How to get involved

Community organisations

Are you part of a community organisation looking to improve its governance? Perhaps you would like to decrease the length of your meetings, have confidence that your organisation is meeting its legislative responsibilities, develop a strategic plan, or just make sure the organisation is running at its best. If so, we may be able to help!

Good Governance creates stronger, healthier communities by boosting good governance practices in community organisations.

The initiative matches trained volunteers skilled in governance with small community organisations across Australia. These volunteers act as mentors over 12 months, working with the entire committee or board to empower the organisation.

Good Governance is hosted by community leaders such as local councils, and it is free for community organisations to take part. Mentors work directly with your organisation, making sure you get the individualised support your organisation needs to overcome unique challenges and reach your specific goals.

By partnering with an experienced mentor your organisation can discover more about good governance processes such as planning for the future, understanding legal requirements, preparing for risks, and building connections with the local community. Other community organisations that have participated in the initiative say it has helped them:

• be more confident to achieve their aims
• improve committee/board processes
• increase professional and personal satisfaction
• boost group dynamics
• meet compliance obligations.

Our mentors come from a range of backgrounds, including Chief Executive Officers, Chief Financial Officers, accountants, defence force trainers, school principals, university lecturers and many others. Mentors will support and guide your organisation through an agreed action plan to achieve your goals and vision.

Currently the program is available to community organisations within Albury Wodonga, Ballarat and Mildura. For interested community organisations beyond those regions we could offer an online virtual mentoring arrangement.

Next steps

Complete the expression of interest form below or contact [email protected] for more information.

Express your interest

Mentors

Do you have knowledge or an interest in well-governed organisations? Have you experience leading an organisation? Do you know how to run a good meeting?

Would you like to see stronger, healthier communities in your region? Are you keen to share your knowledge, skills and abilities to boost good governance practices in your local community organisations?

If so, the Good Governance program could be for you.

The Good Governance program trains and then matches volunteers like you with skills in governance to community organisations. In your role as a mentor you will work for up to 12 months with a committee or board to empower the organisation to develop policies and processes that facilitate good governance. Through this direct partnership, you can support organisations with individualised assistance to overcome their unique challenges and reach their specific goals.

As a mentor you may support organisations to develop good governance practices in areas such as:

• identifying and minimising risk
• helping organisations navigate complex reporting and compliance requirements
• ensuring the efficient use of resources
• reducing the social cost of unsustainable organisations
• building organisational capacity
• creating cohesive and resilient communities.

By sharing your expertise and becoming a mentor, you have an opportunity to help contribute to local organisations, shape your community, and enhance your own professional skills. Full training, support and resources are provided to all mentors. To further develop your networks and learning, a Community of Practice (CoP) forum is available through this website.

Next steps

Complete the expression of interest form below or contact [email protected] for more information.

Express your interest

Change Our Game Regional Governance facilitators

Sports and volunteering help build strong, connected and more resilient communities; however, being on a board and managing a community organisation is more complex by the day. We recognise that sporting groups are finding it more challenging to achieve their goals for a range of reasons, including increasing compliance requirements, succession planning, and attracting members and volunteers.

In response to these challenges, the Centre for Participation has initiated the Change Our Game Regional Governance program. This program is committed to strengthening sporting communities through building the knowledge, skills and abilities of women in communities to confidently accept leadership positions in sporting organisations.

Sporting leaders nominated by their Regional Sports Assembly (RSA) take part in a train-the-trainer workshop. On completion, these RSA-nominated trainers deliver governance workshops to women in sporting groups who are ready for their next sporting leadership opportunity. To sustain the project and make real change, these new leaders continue learning and sharing through this CoP.

This grassroots program is working to increase female participation on sporting boards across the Wimmera. Due to its success building leaders throughout the region, the Office for Women is partnering with the Centre for Participation to explore opportunities to build governance knowledge, understanding and confidence across the state.

How to get involved

The Change Our Game Regional Governance program is by invitation only. It is managed by the Office for Women, which requests an expression of interest from RSAs.

The RSAs nominate suitable staff or members with skills in governance and training, along with excellent local sporting networks. If you are a member of this program, please complete the expression of interest form below to become a member of the Good Governance Community of Practice (CoP).

For those sporting organisations and RSAs not yet part of the program, please contact [email protected] for more information.

Express your interest