This is the first in a monthly series: BV Report from the Chair that should help make you and your boards more aware of our activities across our various committees, regions of our province, and among our member boards.
I hope it will stimulate better outcomes from BoardVoice by sharing the ideas and activities we are working on and inviting all our members to share relevant thoughts and actions happening in their organizations and regions.
This BV Report from the Chair is part of an internal reorganization that will allow BoardVoice to focus on our strategic goals, increase our capacity and ready us for operational changes coming at us in the New Year.
Our overall goals for BV in 2014 are to create value for our members—and communicate that value. We see our value falling under three broad areas:
- Advocacy (ex: the Social Policy Framework);
- Board connectivity (ex: Community Boards in Action projects); and
- Governance level skills building.
We have increased the scope of the BV Social Policy Committee to include all of our advocacy work.
We have started a Communications Working Group. Not a committee of the board, but rather a small group of young volunteer communicators who will provide needed support for the board, committees and smaller member boards. They can write, edit, do graphic layout, web support and mutli-media. And it is a way to get young professionals involved in our world.
Advocacy
Fraserside, Intersect and AWAC (Association Advocating for Women and Children) have all signed onto the There is a Better Way call to action. If your board has not signed on yet, please ask them to consider it. There is lots of information here.
Leslie Welin has been elected the new Chair of the Advocacy Committee. Leslie is working with one of the Vancouver Island mayors to draft a resolution regarding the Social Policy Framework for the Union of BC municipalities (UBCM) conference next fall.
The committee is also working on creating an advocacy calendar to identify time sensitive opportunities to meet with ministers, DMs and senior staff.
We are seeking speaking opportunities in front of Boards of Trade and Chambers of Commerce to put forward the idea of a SPF.
And we are preparing a submission to present on the SPF to the Federation of Community Social Services.
Board level Skills & Connectivity
The Phoenix Centre in Kamloops organized a Board Share meeting. There were 17 people from five organizations, with at least one board member and one ED from each. This is the first time board members of Kamloops area agencies have met, and they are considering submitting for a Community Boards in Action grant.
Following an initial meeting between BV, Vantage Point, the United Way, the Vancouver Foundation and a couple of others, we are discussing a joint training, community boards in action and SPF day that we would fly into the regions.
The idea is a morning session by Vantage Point providing board level governance training followed by afternoon sessions on the Community Boards in Action application, examples of current projects and brainstorming potential projects. The final portion would be a discussion of the SPF initiative, benefits to the region and how to get local agencies involved.
We have an initial draft of the concept and some early budget numbers. We will keep you informed as it develops. Let us know if your organization might be interested in hosting one of these sessions in your community.
In the background of all of this is some thinking and discussions around a broader piece: BoardVoice is in a unique position to take a stronger leadership role. As the volunteer community leaders of a broad range of social service agencies, we have a voice.
We are the passionately engaged, volunteering our time and effort to make our communities better. We have the opportunity to tell our representatives what we believe the priorities should be.
Exciting thoughts. Exciting times.
In closing, the entire Board here at BoardVoice wants to thank you for your ongoing interest and support, and your efforts in your communities.
You really are some remarkable people. Merry Christmas to you and your families, and may you find 2014 an exceptional year.