Navigating a path through the topic of governance for volunteers serving on Boards and Committees is notoriously difficult. This can result in prospective volunteers being deterred from joining a Board, or office bearers “sticking their head in the sand” and ignoring the risks. Without active engagement in learning about governance responsibilities, volunteers serving on Boards or Committees may make uninformed decisions.
The production of more information would not resolve this problem. In fact, given the sheer volume of materials already available, simply producing more governance content would compound an already difficult situation. Rather what is needed is a tool to assist people with “sense-making”. A tool which is accessible and useful without being overwhelming was the key “ask” of members of the Co-Design group assembled for the My Governance Journey project.
My Governance Journey, helping with taking the next step on your Board and Committee.
The new My Governance Journey webtool is a “path-finding” instrument designed to meet individuals where they are at in terms of experience and then assist them take the next step, including from before they join a Committee. Based on a personal life cycle approach, My Governance Journey breaks down an individual’s experience into five sequential stages: before you join, as you begin, doing more, stepping up, and handing over.
At each stage it lays out an introduction to a suite of curated resources to help volunteers navigate the important topics to consider exploring at that point of their governance journey. Using links to credible sources, it then connects users to more detailed information for them to explore as they need and when they need it.
Start your Governance Journey now
For more Governance resources please visit QCOSS and Volunteering Australia.