General considerations for meetings
General considerations for meetings
Executive Committees are known as Trustee Boards. This came into effect for members in Scotland in July 2023, and all others from April 2023. 'Executive Committee' and associated wording will still be visible on Compass and the website as we move to our new way of volunteering.
To learn more about what we are doing to improve how we volunteer at Scouts, visit the Volunteer Experience webpages.
When planning for Trustee Boards meetings there are a number of things that you can consider to make sure that the meeting is inviting and accessible to young people.
Making your meeting accessible to young people is likely to benefit other members too, helping everyone to make the best contribution they can to the team.
Venue
Is your venue easy to find, and accessible by public transport? If not, could you provide a map or directions for new trustees, and help people with transport? Is it an inviting venue for all trustees, and a place where your meeting is likely to be effective? A pub, for example, is unlikely to be suitable for a formal meeting.
Transport
Young people are less likely to have access to a car, and may have worries over the expense of transport. Could you help them to arrange lifts, or can they claim expenses for their travel?
Timing
Are your meetings always on the same day of the week, at the same time? As you welcome new trustees onto your Trustee Board it is a good idea to discuss meeting times that work for everyone. Young people may be more likely to have jobs requiring evening or weekend shifts, some members may need to arrange childcare, or the public transport timetable may mean that a meeting half an hour later than usual is more accessible.
Papers and pre-meeting work
If your meeting requires reading papers or completing other work beforehand, how can you help young people to complete this? You could circulate papers earlier, arrange for them to discuss the content with a mentor, make content available online or highlight items that are most relevant to them so they can prioritise their reading.
Social time
A young person joining a Trustee Board may find the experience daunting if they do not know the other members, particularly if there is an age difference. Make sure that they are introduced to other Trustees, and plan social time so that people can get to know each other outside the formal meeting. Everyone on the Trustee Board needs to do their best to make new Trustees feel welcomed and included.