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This section will give you the initial tools to set up a new kayak club and affiliate with Canoe Racing NZ. Getting started is easy but you do need to think about the best way to get everything in place and the best people to help you do this.
If you are thinking of starting your own club, we recommend seeking legal advice.
Please contact admin@canoeracing.org.nz if you have any questions and require any advice.
To ensure your club’s sustainability, a management committee must be established. This will include a president or chairperson, a secretary and a treasurer who are formed with the intention of making decisions about issues or taking action on tasks. A club’s main committee will be the management team.
Your club may also have a number of different sub-committees who are in charge of activities or areas of the club, such as fundraising, events, social activities etc. Committee members have set roles and jobs to complete. The roles of people on your committee or management team could be:
For a list of committee job descriptions and tips to running a good meeting see the Sport NZ website.
You will need to have an up-to-date constitution (set of rules) in place which outlines your club’s purpose and how your club will operate. A constitution which is current and clear will contribute to the smooth running of your club and can be referred to in times of uncertainty.
The Canoe Racing New Zealand Club Constitution Template provides clubs with all the detail they require while also allowing for some flexibility in certain areas so that clubs can express their unique identities. It is important to remember that this document is not a prescription, it is a template, so clubs may make any changes they wish. However, we would advise that this document has been legally reviewed and any significant changes, other than the flexible areas in green highlight, should be reviewed by a lawyer to ensure the document remains sound.
Canoe Racing New Zealand are happy to assist you with your process to update, amend or adopt a new club constitution.
Sport NZ also has some great resources online. The societies office also has a sample set of rules here.
Incorporation gives an organisation/group its own legal identity, separate to that of its members. This means , amongst other things, the organisations has continuing existence (regardless of changes to membership) and limited liability for members (members not liable for organisation’s debts or obligations) . Read more about Incorporated Societies
Becoming an incorporated society is very easy and there are step-by-step guides on the Societies website.
There are three basic steps
There are some basic requirements to maintain your incorporated status, including submitting annual financial report and holding an annual general meeting. Refer: http://www.societies.govt.nz/cms/incorporated-societies/running-a-society
To become affiliated with Canoe Racing New Zealand:
Annual Affiliation fee is $100 +GST. First fee will be invoiced following board approval.
Once affiliated your club details will be loaded on to the “Find a Club” section of the Canoe Racing NZ Website. Your club will be issued with a Canoe Racing NZ member log in, password and other relevant information for entering the Canoe Racing database for registering members for events.
