Hello to Board Voice members! I wanted to introduce myself as the new executive director of Board Voice. My name is Jody Paterson, and I’ll be working hard to fulfill Board Voice’s role in supporting the volunteer boards of BC non-profits dedicated to providing community social services.
A key aspect of Board Voice is to be an influencer on behalf of the non-profit community services sector, able to engage and advocate at the political and community level. We have been doing that since 2010, taking on issues like the pending Employer Health Tax, the need for adequate funding of social services, fair wages, and the importance of a provincial social policy framework. We want all British Columbians to be aware that the vital work of our non-profit community-services sector is every bit as important as good health care services and public schools.
Board Voice is also dedicated to supporting board members by sharing knowledge and providing resources to help you be as effective as possible.
We’ve freshened our website and will be out there in force on all the key social media platforms. If you haven’t already connected with us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, just click on the links I’ve embedded here and follow us.
We want to hear from our members on how we can help influence change, whether in policy, funding practices – from government or major foundations – or public perspective of the vital work you do. We’d like to know about the challenges your organization or board faces, and help you find additional board resources. (Check out our current resources section on our website here.)
Tell us about the issues, and we will identify trends and take action.
These are times of email overload, so I’ll limit my regular email updates to members to once a month unless something extraordinary happens. We’ve launched a small monthly newsletter that includes a Policy Watch feature to keep members informed, along with news of Board Voice activities.
But my email door is always open, so send me a message anytime – jpaterson@boardvoice.ca The most important strength we have is our connection to each other, so let’s make the most of it. I look forward to meeting many of our members in person at our annual conference Nov.16-17 in Richmond, which is shaping up to be a terrific event.
Find my own LinkedIn profile here to learn more about me. I’m a long-time British Columbian with a journalism and non-profit background, and was a communications consultant with the Federation of Community Social Services of BC back when Board Voice was first being imagined with the support of the FCSSBC. I’ll be working with my partner Paul Willcocks, and here’s his LinkedIn page.
I’ve already noted all our members’ social-media accounts and will be following them so that Board Voice can share their successes, help promote their events and initiatives, and look for issues where we can jump in to help with advocacy and connection. Members, expect to see the occasional small survey from me as a way for me to get to know our member boards and organizations better and understand the issues facing them.
I’m proud to represent the collective voice of some of the strongest and most experienced community leaders in the province!