Jargon buster

Here’s a quick guide to some of the terms, names and acronyms you might come across in a Trustee Board. However, if anything is said that you don’t understand, then don’t be afraid to ask.

Accounts - This is a document which the Treasurer produces to show all the other trustees the financial situation of the charity.

Action Points - A list of tasks from the previous meeting that need to be completed.

Agenda - A document sent to Trustees ahead of a meeting outlining the topics to be discussed.

AGM -  Annual General Meeting - where new Trustees are appointed and the annual report and accounts reviewed.

Annual Report - The document produced by the Trustee Board for presentation at the AGM which will include legally required information and a review of the past year and plans for the year to come.

AOB - Any Other Business – Often seen at the end of a meeting agenda. It is best practice for any other business to be only about urgent items that have arisen after the agenda has been circulated.

Charity trustees - The people who are responsible for the running of a charity. In Scotland only OSCR registered charities have charity trustees.

Constitution - This is the rules which the Trustee Board must follow. This can be found in Policy, Organisation & Rules and there may be a locally produced document to follow which adds specific local needs to the document of the charity to follow.

Co-opted trustees - If a Trustee Board needs a new member with a particular skill set, or to do a particular task, they may recruit someone specifically to take on that role. Anyone who joins a Trustee Board in this way (between Annual General Meetings) is known as a co-opted trustee.

EGM - Extraordinary General Meeting – a meeting similar to an AGM but which can be called (in line with the governing document) at any time to consider a significant problem within the charity.

Ex-officio Trustees - The term used for those roles which are automatically on the Trustee Board.

GDPR - General Data Protection Regulations – data protection law that covers the EU and UK.

Governing document - The policies by which the charity is run by and includes the constitution and other rules in Policy, Organisation & Rules.

Minutes - This is a document to capture key discussion points, decisions made and outcome of votes.

OGM - Ordinary General Meeting – A meeting called at a time other than when an AGM might happen when a number of important issues are on the agenda that the Scout Council might need to consider.

POR - Policy, Organisation & Rules (of the Scout Association)

Quorum - This is the number of people required to be present at a meeting for votes and decisions to be made. The number should be set at the AGM.

Regulator - The organisation set up by the Government to support and govern charities. In the UK there are three main regulators for different parts of country: The Charity Commission for England & Wales, The Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator and The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland. Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man governments each have their own charitable governance offices.

Reports - Often verbal updates made at the meeting, but can also be a written report with detail on a topic for trustees to review.

Scout Council - The Scout Council has a governance role for the charity and, in particular, makes Trustee Board appointments other than ex- officio and co-opted appointments. Check POR 5.4 to understand who’s a member of the Scout Council. 

TSA - The Scout Association, operating as the ‘Scouts’

Trustee Board - The team of volunteers who work together to make sure Scouts is run safely and legally.

YL - Young Leader – An Explorer Scout helping with another youth section. Sometimes confused with an adult leader aged between 18 and 25.