Do I need specific skills to be a trustee?
Board trustees are responsible for governing all of CISV. All Governing Board Trustees should therefore be or become competent in the important skills of strategic planning and governance, and as a group the Board should have professional or academic expertise in many areas, ranging from accounting to marketing to law.
Each year the Governing Board put together a Demographics and Skills Analysis to outline the strengths and weaknesses of the six Governing Board members who will be serving in the following year.
Please also read the Governing Board Terms of Reference.
How strict is the application deadline?
It is the final deadline. The complete application package must be properly signed and submitted no later than by 23:59 UTC on 15 May. Late applications will not be accepted.
The Election Committee therefore strongly recommends that candidates make sure their application package is submitted well in advance in case anything is missing and needs to be completed. So, submitting your application sooner is much better than too late.
How important is diversity on the Governing Board?
Diversity is not a prescribed requirement, but it is highly desirable for any Board (as a group) to bring different experiences, backgrounds, cultures, perspectives and skills, as diversity gives a group a broader outlook. It is, however, important to note that Governing Board Trustees have equal responsibility in acting on the Board and that they do not represent a National Association, region, or other interest group (including Junior Branch).
Every three years, the National Junior Representatives elect one Trustee for the Governing Board. Do they have to elect someone from Junior Brach?
No. The National Junior Representatives choose who to elect as Trustee from the same pool of candidates as everyone else.
What does a Governing Board Trustee do as a Committee Chair?
The Governing Board manage and chair the four standing Committees of the Board (Finance Committee, Governance Committee, Safeguarding Committee, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee).
The Committee Chairs: (a) lead their Committee and are responsible for its output, (b) cooperate effectively with the Senior Manager, who develops action plans, agendas, and coordinates work of the Committee, and (c) manage performance issues within their Committee.
Please also read the Governing Board Terms of Reference and the Governing Board Trustee Code of Conduct.
How much time does it take to be on the Governing Board?
This will, of course, depend on various factors such as the time of year and whether you are Committee Chair and/or have other portfolio responsibilities. But, as an estimate, you could expect it to take 10-15 hours per month (including 1-2 virtual meetings), and at least two 3-day in-person meetings per year.
What is Governance?
Simply put, the CISV Governing Board has two areas of focus: achieving the organization’s mission and ensuring that the organization is sustainable.
If I am not interested in Governance, are there other opportunities to get involved with CISV International?
Yes, there are also the Regional Teams, Committees of the Board and Operational Committees.
Regional Teams are involved in hands-on support and training to National Associations as well as communication with National Associations, team conference calls and some participation in Regional Training Forums.
Committees of the Board engage with policy, big picture and strategic development of their focus areas, and are chaired by Board members. They have monthly online meetings and sometimes in-person meetings.
Operational Committees work on the strategic development and implementation of their focus area in line with the overall strategy set by the Governing Board, and are chaired by either the Secretary General, a member of staff or a volunteer as delegated by the Secretary General. They have monthly online meetings and sometimes in-person meetings.
Available positions are regularly posted on International opportunities.
What happens if there are fewer Trustees elected than there are positions available?
If fewer Trustees are elected than the number of empty positions on the Governing Board, the Governing Board may select an individual who is eligible as a Trustee to hold office for one year or until the next elections, whichever period is less. This is detailed in section 5.10 of C-01 CISV International Ltd Memorandum and Articles of Association.
What are the election procedures for the Governing Board?
See Election Procedures for the Governing Board.
Additional questions?
If you have additional questions, please contact the Election Committee at election@cisv.org.