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A: Benefits to participants include:

• Enhance leadership skills
• Learn current thinking on governance and leadership
• Contribute to your community and have a positive impact
• Strategic networking opportunities
• Access support to identify and join a board that fits your skills, values, and interests
• Certificate of Recognition from the Schulich School of Business, York University to acknowledge your learning experience

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A: The program begins with a 2-day intensive in class session on governance, leadership, and management in the non-profit sector.

• Detailed outline of classroom sessions
• Background information on presenters

The time that it takes to identify a board match may depend on a variety of factors and can take anywhere from a few days to a few months:

• Your self-awareness of the sort of board that best suits your needs.  Click here for a self-reflection tool to assist you in this process (Randal:  hotlink to “Are You Ready” bookmark)
• Your prior board experience – some boards are seeking experienced board members and others are open to those new to board volunteerism
• The availability of board positions that match your background and interests
• The time it takes to coordinate a first meeting/discussion between you and the main contacts at your desired charity
• The recruitment and orientation process of each individual board varies – some are formal and others are informal
• The date of the next Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the agency – this is often the setting in which board directors are formally elected to new positions

Participants have 3 options to select from when identifying their board fit after the 2-day session

Details on our Board Search Features and Fees

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A: The cost of the BML program is generally sponsored by the employers of the participants as part of a training/leadership development plan.  Otherwise the cost of the program is incurred by the individual.

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A: Time will vary depending on each organization – it can be from 2 hours/month to 12 hours/month.  Board terms also vary from 1-5 years.  Browsing our list of current board postings will give you a better sense of the standard time required.

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A: We do not screen charities that post board openings on our system.  As of April 1, 2007 all registered charities posting board openings on the BoardMatch Fundamentals site require Director’s and Officers Liability Insurance – commonly known as DOLI.  We encourage candidates to do their own due diligence when asking questions of potential boards during their search.  Through the 2-day intensive BML program we will provide you  with the foundation needed to be aware of appropriate questions to ask in the board search process – ultimately making the best decision for you.

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A: It depends on the nature of the organization and your own preferences/comfort level:  Some organizations require/suggest that potential board members become involved in a committee prior to joining the board – this provides the candidate and the organization a ‘trial period’ to determine if it’s a good fit before committing to a board term.  It’s also a way for the candidate to become more familiar with the organization before beginning a leadership role on the board.  For the same reasons some candidates request to begin their involvement at the committee level prior to agreeing to a board term.

Committees are often used as an entrez to the board particularly with high profile charities that have a number of board applicants competing for limited board openings.

Information on “Typical Types of Board Committees”

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A: For BML participants that select the Individual Board Search Support Feature of the program we will assist you in connecting with a board opportunity that matches your interests.  If that happens to be an agency that is not currently posted on the system then we will endeavor to explore other charities as requested. 

More details on the available BML Board Search Features.

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A: Contact Lynn Chambers, Program Manager for registration details.