young-greens
Victorian Young Greens Terms of Reference
The Victorian Young Greens (VYGVictorian Young Greens) is a working group, established by the Australian Greens Victoria (AGVAustralian Greens Victoria) State Council.
Purpose
1.1 : The purpose of the VYGVictorian Young Greens is to be a lively community for young Greens members to form friendships, learn and share skills, and to participate in political campaigning. The aim of the VYGVictorian Young Greens is to empower young people to make a difference within the AGVAustralian Greens Victoria, and to encourage participation in politics.
1.2 : The group provides support for members, as well as acting as a space for political discussion and debate. The group aims to increase youth representation and amplify young voices and issues in politics, not only within the Greens, but more broadly.
1.3 : The group is brought together by young people who are passionate about social, ecological, and climate justice, and about Greens values, and who represent the future of the Greens partyone of the member bodies of the Australian Greens.
1.4 : Our vision for the VYGVictorian Young Greens is to be an inclusive, financially stable, and effective working group, that focuses on the development and representation of young people in the party.
Term
2.1: The VYGVictorian Young Greens is an ongoing Working Group.
Membership
3.1 : The VYGVictorian Young Greens will be open to all members of the AGVAustralian Greens Victoria who are aged up to and including
- Only AGVAustralian Greens Victoria members who are aged up to and including 30 will be considered as members of the VYGVictorian Young Greens.
3.2 : People aged up to and including 30 who are not members of the AGVAustralian Greens Victoria, and who are not members of another political partya political party registered under Commonwealth, state or territory law, may actively participate as observers within the VYGVictorian Young Greens, unless VYGVictorian Young Greens members at the meeting decide otherwise by consensusthe circumstance in which no member of the party body who is in attendance objects to the proposal being passed, having been given the opportunity to do so.
3.3 : Non-members of the VYGVictorian Young Greens cannot vote, block consensusthe circumstance in which no member of the party body who is in attendance objects to the proposal being passed, having been given the opportunity to do so, or be office bearers.
Aims of the VYGVictorian Young Greens
4.1 : To support youth campaigns within the state of Victoria.
4.2: To increase youth membership and engagement in the AGVAustralian Greens Victoria.
4.3 : To facilitate and support the growth of young Green members and networks, including campus networks, in Victoria.
4.4 : To provide a skill sharing network for young Greens in Victoria.
4.5 : To encourage and support young members in taking roles of responsibility within the party, and politics more broadly.
4.6 : To organise, host, and support events in line with the above aims.
Office Bearer Roles and Responsibilities
5.1 : The VYGVictorian Young Greens will annually elect the following Office Bearers: (a) The VYGVictorian Young Greens is required to elect the following positions: Convenor, Secretary, and Treasurer. (b) It is recommended, but not mandated, that the VYGVictorian Young Greens elect the following positions: Gender Diversity Officer, Rural and Regional Officer, Campus Coordinator, Social Media Officer, Safety and Welfare Officer. (c) The VYGVictorian Young Greens is delegated the appointment of AGVAustralian Greens Victoria delegates to the Coordinating Group of the Australian Young Greens (AYGAustralian Young Greens), and will liaise with the National Conference Committee Secretary and the State Returning Officer to ensure that elections are scheduled and advertised appropriately.
5.2 : In the event that any of the above roles are vacant, the VYGVictorian Young Greens will elect an Office Bearer by consensusthe circumstance in which no member of the party body who is in attendance objects to the proposal being passed, having been given the opportunity to do so or ballota secret ballot that uses a single transferable vote quota-preferential voting system, allows the option of not allocating further preferences, uses Robson Rotation, and provides an option of voting to ‘Seek Further Candidates’ at the next meeting.
5.3 : All VYGVictorian Young Greens Office Bearer roles may be held on a job-share basis. All shared positions must be in compliance with the Affirmative Action Policya statement of principle and intent about what government should do. If an Office Bearer position is shared, and one of the Co-Office Bearers ceases to hold office, the other Office Bearer may continue in the role until the next VYGVictorian Young Greens meeting, at which the Office Bearer position will become vacant.
5.4 : The Office Bearer responsibilities are as follows:
(a)Convenor
The Convenor/s role is to facilitate and be the spokespeople of the Victorian Young Greens working group. The Convenor/s have a responsibility to ensure the functions of the VYGVictorian Young Greens are carried out. The Convenor/s are the first point of contact both within the party and out, and for VYGVictorian Young Greens members if required. Convenors are required to conduct themselves professionally and respectfully as representatives of the Young Greens. The Convenor/s key roles include, but are not limited to;
ensuring that the appropriate notice of meeting, agenda and motions on notice are provided in good time, in conjunction with the VYGVictorian Young Greens Secretary;
ensuring that a facilitator is appointed for each meeting of the VYGVictorian Young Greens;
ensuring that the business of each meeting is properly addressed;
presenting an Annual Report of the VYGVictorian Young Greens’s activities to the Annual State Conference;
contacting other relevant VYGVictorian Young Greens members to convene a quick response to urgent and pressing matters.
(b)Secretary
The Secretary/ies performs key organisational and administrative functions of the VYGVictorian Young Greens. This includes, but is not limited to;
(c)Treasurer
The Treasurer/s oversees and advises all financial decisions made by the VYGVictorian Young Greens, and are the primary reference point for all financial matters. The Treasurer/s responsibilities include:
recording all transactions made by the VYGVictorian Young Greens;
overseeing VYGVictorian Young Greens spending with the future financial security of the VYGVictorian Young Greens in mind;
(d)Gender Diversity Officer
The Gender Diversity Officer/s work to encourage the engagement and representation with the VYGVictorian Young Greens of people who are women, gender diverse, and/or transgender. Where necessary, the Officer/s liaise with the Victorian Greens Women’s Network (VGWNVictorian Greens Women's Network) and/or Queer Greens Victoria (QGVQueer Greens Victoria) on behalf of the VYGVictorian Young Greens to represent the VYGVictorian Young Greens’s opinions, and communicate any relevant VYGVictorian Young Greens activities. This position may not be held by a cisgender male.
(e)Rural and Regional Officer
The Rural and Regional Officer/s work to communicate and engage with young Greens living in rural and regional areas of Victoria, to foster and encourage their engagement with the VYGVictorian Young Greens. As this role is responsible for a large area of the state, it is recommended that the position be filled by two people. This position may only be held by a person who lives outside the greater Melbourne area.
(f)Campus Coordinator:
The Campus Coordinator/s engages with university or TAFE Greens groups, to facilitate communications with the VYGVictorian Young Greens and provide assistance. Serving as the primary link to university and TAFE groups, the Campus Coordinator liaises with both bodies in organisational matters and the provision of materials, particularly regarding O-Weeks. The Campus Coordinator/s will also foster the development of Greens groups at university or TAFE institutions where they are currently none.
(g)Social Media Officer:
The Social Media officer will lead the VYGVictorian Young Greens’s social media campaigns and assist the Convenor and Secretary in managing VYGVictorian Young Greens’s presence across all relevant social media platforms.
(h)Safety and Welfare Officer:
The Safety and Welfare Officer will be the VYGVictorian Young Greens contact person whose job it is to promote the aims of AGVAustralian Greens Victoria’s sexual harassment policya statement of principle and intent about what government should do, as well as being a contact for any person seeking support at a VYGVictorian Young Greens event or online space. If the contact person is unavailable, this responsibility shall be delegated to any eligible member appointed by the VYGVictorian Young Greens Convenor and/or Secretary.
(i)AYGAustralian Young Greens delegate:
The AYGAustralian Young Greens delegate/s liaise with the Australian Young Greens (AYGAustralian Young Greens) on behalf of the VYGVictorian Young Greens to reflect the views of Victorian young Greens at a national level. There are two delegation positions to the AYGAustralian Young Greens. As required by the AYGAustralian Young Greens Terms of Reference, at least one delegate must not be a cisgender male.
5.5 : The VYGVictorian Young Greens shall appoint an Executive of 4 members consisting of two persons from the Convenor, Secretary, and Treasurer, and two general members. The Executive shall also serve as the Quick Decision Making Group (QDMGQuick Decision Making Group). Quorum for all QDMGQuick Decision Making Group decisions will be 3 members of the Executive.
5.6 : Office Bearer Compliance Policya statement of principle and intent about what government should do. The VYGVictorian Young Greens has the power to declare an Office Bearer position vacant in the following circumstances: (a)In the event that an Office Bearer fails to attend three meetings without communicating their apologies; (b)If an Office Bearer resigns from the position; (c)If an Office Bearer is absent from at least three consecutive meetings and is failing to fulfill the responsibilities of the role; Before declaring a position vacant, the VYGVictorian Young Greens must contact the Office Bearer in writing no less than 7 days prior to the meeting at which such a proposal is to be considered, provide the Office Bearer with the opportunity to address or provide a statement to the meeting, and consider any extenuating circumstances of the Office Bearer. The declaration, if agreed to, would remove the inactive Office Bearer from their position.
Election of Office Bearers
6.1 : The VYGVictorian Young Greens must hold an election for Office Bearer positions at or before every Annual General Meeting (AGMAnnual General Meeting).
6.2 : Nominations for Office Bearer positions must be open for a minimum period of two weeks and must close at least two weeks before the AGMAnnual General Meeting.
6.3 : All VYGVictorian Young Greens members are eligible to vote and run as candidates for Office Bearer roles, except if a candidate is ineligible under the Affirmative Action policya statement of principle and intent about what government should do.
6.4 : It is preferable that a Returning Officer (ROReturning Officer) be appointed by the consensusthe circumstance in which no member of the party body who is in attendance objects to the proposal being passed, having been given the opportunity to do so of the VYGVictorian Young Greens to conduct the election.
6.5 : It is preferable that elections are held by a secret ballota secret ballot that uses a single transferable vote quota-preferential voting system, allows the option of not allocating further preferences, uses Robson Rotation, and provides an option of voting to ‘Seek Further Candidates’. This could be done in person or online, using a website such as OpaVote.
6.6 : The ROReturning Officer (or Convenor/s if no ROReturning Officer is appointed) must ensure that:
All VYGVictorian Young Greens members have two weeks notice to nominate;
Candidates provide written statements and references, to be distributed to those voting;
6.7 : The successful candidates are announced by the outgoing Co-Convenors at the AGMAnnual General Meeting.
6.8 : Affirmative Action policya statement of principle and intent about what government should do. At the time of position nominations opening for the forthcoming VYGVictorian Young Greens term, any given position that was occupied in the previous term by one or more cisgender men must have the the Affirmative Action (AAAffirmative Action) policya statement of principle and intent about what government should do applied to that role. The Affirmative Action policya statement of principle and intent about what government should do can apply to multiple roles concurrently. (a) The AAAffirmative Action policya statement of principle and intent about what government should do stipulates that for a nominee to be deemed a valid candidate for the role they must:
- not be a cisgender man if nominating individually or;
- nominate with a person that is not a cisgender man if nominating for as Co-Office Bearers. (b) In the instance where the AAAffirmative Action policya statement of principle and intent about what government should do cannot be met, all nominees are deemed valid applicants, unless otherwise invalid.
Reporting and Accountability
7.1 The VYGVictorian Young Greens is ultimately accountable to the membership of the group.
7.2 The VYGVictorian Young Greens must submit a written report outlining the activities of the VYGVictorian Young Greens to Annual State Conference, which must include information on: (a)current membership; (b)meeting activity; (c)progress on areas that are within the purpose and aims;
(d)any reports from the AYGAustralian Young Greens delegate; and (e)all university and TAFE Greens groups.
7.3 The VYGVictorian Young Greens Convenor and Secretary must respond to any written correspondence from the AGVAustralian Greens Victoria Convenor and/or Secretary.
7.4 The VYGVictorian Young Greens must provide clearly defined members-only spaces for interaction and discussion.
7.5 The VYGVictorian Young Greens must submit a written report to State Council immediately following a general election on any campaigning undertaken.
Expenditure
8.1 : The VYGVictorian Young Greens has no authority to incur debts or secure loans on behalf of the party. 8.2: Any VYGVictorian Young Greens member may request funding for activities.
8.3 : All expenditure for the VYGVictorian Young Greens must be approved by the membership, in consultation with the VYGVictorian Young Greens Treasurer. This can take the form of being agreed to at a VYGVictorian Young Greens meeting, or through ratifying the decisions made by the QDMGQuick Decision Making Group.
8.4 : Approval of expenditure must take into consideration future financial needs of the VYGVictorian Young Greens.
8.5 : The VYGVictorian Young Greens may create a budget and plan to raise and spend funds, within AGVAustralian Greens Victoria policya statement of principle and intent about what government should do.
Meetings
9.1 : The VYGVictorian Young Greens must meet at a minimum four times per year, with a maximum of three month intervals.
9.2 : Notice of the meeting should be given in writing at least two weeks in advance.
9.3 : The minutes of VYGVictorian Young Greens meetings must be circulated before the group meets again, and minutes from the previous meeting must be ratified at the earliest opportunity at a future meeting.
9.4 : Meetings must be facilitated and minuted by the Convenor/s and Secretary respectively, or by another member approved by the group.
9.5 : Where feasible, a minimum of two meetings per year should be conducted in a rural or regional area, or via an online meeting platform (such as Zoom or Discord).
9.6 : All VYGVictorian Young Greens meetings and events should be easily accessible. Meeting venues should be close to public transport, wheelchair accessible, and have the ability for attendees to join via phone or internet. Where needed, services such as closed captioning or sign language interpretation should be made available to attendees, and every effort must be made to meet these needs.
9.7 : Quorum for VYGVictorian Young Greens meetings and AGMs is at least one of the Convenor, Secretary, and Treasurer; plus three general members 9.8 : The VYGVictorian Young Greens AGMAnnual General Meeting must be conducted in July, August or September of each year. AGMs must follow the above guidelines regarding meeting notice and facilitation. AGMs may include a speaker or training session for members, but are not mandated to.