Programme Secretary Role and Job Description
- Try and achieve a varied and balanced programme. Budget £700 per annum
- Research and contact Speakers- ask about fees, expenses, equipment requirements, TITLE of the talk. Give out information re venue, facilitiesand parking. Mainly by email
- Check about two weeks before the monthly meeting that the speaker has all the information they need. Let the Treasurer know the fee
- Meet the speaker on the day or designate someone else
- Ask someone to give a vote of thanks
- Let the membership secretary have the programme for the following session September – August by the beginning of July ready for printing the membership cards. Also to the webmaster
- Have a separate list for the Secretary with the addition of the speaker’s contact details, fee, and equipment needs – just in case!
- Details of each speaker to the poster designer at least 2 months before. Posters have to be ready for distribution at the committee meeting the month before ie April committee meeting for the May speaker
- DOUBLE CHECK one week before the meeting that the IT equipment needed by the speaker is available.
Advice from National u3a about paying for speakers
Based on our Mutual Aid Principle, the intention is to not need to pay for speakers. However, if an external paid speaker is being used the speaker’s fee and any direct expenses should be agreed beforehand (a speaker who is a member of a u3a cannot be paid a fee).
As with paid tutors, speakers must pay their own tax and have Public Liability insurance. The HMRC will have issued them with a UTR (Unique Tax Reference) number which a speaker should be able to produce along with a copy of their Public Liability Insurance certificate as evidence. If the Speaker wants to donate their fee to a nominated charity then this needs to be recorded in advance – please see the finance FAQs for how this can be done.
Updated April 2024