Board Notice 1 August 2023
2023/24 Board Nominations
The DSWA AGM will be held on 24 October 2023
Nominations to the Board are now open
The Down Syndrome WA Board of Directors invites nominations from members, their family/extended family, and members of the WA community to fill upcoming vacancies on the DSWA Board. As there is opportunity for meetings to be held over Microsoft Teams, applications from members living regionally are highly encouraged. This Board role is a rare opportunity to contribute strategically, at the highest levels, to meaningful outcomes for people living with a diagnosis of Down Syndrome and their families in Western Australia.
As per the DSWA Constitution the DSWA Board consists of a Minimum of 5 and a Maximum of 9 Board members.
There are currently 7 members on the DSWA board.
At the 2023 AGM two members are stepping down from the Board.
For the past 6 months the DSWA Board has had a co-opted Treasurer, who intends to nominate for a position on the board.
Commitment
- Monthly Board meetings – 2-3 hours duration. Meetings are currently held on the third Monday of the month at 6.00pm. Meetings are held in person or over Microsoft Teams. In person attendance is preferred but Teams attendance can be made available.
- Occasional workshops or other meetings
- Time to read and understand meeting agendas and accompanying Board papers and documentation prior to the meeting to enable meaningful contribution to the meetings.
- Attendance at key DSWA events such as Member Dinner, World Down Syndrome Day event, Step UP and other public facing activities.
Skills
In 2023-2024 the key skills the board is recruiting for are;
- Strategy
- Capital Raising
- Business Development
- Fundraising
- Corporate Compliance (ACNC/AICD qualifications highly regarded)
- Government relations and stakeholder engagement
- Policy Development
Other well-regarded skills are;
Advocacy, Education Sector, Marketing and Communications, Business development.
Lived experience is key to the board composition, with 50% of board members requiring lived experience.
2023 Application Requirements
You will be required to provide with your application a cover letter, resume, and statement of interest. You may be requested to attend an interview.
- Application must be made on the attached nomination form. Forms must be signed by the nominator, seconder, and the nominee.
- Cover Letter
- Statement of Interest – Maximum 250 words. This statement will be presented to the membership and should accurately reflect your skills and interest in being on the DSWA board.
- Resume – a current resume reflecting your professional and board experience.
Application processing
- Board members will review all nominations.
- Board members will score each application against an assessment matrix.
- The board will interview preferred candidates based on the matrix.
- Board will present its recommendations for preferred candidates to the membership.
- Board will present all nominations to the membership at the (2023) AGM being held on Wednesday 25 October 2023
If there are more nominations than positions vacant the membership will vote on all nominations
Key Dates:.
- Nominations Open Tuesday 1 August 2023
- Nominations Close Friday 1 September 2023 at 4pm
- Nomination may be emailed to secretary@downsyndromewa.org.au
- Or mailed to Down Syndrome WA, PO Box 3179, Broadway Nedlands WA 6009
Confidential enquiries can be made to the Chair, Nia Parker on chair@downsyndromewa.org.au