Engender is recruiting new Board Members
2 Mar 2010
Engender is a feminist organisation working to make Scotland a fairer, safer place where women can flourish and contribute to both the social and market economies with dignity, freedom and justice. To this end we seek to increase women’s power and influence; make visible the impact of sexism on women and on Scotland’s social, economic and political development; and support people, organisations and our government to make equality a reality. (For more information about our organisation, see our website and/or read chapter on Engender in Breitenbach & Mackay, Women and Contemporary Scottish Politics, University of Edinburgh Press, 2001.)Engender welcomes board members from all sections of the community. Board members are expected to show commitment to developing and delivering the strategic aims of Engender. In 2010 we are seeking to increase our board membership.
To join the Board you simply need to be committed to helping achieve the aims and goals of Engender. Board members are expected to do this in the following ways:
• Regular attendance at Board meetings, including chairing meetings as required
• Substantive contribution to the strategic aims and objectives of Engender;
• Support for events, fund-raising, awareness raising
• Representation—acting as an ‘ambassador’ for Engender.
• Acting as a resource for staff members
• Fulfilling governance responsibilities as director under law including reviewing Board member job descriptions regularly and on retiring from the Board
Board meetings
The Board meets approximately six times a year, including an annual ‘away day’. (Regular attendance is regarded as important, and the Board reserves the right to ask members who miss more than two consecutive meetings without explanation to stand down)
Strategic aims
Engender regularly reviews its strategic aims and priorities in light of current and future policy developments, Board members’ and staff interests, and national and international developments in women’s issues. Board members are expected to contribute to developing Engender’s aims and priorities. Currently, our areas of work are focused around:
• Violence against women;
• Women’s poverty;
• Women’s participation and representation in public life
Achieving our goals
Engender seeks to improve women’s lives by:
• Tackling inequality and gender issues wherever they arise;
• Making Government aware of what women need and want;
• Pressing for equal representation of women at all levels of Government and public life;
• Training and supporting women within their communities to influence decision makers;
• Providing networking in Scotland and internationally.
How we do it…
• Making sure people know about women’s inequality through collecting and publicising information;
• Training organisations on gender equality issues;
• Training local women to make a difference on issues that affect them;
• Working together with other organisations to tackle to issues of women’s poverty, equal representation, and violence against women.
Board members are expected to contribute towards achieving these goals directly and indirectly.
Being an ambassador
Board members are also expected to be an ‘ambassador’ for Engender in the following ways:
• By recruiting new members to the organisation;
• By representing Engender officially at conferences, seminars, workshops and other national and international occasions;
• By publicising and contributing to Engender’s campaigns.
Expenses and term of office
As a small, not-for-profit organisation Engender does not pay Board members for their time. We do recompense modest out-of-pocket and travelling expenses for attendance at Board meetings and official functions.
Some Board members will take on particular duties as office bearers: in order not to overburden Board members, these responsibilities can only be taken on for two years in the first instance, with an option to serve for a further two years if the Board and the member are in agreement. These office bearers include the roles of Convener, Vice-conveners (2), and Treasurer. It is expected that Board members preparing to take on one of these roles will shadow the appropriate office bearer for a year before taking up the post. There are currently no limits on terms of office for general Board members.
Application forms are available from catriona.kirkpatrick@engender.org.uk or download here
Deadline for applications is 9am 29th March 2010
Please e-mail your completed application to
catriona.kirkpatrick@engender.org.uk
