Andri Soteri-Procter writes:-
Due to the successful launch of Voluntary Sector Review (VSR) earlier this year and the on-going work of the VSSN Steering Group there are plenty of opportunities for you to engage in supporting our work. This year we will be running separate elections (by single transferable vote) for the VSSN Steering Group (trustees) and for the VSR Editorial Management Board. We are now inviting self-nominations for both.
So if you are:
Interested in supporting the work of VSSNAre able to contribute a few hours a month of your timeHave views on how VSSN and VSR should developHave editorial, chairing, website, secretarial, marketing or membership skills and experience
Then please consider nominating yourself for one of the positions and help continue VSSN”s success. Please note: For your nomination to be accepted you must have paid your VSSN membership fee for 2010-11.
VSSN Steering Group
There are currently three vacancies for the VSSN Steering Group. The roles that elected members take are decided between them consensually after the election. These include: chair, secretary, online services, membership and marketing, external relations, treasurer, research directory, and the annual conference. We are particularly looking for people who can contribute to the vision and technical development of the new VSSN website, though we encourage self-nominations whatever your expertise. Terms of office may vary but will normally be for three years in the first instance (and six years in total). Details of existing Steering Group members and our roles can be found here.
VSR Editorial Management Board
There are currently two vacancies for VSR Editorial Management Board (EMB). As with the SG, we are looking for self nomination. Terms of office may vary but will normally be for three years in the first instance (and six years in total). Once elected, the EMB will select the Editorial Team; who may be drawn from within the EMB or from VSSN members outside it. Our agreement with the publishers, The Policy Press, is that Peter Halfpenny will continue to serve as the principal Editor throughout the first volume of the Journal (i.e. until end 2010), after which a new Editor may be appointed by the Board. Additional details about the roles and responsibilities of the EMB can be found at the end of the attached nominations form.
Only VSSN members who have paid for the year 2010-11 may nominate themselves for either group, and you are reminded that standing for a VSSN SG role means becoming a trustee of the organisation. You may stand for both groups, but will need to complete separate nomination forms for each. These can be downloaded for completion from the links below:
VSSN SG elections nomination form 2010VSR EMB elections nomination form 2011
All nominations must be received by 22nd October 2010 as an email attachment sent to execofficer@vssn.org.uk with a signed copy sent to VSSN Office, PO Box 7917, Swadlincote DE11 1ET, UK (to be received by 27th October).
All members will be notified of the nominations received and, if elections are necessary, details of an online ballot will be notified to all members at the beginning of November. Results of the election will then be announced at the VSSN Annual General Meeting which will be held on 1 December 2010 at the Birkbeck College, London, at which point the new members will formally become active.
In addition to these roles within the formal governance structures of VSSN and VSR we are also keen to draw more of you into other areas of work – to make use of your skills and expertise in developing the network. We already involve several volunteers in this way – Jill Mordaunt, for example, has been supporting VSSN through moderating the email discussion list for many years now, and Nick Plant continues his commitment in supporting the development of the VSSN website. All provide a valuable and much appreciated service to the Network. We now need more of you to volunteer for similar activities in order to develop the Network to its full potential. We will get back to you about this after the elections; so this is really a forewarning of our intentions to ask again for your help.
If you have any questions about this process please do not hesitate in contacting me by emailing: secretary@vssn.org.uk, otherwise we shall look forward to receiving your nomination forms as soon as possible!
Best wishes
Andri Soteri-Procter, VSSN Secretary
