BOARD AND COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF OFFICE BEARERS

Any IACD member may stand for the IACD Board of Trustees. Board terms are for three years and may be extended a further two, three-year terms. Board members are Trustees representing one of nine global regions:

  • Europe, including the Russian Federation
  • South Asia
  • East Asia
  • South East Asia
  • Middle East and North Africa
  • Sub Saharan Africa
  • Oceania
  • South America
  • North America

The Chair, Vice Chair, and Treasurer are elected from within the Board. The Chair and Vice Chair are elected for a three-year term. Our current Chair elected 2019-2022 is Anna Clarke. Our Vice Chair is Catherine Wanjohi elected 2019-2022. Our Treasurer is Clare MacGillivray, elected 2017-2020. The Board meets quarterly: on-line and once a year face to face, usually linked with the AGM and WCDC.

Board responsibilities:

  • The development, implementation and annual monitoring of the association’s four year strategic business plan;
  • Overseeing the work of the standing committees;
  • The approval of all public policy statements by the association;
  • The maintenance and updating of the association’s constitution and articles of association;
  • The appointment of office bearers and Board members and committee chairs;
  • The establishment of ad hoc working groups;
  • The financial sustainability and probity of the association;
  • The organisation of the association’s AGM and any EGM’s;
  • Reporting regularly to members of the association.

Being an IACD Board member or committee member involves a time commitment.

We should not underestimate that joining the Board of IACD requires quite a time commitment. As well as being a Trustee, you are responsible for promoting membership across your region. You will also be required to join one of the Committees above. IACD has a stimulating Board, with all highly committed to building the association and representing the field at an international level.

New Board Trustees shall receive an induction from a member of the Executive.

IACD’s status as a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation

Trustees must familiarise themselves with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator’s guide to SCIOs: https://www.oscr.org.uk/becoming-a-charity/becoming-a-scio/

Annual General Meetings

IACD holds an Annual General Meeting usually coinciding with an international conference.

At the AGM we consider Nominations to the Board, present an annual report to members, together with the financial statements of the organisation approved by an independent auditor, and the Board presents the work programme for the year ahead.

Board members at the June 2018 AGM.

IACD Board membership is voluntary and involves no remuneration – All Board members are volunteers and there is no payment for this work. If funds allow we may be able to assist Board members to attend one of the IACD international conferences.

Trustee Responsibilities
Being a Board member of IACD is a privilege and a member should not take on this position lightly.

Trustees are expected to be active representatives of IACD both in their own countries, their global regions and internationally.

Being a Trustee entails taking on a number of legal and moral responsibilities. These are set out below.

IACD Trustees provide leadership through:
o Ensuring that the organisation complies with its governing documents, Scottish charity law, UK company law and any other relevant legislation or regulations.
o Ensuring that the organisation pursues its objects as defined in its governing documents.
o Ensuring the organisation uses its resources exclusively in pursuance of its objects: the charity must not spend money on activities which are not included in its own objects, no matter how worthwhile or charitable those activities are.
o Contributing actively to giving firm strategic direction to the organisation, setting overall policy, defining goals and setting targets and evaluating performance against agreed targets.
o Promoting the values, mission, and work/activities of IACD.
o Ensuring the effective and efficient administration of the organisation.
o Ensuring the financial stability of the organisation.
o Protecting and managing the property of the charity and ensuring the proper investment of the charity’s funds.
o Applying a duty of care to paid staff and volunteers, contributing to the
appointment of staff and monitoring their performance.

In addition to the above statutory duties, each Trustee should use any specific skills, knowledge or experience they have to help the Board of Trustees reach sound decisions.

This may involve:
o Scrutinizing Board papers
o Leading discussions
o Focusing on key issues
o Providing guidance on new initiatives
o Leading fund-raising activities
o Other issues in which the trustee has special expertise.

Trustee Specification
o Experience and interest in community development
o Commitment to helping IACD understand the community development context in her/his country and global region
o Commitment to the organisation
o Willingness to devote the necessary time and effort
o Strategic vision
o Good, independent judgement
o Ability to think creatively
o Willingness to speak their mind
o Understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of the position as trustee of a Scottish charity and UK company director
o Ability to work effectively as a member of a team and share learning
o Adherence to the seven principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.

Operational Responsibilities
The sustainability of IACD relies on the active involvement of all Trustees. It is absolutely essential that Board members play an active role in the organisation. While staff members are directly responsible for the day to day operations of the organisation, Trustees play an important role in the life of the organisation. With this in mind, each Trustee is asked to commit to the following activities of the Board:

· Actively participate in at least one standing committee
· Respond promptly to requests and emails from the Board Executive Committee or staff. If you are unable to respond to an email request due to your workload, you must let the Executive Committee and staff know this in writing and also the date when you will be available to respond.

It is important for all Trustees to note that IACD is not in a position to cover expenses incurred as a result of undertaking these duties. It is the responsibility of each Board member to find ways to cover the costs of undertaking these duties.

The IACD has a multi cultural Board.

This creates special challenges in communications. The Chair and Company Secretary therefore shall ensure that:
• Meetings are conducted in English.
• Interpretation is provided where required
• The language and perspectives adopted by IACD are global
• Meeting processes are inclusive of all members’ input and perspectives.

The Board shall hold an on-line meeting four times a year and ideally one of these shall be a face to face meeting.

IACD embraces and respects diversity. The President and Executive Committee will ensure a Board culture and process operates whereby:
• The meeting processes adopted do not alienate or disenfranchise members
• Culturally inappropriate references and humour is eliminated
• Women are enabled and do speak as often as men
• Members from southern countries speak as often as their northern counterparts
• Native speakers of the Boardʼs main working language do not dominate discussion.