Ontario Genealogical Society Governance Review - Phase 2

Have you been waiting for others to step forward? Good people have indicated a willingness to be part of the Phase 2 Governance Task Force but they need some other creative, out of the box, thinkers to join them. This is a vital process in the rebuilding of The Ontario Genealogical Society for the future. Your Society wants you. Consider yourself asked.

The application period is now extended to Friday October 31, 2014.

Alan

Call for OGS Members for an "OGS Governance Task Force"

OGS has embarked on a change in governance, and we are ready to move to Phase 2. We are looking for a small group of volunteers who can help us improve the governance structures for Branches and Special Interest Groups (SIGs) as we move forward. Can you help us?

From fall 2012 to spring 2013, an OGS Governance Review Committee performed a comprehensive review of The Society. A newly elected Board of Directors is currently implementing the recommendations from that review (available in the Members Only section of the OGS website ).

Phase 2 of this Governance Review will involve analysis of Branch and Special Interest Group needs.

Goal: To review the current governance status and needs of all OGS Branches and Special Interest Groups (SIGs); recommend strategies to provide further assistance and support, where required; and/or, propose a new governance model (or models) for OGS as it pertains to these groups within The Society structure.

[NOTE:  It is not the intent to force all groups to conform to one model but rather to provide a number of possible models which might meet the needs of groups of various sizes and composition.]

Process:

• Make personal contact with individual Branch/SIG Chairs or designates to:
• assess their Branch/SIG status and needs pertaining to their structure and governance; and,
• discuss other possible governance models
• Conduct one or more online discussion groups of all Branch/SIG Chairs or designates to:
• share ideas and concepts of what models are working or might be investigated to ease the load executives and councils currently carry; and,
• Re-evaluate the purpose and roles of a Branch/SIG
• Study models used by heritage or other volunteer-sector organizations with a two-tier governance structure
• Take other steps to accomplish the stated goal as deemed appropriate by this newly created Governance Task Force
• Validate recommendations with OGS stakeholder groups
• Recommend to the Board of Directors new models and/or propose pilot projects related to Branch/SIG governance and roles for consideration
• Recommend steps a struggling Branch/SIG might take as an alternate to dissolution

Timeline: Four (4) months

Reporting: This Governance Task Force will report to the OGS President

Qualifications:

• OGS member in good standing
• Previous experience in managing volunteer-driven organizations in either a volunteer or employment capacity
• A desire to improve the functioning of The Society through development of appropriate operational structures

Interested Applicants:  Send a resume or bio demonstrating related experience or skills to:

OGS President, Alan Campbell at president@ogs.on.ca by Friday October 31, 2014.

PLEASE NOTE: Following review and consideration of the Task Force recommendations to the Board of Directors, the Board may propose Bylaw revisions to be presented to the membership.