How do I set up an Incorporated Association?

Unless you want to start a National organisation, registering a incorporated association is done at the State or Territory level.  Information on the processes for incorporated associations for each state are here: NSW – https://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/asso … operativesQLD – https://www.qld.gov.au/law/laws-regulat … or-profitsSA – https://www.cbs.sa.gov.au/associations-cooperativesTas – https://www.cbos.tas.gov.au/topics/club … sociationsACT – https://www.accesscanberra.act.gov.au/s … -questionsNT – https://nt.gov.au/industry/licences/inc … sociationsVic – https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/clubs-a … sociationsWA – https://www.commerce.wa.gov.au/consumer … -and-clubs […]

Health & Safety

The welfare of everyone involved in Seed Saving group activities is important to all of us.  One of the main ways to ensure everyone’s welfare is to build a safety conscious attitude into the culture of your group. People are often dismissive of what they perceive as ‘officiousness’ or over-the-top unnecessary worrying.  Seed saving is […]

Looking after volunteers

All seed saving groups are driven by volunteers. Without them the groups fail. So we should consider ourselves and the other volunteers as even more important than the seeds themselves. First look out for yourself when volunteering Organise your time. Time is a big factor in making sure your volunteer experience is rewarding. To stay […]

Decision-making Processes

There are an infinite number of ways that your group can approach decision-making. The process you choose will impact who can have a say and how easy it is for different people to get involved. Different approaches will be appropriate in different circumstances and your group may even use different methods at different times. A […]

Effective Meetings

In the context of volunteer groups, like seed saving groups, effective meetings don’t just get the work done they also meet the social needs of those attending. People volunteer for lots of different reasons but having meetings that are pleasant and allow everyone to have a say and be involved are much more likely to […]

Welcoming New Members

When people come to their first meeting they will check out how the group operates and decide whether they feel they can contribute to the group’s goals. If they feel on the outside and don’t understanding what is going on then they likely won’t return for future meetings. It is important that their first experience with […]

Does my group need Public Liability Insurance?

Public Liability Insurance is usually required by event and market organisers if you want to have a stall or display at their event. It may also be required by your local Council or other organisations if you want to hire a room or book a public space. It is common to be asked for a […]

Attracting & Keeping New Members

The following are ideas were gathered during a National Zoom Gathering in April 2022 in response to the following questions: How do you attract new members and volunteers? How do you keep them involved and excited to stay with your group? Please reply to this post if you think we missed anything mentioned during the […]

Seed Saving Group Structures

There is no set requirement to become a seed saving group in Australia. Anyone can start one. We encourage people to join existing groups if they are close enough, but starting one in your area can be a very rewarding experience. StructuresSome groups are casual collections of people interested in seed saving, some are incorporated […]