Dear prospective candidates for the Saskatoon Youth Soccer Inc. Board of Directors,
On behalf of the Board Development Committee of the Board of Directors of Saskatoon Youth Soccer Inc. (SYSI), I am requesting nominations to fill vacancies on our governing board. The SYSI operates under a governance structure which separates the organizations governing functions from its program or operational functions. The purpose of this is to allow the Board of Directors, the management, and the committees of the organization to perform their work more effectively and efficiently.
The Board requires a good cross-section of people with various skills from various areas of Saskatoon. The goal is to achieve diversity on the SYSI Board by selecting Directors from various parts of our city who have diverse backgrounds, interests and expertise that can contribute to effective governance and leadership by the Board. The Board consists of Directors who are selected at large who represent and are accountable to the community as a whole rather than one particular organization, group, or issue.
After assessing the skill-sets and other attributes of the members of the existing Board, the SYSI Board has concluded that it needs better representation from women as well as those with knowledge in the areas of finance, governance and/or management. It would also like to receive nominations of candidates from the north-east and west side of the city. However, we wish to emphasize that individuals who do not fall into any of these categories are equally welcome and necessary. There are many different skills, backgrounds and experiences that can contribute to the organizations success.
The SYSI recruitment process for new Directors aims to be open, responsible and effective. The process works as follows:
- Individuals who are interested in joining the Board must be nominated by someone. The nominator will provide a brief description of why this individual should be considered as a candidate for a position on the SYSI Board of Directors and should note specific contributions that the individual has made in any volunteer or leadership position in the community, including any position within Saskatoon's soccer community, and experience and attributes that would be useful to the Board in meeting the SYSI's Mission. In addition to the Nomination, the candidate will fill out the Director-Candidate Information and include any additional information such as a brief biography or resume.
- Candidates are sent basic information about the SYSI Mission, goals and plans along with a summary of the responsibilities of the Board and the expectations of its Directors.
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After reading this information, candidates notify the Board Development Committee Chair whether they wish to have their names forwarded for nomination to the Annual General Meeting called for that purpose.
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The names of confirmed candidates are forwarded by the Board Development Committee to the Board for approval so that a slate of candidates can be prepared for the Annual General Meeting.
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The Annual General Meeting votes on the candidates whose names have been forwarded by the Board.
A key step in this process is the candidates reading of the information about the role and responsibilities of the Board and the expectations of the Director. The SYSI Board strongly believes that the decision made by a candidate to let her or his name stand for nomination must be an informed one and thus must be made before the Annual General Meeting takes place on the basis of accurate information about the nature of the responsibilities entailed. In this spirit, we have adopted the common practice of accepting only those nominations received in advance of the Annual General Meeting, and not from the floor of the Meeting.
As the SYSI bylaws call for a Board of seven to 15 Directors, there are a number of positions open for nominations. The Board will be accepting nominations for approval at our Annual General Meeting (AGM) which will take place in mid-November of each year. However, the possibility of being appointed to the Board sooner than the AGM is a strong possibility.
If you are interested or know of someone who is interested or may be an ideal candidate please fill out the online form and submit it to Saskatoon Youth Soccer at anytime.
If there are any questions about the nomination process please do not hesitate to contact me.
Regards,
The Board Development Committee of the Board of Directors of Saskatoon Youth Soccer Inc. (SYSI) is asking for your assistance in nominating qualified candidates for service on the Board. We seek candidates from all parts of the community who are willing to make a commitment to SYSI and its mission and who have expertise or experience to provide leadership that is required to govern the organization.
Directors are elected to the Board to serve the best interests of SYSI and not to represent any particular organization, group or issue. The Boards responsibility is to provide oversight of the operations, ensure that resources are used effectively in carrying out the mission, and develop policies and strategies that serve the best interests of the collective membership.
SYSI is committed to the principle of equity. We are interested in recruiting candidates from the following designated groups: women, Aboriginal people, people with disabilities, and visible minorities.
New directors will be required to submit a Criminal Record Check upon being elected and will be reimbursed by SYSI upon receiving it along with a receipt.
