As grassroots club volunteers, you might have come across numerous templates for club strategic plans online, many of which lack that personal touch and excitement. Let’s explore why strategic planning can be difficult for clubs, while also highlighting how the process can be enjoyable and engaging.

As a volunteer for a sports club or community organisation in Australia, you play a crucial role in the success of your group. You invest your time, effort and skills to help your community thrive. However, being a volunteer can also be challenging, especially if you're new to the role. That's where a board induction training session can make all the difference.

Shooting the messenger feels good, because it gives us a chance to vent when we receive bad news, even though we know it isn’t helpful. But have you also noticed that people have a tendency to ignore advice from people they don’t like, even if the advice is sound? This article is a reminder about the need for club leaders to have great listening skills and to keep an open mind to all suggestions, regardless of where they come from.

Your constitution really is important. Not only does it cover vital things like your name, why you exist and how you need to hold meetings, it’s the document that keeps you incorporated! If it isn’t up to date, it can cause stress and sleepless nights leading up to events like your AGM. If you don’t feel comfortable trying to write your new constitution on your own, it’s a good idea to get professional help, to make sure you get it right. But how do you find the best professional to write your new constitution? Because it’s not something you do every day, this article provides the top 5 things to consider when looking for the best club constitution writer.

The most successful community groups, clubs and charity organisations know the value of engaging external professionals to deliver governance training for their committees and boards. They know that the investment of time and money they make will lead to more efficient operations, and therefore better community outcomes. So why do many smaller organisations still shy away from buying club governance training? In this article, we bust what we think are the 6 biggest myths that are standing in the way of volunteers investing in their own learning and growth.

Australian clubs, associations and organisations experience a wide array of risks throughout the year. These risks include everything from natural disasters through to losing volunteers. However, over the last few years we have seen a rise of another kind of risk that could result in committee members being liable if they turn a blind eye to the problem. Management committee and board members need to be aware of common mistakes, such as outdated constitutions, policies, or an expired strategic plan, and avoid them to protect their clubs, organisations and members as much as possible.

Club committee politics can be a huge challenge for the volunteers involved. However it often also impacts Council or peak body staff, who are called upon to make sense of club conflicts.

If your constitution looks like it was written on a typewriter, it may be time for an update. We’re waiting for the day an organisation brings in their constitution chiselled in stone - it wouldn’t be a complete surprise.