World YWCA GUIDE TO STARTING A YWCA
World YWCA GUIDE TO STARTING A YWCA
World YWCA GUIDE TO STARTING A YWCA
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<strong>YWCA</strong> Organization Structure<br />
Within the <strong>World</strong> <strong>YWCA</strong> movement there are many different patterns of structural organization, but the<br />
following is the most common pattern.<br />
Members<br />
Executive Committee including Officers*<br />
and led by Officers<br />
Membership Constitution Programme Finance Personnel<br />
Sub-Committee Sub-Committee Sub-Committee Sub-Committee Sub-Committee<br />
* Officers: Chairperson/President, Vice-Chairpersons/VicePresidents,<br />
Treasurer and General Secretary (ex officio).<br />
Sub-committees are important working groups in a <strong>YWCA</strong>. Each sub-committee (sometimes called<br />
standing committees) should meet regularly to study and make recommendations to the Executive<br />
Committee. Therefore it is important that the committees meet before the Executive meeting. The subcommittees<br />
make recommendations to the Executive Committee but cannot make policy-decisions. The<br />
chairperson of each committee should be a member of the Executive Comxnittee. The average size of the<br />
committee is generally 5-10 members, although the number and size of sub-committees varies with the size<br />
of the association and the nature of the work to be done.<br />
Note: The specific names and titles of committees, boards and leadership may vary in different national<br />
associations.<br />
Role of a <strong>YWCA</strong> President<br />
• Is the volunteer leader elected by the membership.<br />
• Presides at all membership meetings and at all meetings of the Executive Committee.<br />
• Makes appointments of sub-committee chairpersons and sometimes sub-committee members (in<br />
consultation with chairpersons and the Board).<br />
• Is an ex-officio member of all sub-committees, with voting privilege determined in the Constitution<br />
and/or Bye-Law.<br />
• Is a legal signatory for all documents<br />
• Interprets the <strong>YWCA</strong> to the community and seeks to ensure that the association assumes its role as<br />
a community organization.<br />
• Ensures that fundraising and community planning bodies understand the work and mission of the<br />
<strong>YWCA</strong>, so that the <strong>YWCA</strong> will have the support required to function effectively.<br />
• Works closely with the General Secretary. They share the responsibility for the overall work and<br />
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