Get into Governance

Description

Serving on the board of an organisation is an extremely rewarding experience, and it is both interesting and challenging. You will learn a lot and develop new skills; you will meet new people from different backgrounds and you will achieve a fantastic sense of achievement by contributing to the success of an organisation that you care about.

These six short modules will provide you with the basics on what a board does, how it does it and what would be expected from a new board member. We also cover what you should expect in relation to training and support to fulfil your role.

Over the six modules you will learn about

  1. Why you might want to join a board, what is involved and what a board does
  2. Organisational purpose, values, and strategic direction
  3. Financial health, resource management, and organisational performance
  4. The role of a board as the employer
  5. The importance of board culture and continuing improvement
  6. What makes for an effective board.

Audience

This course is aimed at anyone, regardless of age, background, experience, qualifications, or life skills who is interested in joining a board and effectively making a difference. There are no prerequisites.

Cost

Access is provided free of charge once you have created an account.

Duration

The six modules will each involve 20 to 30 minutes learning with a short quiz at the end to test your understanding.

On successful completion you will be awarded a certificate.

Module 1 : Why join a board and what’s involved….what does a board do
Get into Governance
Module 1 : Why join a board and what’s involved….what does a board do

In this module you will learn:

  1. Why you might want to join a board
  2. Diversity is important, how boards are keen to welcome applications from a diverse range of people and backgrounds
  3. Where you might find information on current board vacancies
  4. What a board is for
  5. Key roles and responsibilities
Module 2 : Thinking about organisational purpose, values and strategic direction
Get into Governance
Module 2 : Thinking about organisational purpose, values and strategic direction

In this module you will learn:

  1. How to define the purpose of the organisation
  2. The importance of organisational values
  3. Deciding on a strategy
  4. Taking account of the risks
Module 3 : Financial health, resource management, and organisational performance
Get into Governance
Module 3 : Financial health, resource management, and organisational performance
In this module you will learn:

  1. Income and expenditure
  2. Management accounts and annual financial statements
  3. Using resources effectively

Module 4 : The Board as the Employer
Get into Governance
Module 4 : The Board as the Employer

In this module you will learn:

  1. About the role of the Board as the employer
  2. Managing the performance of the chief executive officer and senior staff
  3. About the role of the Board’s Remuneration Committee
  4. About staff performance management
Module 5 : Board Culture, Review and Continuing Improvement
Get into Governance
Module 5 : Board Culture, Review and Continuing Improvement

In this module you will learn:

  1. About Board culture and its significance
  2. Understanding a conflict of interest
  3. About Boardroom dynamics
  4. How to review and improve board performance
Module 6 : An Effective Board
Get into Governance
Module 6 : An Effective Board

In this module you will learn:

  1. What makes for an effective board
  2. The importance of effective decision making and the importance of board papers and reports
  3. The importance of training and development