The Village Tree Mentoring Network - Organisational Structure.

GMs AND AGM

MEMBERSHIP (HEART)

PROJECTS. Federation Members

Newsletters, Events, Polls,

Socials, Consultations,
Homecomings

FULL (Active participants)

Heart
VOTING

J.Groups, Ravens, School

Program, over 18s. Ropas and
camps. Trainings.

ASSOCIATE NON VOTING

(Friends, non active, other
organisations)

Trustees accountable to membership

TRUSTEES (HEAD)
Responsible for
governance.

No more than 4 or 5, employ

MT. Voting rights on Council.
Consensus decisions on council,
high level decisions and
authorisations.

Membership accountable to management

Management accountable to trustees

COUNCIL: Trustees
and Management
Team. Meets
monthly.

MANAGEMENT TEAM
(HANDS). Administrator,
Projects, Training, Ropas and
camps,

Non-voting on council,
Consensus decision making.
Operating decisions.

The Village Tree Mentoring Network - Structure Description Overview.

Trustees are responsible for the governance of the organisation, its financial integrity, ensuring compliance with laws, and adherence to the
governing document. They employ the Management team and sit on Council where most high level decisions are made. They are like the Head of
the organisation and need to hold a cool dispassionate view. They are the Company Directors listed with the Charity Commission. They must attend
80% of Council meetings. At the AGM anyone suitable can stand for Trustee and the members will vote for them. The Management Team are
accountable to the Trustees.
Management Team are responsible for the operations of the charity. They must act within the bounds of the charities governing document, ensure
legal compliance, and quality of service. As the Hands of the organisation they are the primary drivers of the charity. They employ staff and run the
membership listing. The staff and membership are accountable to the management team. They cannot be company directors to avoid conflicts of
interest, as they may be in paid posts in the future. (At present they are voluntary and interim until after the first AGM, spring 2014, when the first
elected trustees will advertise and recruit openly for the positions).
Mentor Groups As a Federated Network, The Village Tree supports, informs and trains local initiatives who are independently run and autonomous.
To be a part of the Federation they must sign up for standards and practice which are monitored by the network management.
Membership Full members are currently actively involved with the organisation and have voting rights at the General Meetings and Annual General
Meeting. They hold the Trustees accountable through these meetings. They are accountable to the Management Team. Associate Members are
more peripherally involved, and cannot vote at meetings, but are welcome to contribute.
Working Together In a three way dance the different groups help create the vision, missions, values, and direction of the organisation as a live
ongoing task.
Complaints Members issues and complaints are addressed to the Management Team, unless it is with the Management Team when they are
addressed to the Trustees. Management Team issues and complaints are addressed to the Trustees, unless it is with the trustee(s) when the
membership can be invited to hold the Trustee(s) to accounts at EGMs and the AGM. Trustees issues and complaints are addressed to the
Management Team, unless it is with the Management Team when the management Team can be held to account to the members. Every effort will
be made to resolve disputes, issues or concerns internally first, then by mediation if this is not possible, with legal proceedings as a last resort. See
complaints policy.