will look at each of the four pillars in more detail using the presentations and exercises below. As you work through each of the exercises, you can record any actions in the Good Governance Action Plan.
1. Purpose
Your group’s purpose is the foundation of everything that you do.
New groups will have to develop their purpose based on the needs of the people they are working with or hope to work with, but even established groups can benefit from relooking at their purpose and making sure that they don’t need to make any changes.
Watch this presentation on developing your group’s purpose.
It will help you to think about:
The importance of having a clear purpose
How to make sure that this purpose is shared by all of your committee and communicated to your members and the wider community.
Group discussion 1 - Your purpose
Now complete the following exercise working as a committee or in a smaller group to think about what your group is for and how it will achieve its aims.
Discuss and complete the following sentences:
The reason our group exists is to…
We do this by…
Remember to include what your group does, who you do it for/with, and where your group operates.
Once you have completed the sentences, discuss:
Is your purpose clear?
Is it shared by the whole committee?
Is it communicated to your members and the wider community?
Download this group discussion form, fill in your answers and keep as a record of your learning.
Note down any actions in the Good Governance Action Plan.
2. Roles and responsibilities
Now watch this presentation on:
The shared and individual responsibilities in your group
Developing the skills you need to deliver these
Working effectively as a group
Group discussion 2 - Your roles and responsibilities
In your committee or in a smaller group discuss:
What are the roles in your committee?
Is it clear who does what and how you share tasks?
How can you improve this?
Download this group discussion form, fill in your answers and keep as a record of your learning.
Note down any actions in the Good Governance Action Plan.
For more information, please see our Roles and Responsibilities Factsheet.
3. Running effective meetings
Now watch this presentation on:
The kind of meetings you need to have as a group
Planning to make these successful
Keeping your members informed and involved
Making and recording effective decisions
Working effectively as a group
Group discussion three - Running Effective Meetings
In your committee or in a smaller group discuss:
How well do you think you run your meetings? Is there anything you could do to improve your meetings?
How well do you feel you make decisions as a committee, both at committee meetings and between meetings?
Do you encourage debate and enable everyone to participate?
Download this group discussion form, fill in your answers and keep as a record of your learning.
Note down any actions in the Good Governance Action Plan.
4. Values, equalities and accountability
Now watch this presentation on
How your values shape what you do as a group
How equality is important in how you involve your community
Why it is important to be open and accountable to your members
Group discussion four - Values, Equality & Accountability
As a group, discuss:
What values are important to your group?
How do you promote equality and make sure that all sections of your community are involved and included?
Is there anything more that you need to do to make sure your organisation is open and accountable?
Download this group discussion form, fill in your answers and keep as a record of your learning.
Note down any actions in the Good Governance Action Plan.
Completing your good governance action plan
The Good Governance Checklist will help you focus on what actions you might want to take to ensure your governance is as good as it could be. Your office bearers or subgroup could now use our Good Governance Checklist to complete the action plan.
To do this:
Go through the checklist and answer yes or no for each item.
Add any more actions that come from this to the Good Governance Action Plan
Agree how you are going to monitor your plan to see how you are getting on and to update it, and who is going to do it. One option could be to give a report on progress at each committee meeting and to update it as you go along.
