Roles and Responsibilities

Committee Personnel

A committee will usually be made up of:

• President
• Vice President
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• Committee Members

Some of the desirable characteristics of persons occupying these positions may be:

The primary role of the President of an association is to provide leadership to the Committee and the association. The President must also act as a coordinator ensuring that all facets of the operation come together in a controlled way. The President must also be prepared to be a motivator providing encouragement to members of the Committee, the parents and members, and staff, to maintain their interest and commitment.

The President normally acts as chairman for all regular meetings of an association (unless constitution says otherwise) so it is extremely important that the person occupying this position has a knowledge of meetings.

Some characteristics of a President include:

• Preferably previous experience on a committee.
• Knowledge of meeting procedure.
• Leadership ability (an ability to motivate people to work together as a team & including staff).
• A manner and disposition coupled with common sense to enable him or her to get along with most people.
• An enthusiasm for what the kindergarten or child care centre has and can achieve for children and families.
• A willingness to learn about the centre and its operation.

Vice President

The primary role of the Vice President is to support the President in the functions of leadership, co-ordination and motivation. Vice President should therefore be prepared to:

• Assist the President or take the President's place in his or her absence.
• Accept responsibility such as chairman of a sub-committee or other function.

Secretary

The position of Secretary is perhaps one of the two "busiest" within any organisation. The functions of a Secretary include:

• Recording of minutes of all meetings.
• Handling all correspondence for the organisation.
• Maintaining the files.
• Maintaining membership records.
• Maintaining staff / personnel records.
• Ensuring that all rules relating to meetings are complied with including:
• Notices
• Quorums
• Meeting procedure
• Preparing agendas for all meetings (in consultation with the President).

Contrary to popular opinion, a Secretary need not have shorthand ability, as most discussion at meetings should not be recorded in full. Similarly, and while typed correspondence is desirable it is not absolutely necessary.

Treasurer

The position of Treasurer is the second of the "busiest" positions within any organisation. The major functions of the Treasurer include:

• Preparation of all Accounting records.
• Preparation of payroll.
• Preparation of all budgets.
• Preparation of all Financial Reports and Statements.
• Maintenance of all records of fees and levies.
• Maintain a general supervision of the finances of the association and provide advice to the Committee.

To undertake these functions the Treasurer needs:

• A knowledge of bookkeeping.
• Time to maintain the records.
• A willingness to learn.

Committee Members

The primary role of the committee member is to provide support and assistance to the main office bearers. Some characteristics of a good committee member are:

• Drive and initiative.
• Enthusiasm for the centre.
• Willingness to take responsibility for a specific activity e.g., public relations, newsletter, control of rosters, fund-raising.

The committee will include roles, such as:

Parent Liaison

A liaison parent is one who regularly delivers to and collects his/her child from kindergarten and is able to maintain contact with other parents and the teacher. The liaison parent encourages parents to get to know each other by organising "get togethers" each term so that parents feel welcome and part of the kindergarten. Many delightful friendships begin as a result of participation with other parents at kindergarten and we encourage you to join social events when possible.

Wages and Fees Treasurer

A wages and fees treasurer pays all staff wages, superannuation and PAYG tax and arranges relief staff. The person also takes and accounts for fees receipting.

Fundraising and Promotion

Depending on the level of fundraising the committee decides to undertake, this person coordinates this and chairs the fundraising subcommittee. This person needs to be motivated and be able to motivate others. The person also handles promotions and advertising of the Kindy to the OLR School and the community.

Enrolments Officer

This person takes all new enrolments, manages the enrolment register and wait list in consultation with the director and in accordance with C&K policy. The person also handles all communications and arrangements for future year enrolments, as well as placements for the current year if position become vacant.

Maintenance and Occupational Health and Safety Officer

This person is responsible for all checking that the centre is appropriately maintained, both indoors and outdoors to ensure that the Kindy complies with OH&S standards. The person reports to the committee when minor or major maintenance is required and would usually engage tradespersons to undertake such work. The person would also coordinate working bees when necessary, coordinate the mowing roster, and liaise with indoor contract cleaners.

C&K Liaison

C&K Liaison involves coordinating all correspondence to and from C&K, and reporting to the committee.  The person liaises with the C&K representative and oversees requirements to maintain C&K affiliation.

General committee members

The committee may include general committee members to assist wherever required. It may be a person with not a lot of time, but with special skills to contribute (e.g. advice or things that can be done from home).

All elected personnel should be made aware of and realise their obligations before accepting nomination and once elected should carry out their duties to the best of their ability. If circumstances force them to inactivity, it is best that they resign, as a committee with "dead wood" places a burden on the remainder.

All committee personnel should also appreciate that they have been elected to manage the affairs of the association on behalf of all the members, and so long as their decisions have been soundly based and well thought through, they should be prepared to stand together as a committee no matter what pressures are brought to bear.

A committee can only be truly effective if they conduct their affairs in a truly democratic way.  Once a majority decision has been made, and all committee members have had their say, that decision should be wholeheartedly supported by all. Failure to abide by this basic rule may lead to division in the Committee, division in the membership of the association and ultimately affect the children attending the centre.

Above all else, the main objective of the committee must be to ensure the optimum benefit to the children attending the centre.

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