PROFILE - CARFAC
As an example of co-operation between volunteers and
paid staff, the Canadian Artists’ Representation/le
Front des artistes canadiens (CARFAC), a national organization,
is run by both volunteers and staff. Lesley Phiminster,
the co-director, gives an insider’s view of how CARFAC’s
volunteers are encouraged.
CARFAC’s strategic planning consultant recently had
our board and staff look seriously at how our volunteer
committees run. The goal of our committees is to recruit
and train volunteers to one day sit on the Board, to hash
out ideas before they go to a board meeting, and to reduce
staff load. So far our new system seems to be working, but
we still need more volunteers!
We are keeping track of volunteer hours far more accurately
than in the past. Our Board President asks or reminds board
members to keep a monthly track of all of their time and
expenses (e-mails, conference calls, speaking about CARFAC
at events etc. as well as internet for e-mail and the cost
of a CARFAC Ontario membership, which is a requirement for
board members).
For the Toronto Arts Council and Ontario Arts Council
grants, we collected accurate stats from the board and committee
members . . . and the staff were surprised at the number
of hours! One thing our consultant made to clear to the
staff was that staff should always be looking out for new
board members, as boards have a role to play in recruiting;
but staff meet the majority of volunteers at events and
through the membership.
Note, too, that if you have, say, a problematic board
and that board is recruiting, then the board will likely
be comprised of similar backgrounds and personalities, with
ever more dysfunction on the horizon. This is all to say
that boards that engage a volunteer base are as good as
the people that bring them in! We’re always looking
for ways to make that process work for everyone.
You can find out more about CARFAC by clicking on http://www.carfacontario.ca
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