AGM 2021

Basic Information

Last year's Annual General Meeting was the biggest (and best) we've ever had. This year, our 17-person strong prep team is planning to make it even better. 

Join us online on Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th of June for:

1. The super important stuff. AGM is about electing your new Council*, changing the constitution, and hearing what Council has been up to.

2. The sessions. We're planning a diverse range of discussions, trainings, and participatory workshops. Keep your eyes peeled for some big announcements.

3. The people. At the end of the day, we'll be a bunch of like-minded young people** having a good old knees up together.

Any member is eligible to submit an amendment to the constitution of SYG. To do so, send an email to the Co-convenors on or before June 10th with your suggested amendment'(s) and the names of all members who are proposing it.

*Council is the main decision-making body of SYG
**SYG is open to sound people aged 12-30 years old and students of any age

Council is SYG’s main decision-making body. Being on Council is an amazing opportunity to influence Scottish politics while growing skills that are relevant elewhere in your life and having a good time with like-minded people. What’s not to like?!

In order to be elected to SYG Council, an SYG member must also be a Scottish Green Party (SGP) member. This is because, as the executive body of the SYG, Council has significant authority and access to internal SGP information. For obvious reasons, this should only be shared with other SGP members.  

As we strive to be an intersectional and diverse organisation, we actively encourage people of marginalised identities to put themselves forward. If you have any (!) questions, email Crhriss & Bea < convenor.syg@scottishgreens.org.uk >

Co-Convenor (x 2)

The main constitutionally defined role in the SYG is the co-convenors. Per the SGP rules regarding representative groups, SYG must have at least one convenor. A maximum of one co-convenor can be a man. 

It is also required that the co-convenors belong to two different Local Area Groups to bring geographic balance to the role as well. Where there is no constitutionally recognised Local Area Group in the area a co-convenor comes from, their local Branch of the SGP shall be considered for the purposes of geographic balance as their Local Area Group.

The co-convenors ensure the operation of the Scottish Young Greens Council and act as the face of the SYG to both the public and to the SGP. The co-convenors shall typically exercise the right to attend and vote at SGP Council and SGP Executive on behalf of the SYG. They may also chair meetings of SYG Council, certain sessions of SYG AGM and any wider meetings of the SYG membership arranged by SYG Council. 

Secretary

The secretary is effectively responsible for the administrative functions of the SYG. They help organise meetings of both SYG Council and the SYG as a whole and ensure accurate records are kept of those meetings. The secretary may also act as a clerk during council meetings, applying knowledge of the constitution and structures of the Scottish Young Greens. The secretary works closely with the co-convenors to ensure the operation of the Scottish Young Greens Council.

Welfare Officer

Their duty is to ensure that the SYG is a welcoming place for all members, and provide support to any member that has encountered difficulties. This is intrinsically tied to the Safe Space Policy.

They may also be called upon to handle any complaints that arise. The Welfare Officer will have discretion as to how to handle those complaints.

Due to their role in handling complaints, the Welfare Officer may not vote on any recommendations they bring to SYG Council because of a complaint they have investigated. They may otherwise vote as normal. 

The Welfare Officer is encouraged to act as the SYG’s representative on The Scottish Green Party’s Complaints and Conduct Committee (CCC). CCC may act as a valuable source of guidance with handling complaints and ensuring the SYG continues to strive to create safe spaces

Elections & Campaigns Officer

As supporting SYG members who are standing for election and running youth-focussed campaigns is one of the main aims of the SYG, the constitution calls for an Elections and Campaigns officer to lead in these areas. 

In addition to acting as SYG Council's lead on campaigning matters, they will also hold the SYG's seat on the SGP's Elections and Campaigns Committee (ECC). It's important that the elections and campaigns officer is aware that they hold that seat as a representative of the SYG, and not as an individual. They should therefore, insofar as is possible, seek to keep at least SYG Council up to date with ECC's activities and ensure their work on ECC is aligned with goals set by SYG Council. 

Website & Content Officer

The Website and Content Officer will focus on making sure the website is kept up-to-date with content. Depending on the skills and interests of the successful candidate, could take more of an IT-based role, while working with others to create content, or a more creative, content-creation-based role, while working with others to manage the mechanics. Or, they could focus on both! Either way, they will work in close contact with the Social Media Officer and the Membership Secretary in a communications cluster. 

Social Media Officer

The Social Media Officer is the person primarily responsible for communicating on all social media platforms. Currently, these are Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, but we would love to expand onto other platforms.

Importantly, the Social Media Officer does not have to create all content for these platforms, but is responsible for making sure the right content is going up at the right times, as per the communications strategy which they will co-create. Graphic-making experience is a welcome bonus for any potential Social Media Officer, but is absolutely non-essential.

Membership Secretary

They Membership Secretary takes the lead in internal communications, acting as a point of contact for correspondence with members, contacting members (for example in the form of newsletters), and managing internal communications platforms (e.g. Slack). Additionally, they help manage the SYG's membership, including contacting new members.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Officer

The EDI Officer remit is to ensure that equality, diversity and inclusion are embedded in our practices, both within the SYG, and in the way we engage with individuals and groups in the wider public. Specifically, the role includes:

• a) Monitoring issues of equality, diversity and inclusion within the party, tracking progress, and recommending improvements;

• b) Organising EDI training sessions;

• c) Exploring areas relating to marginalised communities within the SYG.

In addition to general issues of equality, diversity and inclusion, a key focus for the EDI Officer’s first year will be to improve the SYG’s engagement with ethnic minority communities and supporting members from minority ethnic backgrounds.

Policy Officer

The policy officer will have three primary focuses.

1. Helping create policy focussed campaigns within the SYG.

2. Working with other Young Greens to draft policy proposals for the Scottish Green Party Conference.

3. Acting as the SYG representative to the Scottish Green Party Policy Committee.

Climate Campaign Officer

Do you care about global climate justice? Are you interested in connecting the worlds of SYG and grassroots climate activism? This is a special role created for the year of COP, to help coordinate our COP26 working group and represent them on Council. The Climate Campaign Officer will:

1. Aid in the coordination of the COP26 Working Group

2. Support the creation of campaigns, events & communications around COP26

3. Expand the work of the SYG on climate issues, beyond COP26

International Officer

The Greens are part of a truly global movement. As a result, the SYG gets the opportunity to attend between two and four international events with other Young Green organisations, principally the Federation of Young European Greens, per year. The main expectation of the International Officer is therefore to be available to travel occasionally. Of course, other officers can attend events with or instead of the International Officer.

The International Officer also serves as SYG's point of contact with these other organisations, acting as a channel for international co-operation and communication. They are generally expected to help organise and welcome other Young Greens to Scotland, help arrange SYG delegations abroad, and help the SYG get involved in the broader Green movement. 

Events & Fundraising Officer

The Fundraising & Events Officer is responsible for leading efforts to plan events and raise funds for the SYG. Both of these tasks are carried out by multiple people, and SYG as a whole is likely to aid in the planning of events, but the F&E Officer is the lead facilitator of these efforts. The SYG holds an AGM every year, and has also held events such as a hackathon. The SYG raises funds through fundraising events, but is also seeking to increase funds raised through grants from, for example, European institutions.

Past experience in helping organise events is helpful but not necessary. A willingness to coordinate a small team of organisers and help grow the SYG are a great deal more important. 

Ordinary Member (x 2)

The ordinary members are not elected with any specific role but, rather, to help out with any tasks which meet both their interests and the needs of SYG. This is therefore a good role for someone who does not particularly prefer any defined role, and is interested in exploring which areas best fit their interests. They are full voting members on Council.