General Council (also known as GC) is SCM's decision making body, and is made up of students and recent graduates to ensure we are a student-led movement.
GC makes sure that all of the different parts of the movement fit together, represent the members of SCM and influence areas of SCM’s work. GC meet several times a year to make/approve decisions and discuss how we can further improve the movement. Some members of General Council are also the trustees of SCM.
Members of General Council are elected by the membership of SCM at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and serve for a two year term, renewable for a further term of two years.
Decisions are made by GC in the following areas:
- Setting the strategic plan and ensuring that the charity is well run
- Recruiting and managing staff
- Setting budgets and monitoring finances
- Working with national and global partners
- Creating organisational policy
The day to day running of SCM is delegated to the staff team. Most of the staff are based in the main SCM office in Edgbaston, Birmingham or work from home. Staff work to support students, local SCM communities, chaplaincies and churches by offering training and providing resources and support. The staff team also fundraise to support the work of the movement and look after the day to day administration of the charity.
General Council are supported by an advisory board called the Council of Reference. The Council of Reference provides advice to the trustees on matters such as strategy, finance and staffing, and is made up of volunteers, some of whom are former members of SCM.