Typical branch structure and brief description of roles

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The following are roles it is useful to have if setting up a branch or support group. You don’t need all of them and most people would fill several roles, but it should give you a few guidelines for setting up. It is good to get as many people involved as you can, as it means a number of people know what is going on and can help out, it shares the burden of work, plus it makes it fun working together on the various activities.

Contact one of the branches if you would like further explanation.

President: Takes overall responsibility for the group, manages committee and ensures smooth operation, runs/organises activities as appropriate, chairs meetings or organises someone to chair each meeting.

Treasurer: Manages finances, operates bank accounts, liaises with IRD, deposits membership subscriptions and clubday income and pays expenses, may contact NZ Post for Community Post.

Membership Secretary: Takes membership calls and either directs potential members to the website or mails out information and application form. Approves members according to membership criteria but consults with branch committee and/or National council if there is any query over membership qualification. Sends out welcome packs to new members and membership forms and cheques to treasurer. Enters new members on database.

Secretary: Handles correspondence, minutes, miscellaneous.

Branch Representative: Reports to National Council. When able, attends Council meetings either in person or on-line. Represents the branch’s interests and votes on behalf of the branch at Council meetings.

Activity Co-ordinators

• Adult activity co-ordinator: Co-ordinates/organises speakers/activities for parents/families on a regular basis. Canvasses members for skills and ideas!
• Children’s activity co-ordinator: As above but for children. Liaises with other branches to source ideas.
• Camp Co-ordinator: Ascertains suitable local facilities for a family camp and prepares a programme of activities to market to members. Markets National camps to local branch members.

Librarian: Sources and catalogues books, puzzles etc for branch library. Sets up a lending system and manages the return and maintenance of the library. May use the system provided by the National Association to manage the library and send reminders to members with overdue items.

Marketing/PR: Could separate into internal publicity and external publicity

• Editor/Internal PR: Manages all publicity within NZAGC, e.g. writes and circulates monthly newsletters, writes Tall Poppies reports, keeps wider group of potential members informed of upcoming activities, if appropriate.
• External PR: Provides newspaper articles, magazines, radio, advertising for new members/awareness of gifted issues as necessary, in other words, raising awareness in the wider community.

Fundraising Subcommittee: Applies for grants and funds from places such as Rotary, Lions, pub charities, lotteries. Comes up with fundraising ideas and helps co-ordinate them.

All committee members must be prepared to represent both their group and NZAGC to potential members and to meet the requirements as laid out in the constitution.