giving voice and support to civil society

NCVO launches its Members’ Assembly early next year. We want to ensure our members are represented and involved in our work and this Assembly aims to do just that. Twice a year, the Assembly – which will be made up of over 40 representatives of member organisations – will come together to take part in lively discussion and debate on the key policy issues faced by the sector. In turn, this will inform NCVO’s work and ensure that we remain truly representative of our member organisations and the people who work in them.

We are inviting you to nominate candidates for the Assembly. We want membership of the Assembly to be an inspiring and empowering experience which harnesses and captures the immense knowledge and levels of skill which lie within the sector. We want to explore innovative ways of effecting change within the sector and wider society; and we want the sector to be firmly positioned as a force for good. In order to achieve this we intend to use a range of techniques to facilitate these discussions and we’re prepared to experiment in order to get the best out of everyone who takes part! We aim to make the Assembly a place where participants can learn and develop both personally and professionally.

The creation of a Members’ Assembly forms part of some key changes to NCVO’s governance which took effect at NCVO’s Annual General Meeting just over a year ago. This modernisation of our structure has seen the Board of Trustees slimmed down to 12 members, making their roles more strategic. The new Assembly’s role will be: “to consider, debate and advise the Trustee Board on matters of sectoral policy and other such matters as may be referred to it from time to time by the Trustee Board.” (NCVO’s regulations, set up under Article 76 of the Articles of Association.) You can find out more about these revised articles at www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/elections2009.

As you are aware, NCVO’s governance structure is divided into 20 electoral colleges (set out under Regulation 2). Your organisation is a member of the London college. Each college has two places on the Assembly. However, as part of the transition arrangements current Trustees who retired early at this November’s AGM were offered a seat on the Assembly. Ruth Mordi has taken up this offer which means that there is one place available within your electoral college, and you may nominate yourself or someone else from within your electoral college. A role description for members of the Members’ Assembly and the nomination form can be found on our website: www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/elections2009.

Please complete the appropriate section of the form including the election address and return to: Sarah Welsh at NCVO, FREEPOST WC 4530, Regent’s Wharf, 8 All Saints Street, London N1 9BR (no stamps required) no later than Wednesday 7 January 2009.

Please note: all candidates must be nominated by an NCVO member; if more than one nomination is received, an election will be held in January via the single transferable voting system. The results of this groundbreaking election will be announced at the NCVO Annual Conference on 18 February 2009. The first of the twice-yearly meetings will be held on 13 May 2009.

NCVO is committed to ensuring that the Assembly drives forward the agenda for the sector and we look forward to hearing from you.

If you would like further information on any of the above, please do not hesitate to contact our Company Secretary, Sarah Welsh on 020 7520 2538.

Yours sincerely,

Sir Graham Melmoth
NCVO Trustee Board Chair

Stuart Etherington
NCVO Chief Executive