Getting You Started

In the meantime, here are some initial tips on setting up your group.

Why do you want to set up a community group?

There are many reasons why people might want to set up a voluntary or community group.

• Have you identified a need in your area as a result of a gap in services or activities?
• Are you one of a group of like-minded people who share a vision to improve an area?
• Or perhaps you have identified an area where some individuals are feeling isolated or need extra support?

Whatever your reasons, one thing is certain: starting a new group needs time and commitment from people like you, people who are willing to get on and do something about the issues you have identified. And this often involves stimulating debate to gain support and attract attention.

Things to consider when setting up a community group

Setting up a new group involves a variety of tasks and so there are a number of things you will need to consider. The more aware you are of all you need to do, the easier the tasks will be. Forethought and good planning at this stage can save a lot of wasted effort or work later.

Avoid overlapping with other groups

Before you do anything else it is worth doing a little homework on what else is around. You might have a great idea but if it is already being tacked by another group of people then your chances of getting a successful group going are greatly reduced. So it’s essential that you check whether there are already local organisations that carry out the same type of work your new group intends to do. If a similar group already exists, you might be better off joining that group instead. Duplication costs. Even if it doesn’t cost money, it always takes time and, well, you know the saying. It can create ill-feeling with those you effectively become your competition. That deters prospective funders – instead of one well-funded group doing the job that was intended you could end up with two poorly funded groups failing to meet the need. Joining an existing organisation and working with them instead will save a lot of hard work in getting set up as a new group and getting everything off the ground.

A plan before starting your community group

A little planning goes a long way. Start by thinking about these questions as an essential checklist:

• What do we want to do?
• Where do we want to do it?
• Do we have the time, energy and commitment to do the work ourselves?
• How will we generate funds?
• Do we have enough people to form a committee?
• Do we need to constitute the group formally?

From there you can think a little more about the outline of what you want to do how your idea can actually work. Think about the next set of questions. These are all things that people are going to ask you – especially if you are asking them for support of any kind:

• What do you want to achieve?
• What kinds of activities will you want to provide to achieve this?
• How do you know there is a need for what you want to do?
• Who needs it?
• How many people need it?
• How will these people benefit?
• Will your group meet these needs in full/ in part?
• What will be the benefits from running your activities?

Once you have a clear list of answers to all these questions then it’s time to get organised.

Getting organised

Starting off there are usually three to four people who set up a group. As the group grows you will get to the point where you need a management committee because it needs to be clear how decisions are made – especially when money is involved. The management committee can consist of any number from three upwards – enough to run effectively but small enough to arrange meetings easily and make decisions effectively. Responsibility for the group should be shared between decision-makers, who will co-ordinate activities, make sure funding is in place and so on.

Your Management Committee will be responsible for ensuring that your group:

• Sets aims and objectives and plans ahead
• Works towards its aims and objectives,
• Acts in the best interests of the people your group is set up to support (your beneficiaries)
• Has enough resources to carry out all of your work, and that these resources are well managed and used to meet your aims and objectives
• Holds appropriately regular committee meetings

The set of rules (constitution)

Your group will need to have a Governing Document so that everyone knows who and what your organisation is, what it aims to do, how it will be run and who is responsible for running it. You will also need a Governing Document in order to apply for funding that will enable you to deliver your service / activity / project.

The normal type of governing document for a small group is called a constitution (a set of rules) and will consist of the following:

• Name
• Objects
• Powers
• Committee
• Annual General Meeting
• Extraordinary General Meeting
• Procedure at General Meetings
• Bank Accounts and Annual Accounts
• Payments or benefits
• Amendments to the Constitution
• Dissolution

The constitution will need to be signed by the Management Committee and dated on the day it is adopted. Once your group has agreed and signed your constitution, it is a legal document. The committee, not the members, will be personally responsible for making sure the rules are followed.

Doing it right at the start saves time late

This might seem like a lot of work and overly bureaucratic and it is tempting to get on with the job and worry about the formalities later. But bitter experience shows that it is a false economy. If you get it right at the start you will be much better placed as your group develops; for example, it’s not uncommon for new groups to assume they won’t need to apply for funding – but when an opportunity presents itself and they haven’t prepared properly it becomes an opportunity lost.

Getting further support

Northumberland Community Voluntary Action (Northumberland CVA) can help you through the process of setting up a new community group.