- Support - These are our treasured gear officers, newsletter, website, and sponsorship officers, and general committee members. If you are wanting to break in to the committee and don't have a specific activity in mind, this is a great place to start looking.
- Convenors - These folks head up a specific activity (climbing, kayaking, caving, hiking etc) and are the go-to person(s) for getting outdoors by overseeing the trips in that area and making sure the club is supplied with appropriate gear and experience for their activity.
- Executive - Our four executive committee critters take care of the overall running of the club by organizing meetings, arranging finances and dealing with the Union and University to keep everyone smiling. An eye for the behind the scenes organizing and in need of resume fodder? The Exec is the right place for you.
For a full listing of the current committee, check our website here:http://roc.org.au/committee.php. If you think one of those roles sounds good to you, don't hesitate to contact the current occupant and ask a few questions.
AWESOME, I'm sold! What do I have to do?
Right, well the first thing is to keep attending events and trips. After that, showing up to the mid-year Intro night (http://roc.org.au/trips.php?TripID=405) or any/all of our monthly committee meetings is another strong step. Third, and most important is that you register your interest or nomination with the committee before our AGM in October (date TBD, check the website) or just show up to the AGM and put your hand in the air. After that it's just get elected and start doing what needs doing.
Wait, what's the fine print?
Ok, once you are elected to a position, you will have to do some work. Sorry, I wish it were just puppies and unicorns after that too. Being on the committee, you will be expected to attend our monthly club meetings. You may have heard horror stories, but generally these are just an hour or two on the first Monday of the month where we catch up and hang shit on each other just before the cleverly scheduled monthly social night where we catch up with everyone else and hang shit on each other. See, you were going to be there doing that anyway, so you might as well get a title for it.
Some roles require a little more than others. For instance, our gear officers will have to find an hour or two each week to open the gear room. All the convenor roles are expected to run a minimum of trips over the course of the year for that activity, the number depending on the activity (climbing is a lot, mountaineering not so much). If you are on the Exec, you will probably be asked to write snarky emails for various reasons and cackle maniacally when you secretly transfer the club bank funds to your personal Swiss numbered account.
Umm, I'm not so sure I'll fit. I don't have much experience with these things. I don't think I have the time. Other whiny sounding objections. How do I end this one with a question mark?
Ok, the basic criteria is that you are breathing. We are as laid back and well meaning of any club in existence. If you have a desire to get outdoors and help other people do that too, you will fit just fine no matter where on the experience scale you are. Outdoor activity-wise, we do have available heaps of training and if you are keen, you will be proficient in whatever it is you need to do. All the other stuff we sort of make up as we go along anyway, so that's cool.
Mostly, the time commitment is a non-issue; if it's worth doing (and it is) you can make an hour or two once a month. Sure it is a bit of an ask, but for years and years our committee members have been pulled from the slackest of the slack outdoors hippy students and the thing has bloody flourished.
Oh, and if you are a student you DO have the time and should be on this like white on rice. Seriously, (wo)man-up, that technical degree is going to take care of itself and what better way to study dynamics than by falling off a cliff face and having your life saved by a few bits of good engineering you put in place yourself? I'll save you some time: there isn't one!
What else?
Not much really. Ask if you have questions. Nominate to be a gear officer if nothing else because it is a cool job and you learn heaps about gear and get keys to the gear room. Don't abuse the help. Wear sunscreen. DO IT!
Cheers,
Bob Powers
RMIT Outdoors Club Treasurer
