ending youth poverty through empowerment managing your board- community leadership & governance...

ENDING YOUTH POVERTY THROUGH EMPOWERMENT

Managing your Board-Community Leadership & Governance

Leadership that’s Right for You


What’s a Governing What’s a Governing Body?Body?

..................A leadership or governing body is a

group of people that guides group of people that guides your

organization, plays a role in decision-

making, and represent and promote your

work in the public.


Why Have A Governing Why Have A Governing Body?Body?

• To include multiple perspectives and ideas when doing your work

• To balance and make sure that no one person’s ambitions or intentions, well-meaning or not, are directing the work

• To have a body of volunteers to support the work you do

• To have a team that promotes the work and looks for resources


• To support decision making and thinking about the long-term

• To keep the work accountable to community, partners, funders and other stakeholders

• To offer skills and connections that are lacking on the staff team


The Importance The Importance Governing BodiesGoverning Bodies

Community work benefits from having structures that:– Provide oversight and insight, – Ensure that the work is

representative of and serving the community,

– Steer to meet the expectations and requirements of other stakeholders.


Who do you want on Who do you want on your governing body?your governing body?• People who are passionate, committed,

and care about your work

These people will support your work

and be your champions in the

community and the public!


• People who have the skills and expertise to help get the work done

i. What do you want from your governing body?

ii. What do you want them to contribute to your work?

iii. What qualities and experience can/do/should you seek out in potential members?

iv. What are the particular challenges that are facing your community?


Does your governing body need a Chair: a leader that drives the team forward?


A Chair can be the most important factor in how your governing body functions

Professional Qualities

• Have skills and expertise in particular fields that support our work ....

• Have experience serving on NPO boards or community committees

• What other professional qualities would be beneficial for your work?

Personal Qualities

• Strong commitment to work and community....

• Empathy for directors....

• Effective communicator

• What other personal qualities would be beneficial for your work?


How will you communicate your people needs and goals to potential governing body members?

• “Job” descriptions

• Governing body guiding documents, like board by-laws, policy and procedure, code of conduct…..

• Organizational documents, like a statement of values and principles, human resources policy and procedures, existing strategic plans….


Shared Understanding of Shared Understanding of

Purpose and RolesPurpose and Roles


BeforeBefore you can create a shared understanding of purpose and roles, you

have to determine what they are.

Think about the following:

1. What are you trying to achieve with your work in community?

2. What resources and capacity do you currently have to do the work?


Also Think about the following:

1. What kinds of decisions will the governing body make? What decisions will they delegate (to staff, committees, volunteers....)?

2. What are the governing body’s responsibilities and limits in regards to doing the work in community?

3. How will the staff and the governing body communicate? What will the reporting relationship be?


Key Factors in Defining Key Factors in Defining Purpose and Roles Purpose and Roles


The Culture of Your WorkThe Culture of Your Work•“Organizational culture is the behavior of humans within

an organization and the meaning that people attach to those

behaviors.

• Culture includes the organization's vision, values, norms,

assumptions, beliefs, and habits etc.......

• It is the pattern of collective values, practices and

policies........

•Organizational culture affects the way people and groups

interact with each other, with clients, and with

stakeholders.”


Let’s Break that Let’s Break that Down:Down:


Identifying the culture of your Organization:

• Think about the beliefs and values that drive individuals to do the work

• Think about the beliefs and values that drive your community to connect with the work

• Think about your ideal work environment

• Think about how decisions can be made


Your Community Your Community InteractionsInteractions

How you want your community and

the group to interact ?

- What role will the community play in

making decisions?

- Will your governing body be accessible to

community members?


Community and Organizational Expectations

- Do you expect community (in particular adults) to

play a leadership role in the work?

- Does the community expect you to seek their input

for certain decisions?

- Do you expect your community to commit

resources (time, money, in-kind donations) to your

work?

- Does the community expect you to be a institutional

leader and voice?


Potential ChallengesPotential Challenges

• The community may not support your

work if it challenges accepted norms or

the status quo

-For example: if you’re talking about sexual health in a

community that does not openly discuss sex; OR

-supporting LGBTQ youth in a community that generally

does not understand differences in sexual orientation


Please Please Remember:Remember:

Conflict and tension are not always a bad thing; sometimes they push us to think more critically about the decisions we make and the work we do.

But conflict and tension have to come along with respect, openness and healthy dialogue.


Most governing bodies start informal and become formal later

Numerous models exist and many models do not have clear definitions

Always growing and changing; aspire to a model but accept likelihood of hybrid and evolution

Outline expectations, roles, requirements....

The Structuring the The Structuring the Community GroupCommunity Group


Legal Structures and Implications


There are other options as well, depending on your business and the kind of work you do:

You can create any of the following governing and accountability bodies:

-Incorporate as a for-profit-Register as a business- A cooperative model or -Social enterprises/entrepreneurs


If you have a board of directors ?

You will need:

• Specific legal guidelines around the responsibilities and accountability of a board

A number of different models of boards that can help you determine how you want your board to work

• Key factors in defining the purpose and role of the board.

Legal guidelines, The model of the board,The size and scope of the organization


The following elements are outlined in your Constitution, Letters Patent, By-Laws:

Size and composition of bodySize and composition of body

Length of tenureLength of tenure

Quorum and voting procedures Quorum and voting procedures

Other unique characteristics Other unique characteristics

Roles and ResponsibilitiesRoles and Responsibilities


Unincorporated Work

1. Almost all projects and groups will start

off unincorporated

2. Many will stay this way for the duration

of their work!

This means there are no legal

restrictions guiding the way your

governing body works.

BUT....this can lead to challenges


Unincorporated Bodies

Unincorporated governing bodies go by

many names:

-Steering Team/Committee

-Advisory Team/Committee

-Councils

....etc.....


Even when unincorporated, it’s important for your governing body to:

•Understand your goals and purpose

•Understand the expectations around participation and behaviour

•Have a decision making process

•Understand and respect the work you do

Write everything down and share it with every new member


Tasks

Governing bodies make decisions,

provide guidance and champion your

work.

If your group is small or new, the

governing body may also be doing

the work itself.


Delegating Tasks: Working Groups

Delegating can be tough, particularly

when you’re working with a volunteers

who are managing multiple priorities.

Creating committees or working

groups that each take on a specific set of

tasks


Delegating Tasks: Working Groups

Some examples:

Fundraising Committee, Social Media

Action Group, Human Resources

Committee …

Boards/Steering Teams must have:

Executive Committee: made up of chair,

vice chair, secretary, treasurer, and

executive director

Finance Committee: Treasurer, any

finance staff


Working Groups: Composition

Sub-groups don’t have to be all members of your

governing body. Consider the following:

• Sub-groups should have at least 1 member of

your governing body

• Sub-groups can include staff person or regular

volunteer

• Sub-groups can include a community member

or participant

• Sub-groups can include an expert


Working Group Interactions

Think about the

relationships relationships and

interactionsinteractions

Between the Working

Groups and the

Governing Body …

Like spokes in a wheel:

Working Groups report report back back to the Governing Body


Like a hierarchy: Working Groups report back to the Lead- who can be staff or the chairperson

The Lead then shares updates at board meetings

•Step1: Select a reporting structure

•Step2:Agree on a decision making process

•Step3: Ensure that people making informed decisions about the work

Working Group InteractionsWorking Group Interactions


Quiz: What did you learn?

1. Why is it beneficial to have a ‘governing body’?

2. What are key components of a governing body?

3. What are factors that can define the purpose and role of

your governing body?

4. What different legal structures can your group apply for?

5. When do you need to have a board of directors?


Do you have questions, concerns, comments?

Contact the CORE team at [email protected] or follow us on twitter @fyiCORE.

ending youth poverty through empowerment managing your board- community leadership & governance...

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