↓
 

SCA Ltd (Australia)

The Society for Creative Anachronism

  • Home
  • News
  • About Us
    • What is SCA Ltd?
    • Mission and Values
    • Board Member and Officer Duties
      • Treasurer
      • Registrar Duty Statement
  • Documents
    • Insurance
    • Operating Documents
      • Company Registration
      • Constitution
      • Draft amendments to Constitution
      • Corpora
      • SCA Inc (NZ) Affiliation
      • SCA Inc (US) Affiliation
    • Policy Documents
      • Alcohol
      • Assets
      • Board Membership
      • Bullying and Harassment
      • Children
        • Child Protection
        • Background Checks
        • Nomination of Caregiver
      • Code of Conduct
        • Previous Code of Conduct
      • Companion Card
      • Financial
        • SCA Ltd Financial Policy
        • Personal Gain Fact Sheet
        • Electronic Banking Signatories Change Form
      • Live Streaming – consultation
      • Privacy Statement
      • Proof of Membership
      • Sanctions Guide
      • Draft Sanctions Policy
      • Social Media
      • Victorian Weapons Legislation
  • Meetings
    • AGM/EGM Notices
    • Monthly Meetings and Minutes
    • General Meetings
  • Financials
  • Membership
    • Online Registry
    • Proof of Membership
    • Projects
  • Contact Us

Post navigation

1 2 3 4 … 6 7 >>

Update from the SCA Ltd Board

SCA Ltd (Australia) Posted on 28 June 2020 by SCA Ltd Secretary28 June 2020

Greetings to all Members of the SCA Ltd (Australia) from the Australian Board,

At transitional times such as this, it’s always useful to take a moment to take stock of where we are, highlighting work that has been done, what is underway, and creating clarity in our priorities – and take the opportunity to provide an update to our Membership on current projects.

The last 6 to 12 months have been busy for the Australian Board, with a strong focus on improving our processes and policies to deliver better outcomes for our members. Some of those changes have been in the area of our internal governance processes – while not the most thrilling to onlookers, these are the foundational improvements that allow us to work effectively and efficiently on priority areas, and building on that structure, the Board’s ongoing work has focused our practices and resources to protect the SCA and all its members.

To ensure the long term stability and growth of the SCA in Australia as a viable business, this has included significant review and changes to the corporate financial management. Members were consulted last year on the fiscal priorities for the SCA, necessary fee changes, and areas of possible savings. With the COVID-19 Pandemic coming to Australia’s shores, this became all the more crucial based on our corporate cashflow modeling.

Building on the savings last year through a change in insurance underwriters, this year we’ve been able to negotiate a significant reduction in our premiums for 2020, both on the basis of inability to undertake any in-person activities, but also through more detailed segmenting of our business activities, something that we hope will continue to provide us with savings for years to come.  Currently underway is a review of the SCA’s bookkeeping service to achieve both savings, but also improved efficiencies and support for branches and their Reeves. 

As well as streamlining our financial operations, the Board has begun a significant review and update of the SCA’s financial policy and procedures. This is a major work with an aimed completion before the next AGM – members will be consulted once this work is nearing completion.  Adjacent to this review is the scoping of a policy to better define the Board’s delegation of authority to Lochac and SCA Ltd Corporate Officers. 

Beyond our business operational priorities, and especially with the pandemic work  (hopefully) coming to a conclusion, the Board has already shifted its policy focus back to member protection issues, notably around disputes and unacceptable behaviour. The Board engaged a legal firm specialising in association governance and policy work to provide guidance on how to redesign critical policies and processes to ensure that the society is compliant with Australian laws and best practices with regard to member protection and dispute resolution.

This led to the recently completed new Code of Conduct, which is a significant step forward and gives every participant in SCA Lochac (Australia) activities a solid understanding as to what is and is not acceptable. Following this project’s completion, the Board’s current projects include the significant creation of a Member Protection Policy and procedures. Members will have the opportunity to comment through our standard consultation processes when a final draft has been prepared.

The Member Protection Policy under development aims to ensure The Society for Creative Anachronism’s core values, good reputation and positive behaviours and attitudes are maintained. It assists us in ensuring that every person involved in our Society is treated with respect and dignity, and is safe and protected from abuse. Through this Policy, we aim to ensure that everyone involved in the SCA is aware of their legal and ethical rights and responsibilities. This Policy will be an essential part of our organisation’s proactive and preventative approach to tackling inappropriate behaviour.

At the 2020 AGM, following significant member consultation, an updated Constitution for SCA Ltd (Australia) was proposed, and accepted unanimously by Members. These amendments include updating our rules to better define our members and non-member participants, based on legal advice received, as well as updating our company objectives and mission statement to remove the Euro-centric limitations. 

Finally, the Australian Board is also developing clear job descriptions for Board appointed positions to ensure that duties and responsibilities for those members undertaking such roles are unambiguous and understandable. We are also actively monitoring the live streaming trial and note the very successful uptake of virtual events in the current contact-free environment. Lessons learned from these activities will be used to grow our society outreach and positive interactions where we can benefit. 

Importantly, we are always willing to take questions, suggestions, and feedback from the membership and are always looking for potential new Board members – please email secretary@sca.org.au

Yours in service,

The SCA Ltd Board

Posted in 2020, News

SCA Ltd Live Streaming Trial

SCA Ltd (Australia) Posted on 1 March 2020 by SCA Ltd Secretary2 March 2020

Dear Members of the SCA (Australia),

The SCA Ltd Board has approved the following procedural guidelines for an 18-month trial for Live Streaming at SCA Events in Australia commencing 1 March 2020, following consultation with Australian Branch Seneschals via the Kingdom Seneschal.  

The Board considers that where feasible, reasonable considerations and concessions should be made
to ensure live streaming does not compromise the enjoyment of participants at the event and to not compromise the participation of attendees not wishing to be live-streamed.

As part of this trial, the following procedural practices are to be undertaken for approval by the Branch Seneschal, for Live-Streaming at SCA Events. In the case of Kingdom Events held in Australia, this approval is to be given by the Council of the Purse. The Board will review at 6 months, and 12 months, as well as at the conclusion of the trial. At any time, the Board reserves the right to revise or cease the trial.

Details of the trial can be found here.

Please email the secretary@sca.org.au if you have any questions.

Kind regards,

Cat Colwell 
Secretary, SCA Ltd

Posted in 2020, News, Policy

Updated Code of Conduct

SCA Ltd (Australia) Posted on 23 February 2020 by SCA Ltd Secretary2 March 2020

Greetings all,

The SCA Ltd Board (Australia) would like to thank the large number of Members who provided feedback regarding proposed updates to the SCA Ltd Code of Conduct. On the basis of this commentary, the Board has approved an updated Code of Conduct, to be in effect from 1 March 2020.

The updated Code of Conduct can be found here. Please ensure that the updated attachment in this document is displayed at all Australian SCA events from 1 March. 

The previous Code of Conduct can currently be found here.

Yours in service
Cat Colwell
Secretary, SCA Ltd. Australia

Posted in 2019, News, Policy

Commentary sought on proposed revisions to the SCA Ltd Constitution

SCA Ltd (Australia) Posted on 23 February 2020 by Lochac Webwright3 March 2020

Dear Members of the SCA Ltd (Australia)

The SCA Ltd (Australia) Board is soliciting commentary on proposed revisions to the SCA Ltd Constitution, which was last revised in 2016. This commentary is in advance of the SCA Ltd Annual General Meeting (AGM) to be held on 17 April 2020, where any changes would be proposed for a Special Resolution in accordance with the Commonwealth Corporations Act (2001). 

In order to assist members in providing feedback, the Board has prepared a document summarising proposed changes. The draft Constitution is provided as both a clean updated document for ease of reading, and also as a document tracking changes against the current Constitution. These documents, as well as the current Constitution, can be found linked below:

  • Summary of proposed changes
  • Proposed Constitution draft (clean)
  • Proposed Constitution draft (tracked changes)
  • Current Constitution

The Board asks that all feedback on the proposed SCA Ltd Constitution be sent to secretary@sca.org.au by 6pm Sunday 8 March 2020. 

Yours in service,

Cat Colwell
Secretary, SCA Ltd. Australia

Posted in 2020, News, Policy

Commentary sought on proposed SCA Ltd Code of Conduct Revision

SCA Ltd (Australia) Posted on 30 November 2019 by SCA Ltd Secretary2 March 2020

Dear Members of the SCA Ltd (Australia)

The SCA Ltd Board is soliciting commentary from SCA membership within Australia regarding proposed revisions to the SCA Ltd Code of Conduct. This policy sets out the behaviour that all participants of the Society for Creative Anachronism within Australia must agree to abide by as a condition of their participation.

SCA Ltd requests submissions on this policy draft to be sent to secretary@sca.org.au by January 03, 2020. These submissions will be for internal SCA Ltd Board use only.

The document is available to read here. For reference, the current SCA Ltd Code of Conduct applicable may be seen here.

Yours in Service,

Cat Colwell
Secretary, SCA Ltd

Posted in 2019, News, Policy

Addendum to SCA Ltd Treasurer’s Financial Report for 2018

SCA Ltd (Australia) Posted on 17 October 2019 by SCA Ltd Secretary2 March 2020

Greetings to the members of SCA Ltd, At the 2019 AGM of SCA Ltd held on 19 April 2019 at Rowany Festival, an inconsistency in the 2018 financial statements was noted and questioned. This has now been resolved, and an addendum to the 2018 Treasurer’s Financial Report has been published on the Board website alongside the other AGM 2019 documentation.

Thank you for your patience while this work was done. Please feel free to contact me via email at treasurer@sca.org.au if you have any questions.

Regards,

Benjamin Smith
Corporate Treasurer, SCA Ltd.

Posted in 2018, Financial

August 2019 Minutes

SCA Ltd (Australia) Posted on 5 October 2019 by Lochac Webwright2 March 2020
Please be advised that the ratified minutes from the monthly SCA Ltd Board meeting held August 12 are now available and can be seen here. An extraordinary meeting was held in place of the September meeting, so the next regular monthly Board meeting will be held on 14 October.
 
Kind regards,
Cat Colwell
Secretary, SCA Ltd (Australia)
Posted in 2019, Board, Minutes

Appointment to the SCA Ltd (Australia) Board

SCA Ltd (Australia) Posted on 1 October 2019 by SCA Ltd Secretary1 October 2019

Greetings to the members of SCA Ltd (Australia),

After a commentary period and consideration, the Board of SCA Ltd welcomes a new Board Member.

Paul Adams, known in the SCA as Duke Sir Steffan Glaube, from QLD, has joined the SCA Ltd Board effective as of today. We look forward to his contributions on the Board, and the SCA in Australia, over the coming years.

The Board now has six members, and continues to actively seek nominations at this time from all states and territories, though with the understanding that NSW and VIC currently have a full complement. Nominations from these states will be considered against future vacancies.

Members of the populace who are interested in undertaking a three-year term of service on the Board in the future are always welcome to discuss their interest and find out more about Board membership.

Yours in service,

Cat Colwell

Secretary, SCA Ltd

 

Posted in 2019, News

SCA Ltd August 2019 meeting agenda

SCA Ltd (Australia) Posted on 6 August 2019 by SCA Ltd Secretary2 March 2020

The next SCA Ltd Board meeting will be held on August 12 2019. The agenda for this meeting can be seen here.

Please send any questions or commentary to secretary@sca.org.au

Kind regards,

Cat Colwell,
Secretary, SCA Ltd

Posted in 2019, News

Notice from the Chair: thank you to recent Board members for their service

SCA Ltd (Australia) Posted on 14 July 2019 by SCA Ltd Secretary1 March 2020

Greetings Lochac

I would like to thank and acknowledge two members of the Board who have resigned recently, and ask – have you thought about Board service?

Firstly, I would like to thank Simon Miller (Lord Semeon Aleksandrovich Dragon) for his tenure on the Board. His particular expertise has been appreciated by members past and present.

Additionally I would like to thank Clem Avenell (Sir Clement von Arlon) for his time on the Board, including his assistance to me as Deputy Chair.

There has been a lot of activity and transition as we move to a Board with more formal governance procedures, and a lot of hard work behind the scenes. We have advertisements out at present for Board Members and Board Assistants, and I urge you to consider these rewarding roles.

Yours in service
Georgia Winter
Chair
SCA Ltd Australia

Posted in 2019, News

Post navigation

1 2 3 4 … 6 7 >>

This is the website for Society for Creative Anachronism Ltd - the not-for-profit organisation that is responsible for the Kingdom of Lochac in Australia. If you have any issues using this website, please contact the website administrator.
↑