Nelson Community Services Centre Board of Directors’ Recruitment Package

Our Mission The Nelson Community Services Centre (NCSC) assists people to define the issues affecting them and to determine their own resolutions in recognition of the fact that all individuals and families at some time experience difficulty in their lives. Further, the NCSC maintains program flexibility to allow us to respond, in cooperation with government and other organizations, to the changing needs in our community.

This document has been designed to provide information about our agency for any member(s) of the community who may consider joining our Board of Directors.

Included Documents are: A brief overview of Nelson Community Services (NCSC) …………….……………………………………………………….. 2 Board Application Process and Contact Info ……………………………………….………………………………………………… 3 Board Application Form ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 4 Board of Directors Policy - NCSC Policy # 3004 which governs the Board of Directors ……………………….. 5 - This policy outlines Duties, Responsibilities and Commitment of the Board and is an important document to review when considering joining the NCSC Board. - Conflict of Interest guidelines are outlined that offer the opportunity for a person to remove themselves from any discussion that may be in conflict with their individual or business life, but allows participation in all other aspects of the society’s business. Minutes of the most recent AGM ………………………………………………………………………………........................… 11

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 Our Story 

NCSC is a thriving, multi-service, multi-funded non-profit agency that has been working in our community since 1972. NCSC has a volunteer Board of Directors who share the vision, mission and values of the organization. NCSC receives most of its funding from the Provincial Government, but also receives donations and support from the community. NCSC employs professional counsellors, support workers and outreach workers. Services are provided out of three sites: Main Office, Cicada Place and the Aimee Beaulieu Transition House. NCSC was first accredited in 2006 by the Council on Accreditation (COA) and has passed each subsequent reaccreditation process (2010 and 2014) with distinction.

 Current Programs  General Counselling Women’s Counselling Women’s Outreach Family Support Parenting Support Child and Youth Counseling Child/Youth Mental Health Counseling Aimee Beaulieu Transition House Cicada Place Youth Services and Housing Transitions for Women Pre-Employment Program Transitions Program for Men Pre-Employment Program Homeless Outreach and Homelessness Prevention Programs

Child and Youth

NCSC Board Community Mental Health

Child and Youth Counselling nselling Women’s Counselling

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 Application Process: 

If you are interested in learning more……

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Complete and submit the included Application Form. An interview with the Executive Director and Board Chair will be arranged. At the interview, at least one personal reference will be requested. Observe at least one Board meeting. Criminal Record Search (no cost) is required.

The NCSC Board of Directors is covered by appropriate Directors and Officers Liability insurance. Details are not included in this package, but are available from the Board Chair or Executive Director.

or simply contact us at ………. NCSC office at: #201 - 518 Lake Street Nelson, BC V1L 4C6 250-352-3504

Rona Park (Executive Director): 250-352-3504 [email protected]

Ed Edmondson, Board Chair: 250-229-5294 [email protected]

Our website is: www.nelsoncommunityservices.ca

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Nelson Community Services Centre Board of Directors Application Form Date: _____________________________________________________________________________________ Name: ____________________________________________________________________________________ First

Last

Address: __________________________________________________________________________________ Phone Number: __________________________________ E-mail: ___________________________________ Employment/Previous Employment: 1.

Name of Employer: ______________________________________________________________________________ Type of Business or organization: ___________________________ Your position: ___________________________ Length of employment: ___________________________________________________________________________

2.

Name of Employer: ______________________________________________________________________________ Type of Business or organization: ___________________________ Your position: ____________________________ Length of employment: ___________________________________________________________________________

Please list any professional or volunteer Boards or Committees that you have served on: Organization

Role/Title

Date(s) of Service

________________________

___________________________

__________________________________

________________________

___________________________

__________________________________

What interests you in joining the Nelson Community Services Centre Board? __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ Skills, experience and interests: (Please circle all that apply) Accounting, Finance Chairing/Minute Taking Communications/Social Media

Community Service Fundraising Human Resources Legal Awareness

Management Non-profit Experience Outreach/Advocacy Policy Development

Promotion/Marketing Public Relations Special Events Strategic Planning

Other__________________________________________________________________________________________ Other__________________________________________________________________________________________ Please use reverse side for any other information that you would like to share and forward to Rona Park (Executive Director) at [email protected] or drop off at #201-518 Lake St.

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Our Mission We believe in each person’s inherent ability, responsibility, and right to be heard, to be safe, to have information, to make choices, and to take control of one’s life. The Nelson Community Services Centre is here to assist people to define the issues and to determine their own resolutions.

Policy Number & Name Policy Section Date Created Date Last Reviewed Date Last Revised Standards Reference

3004 – Board of Directors/Governance 3000 – Governance July 22, 2010 March 31, 2015 March 31, 2015 RPM 4;

PURPOSE To outline the duties and responsibilities of the Board of Directors in order to identify, clarify, and enact their role within Nelson Community Services Centre (NCSC) in its provision of services and programs to individuals and families in the communities served.

POLICY 1. The Board of Directors of Nelson Community Services Centre will abide by the duties and 2.

3. 4. 5.

responsibilities set out for them in the Nelson Community Services Centre By-laws, the Society Act, and the procedures detailed in this policy. The Board of Directors will orient each new member by providing them with a manual of information pertinent to their role as a Board member and to the functioning of the agency, including a written description of the organization’s insurance coverage. The Board of Directors will recruit an Executive Director and will delegate to that person the responsibility for the day-to-day operation of Nelson Community Services Centre. Board members will not use their positions within Nelson Community Services Centre for personal or agency gain. Board Members are responsible for ensuring that NCSC’s legal, financial, and operational obligations are met.

PROCEDURE 1. Duties of the Board The Board of Directors for Nelson Community Services Centre will: a. delegate responsibilities to the Executive Director for the day-to-day management of NCSC b. evaluate the Executive Director’s job performance in accordance with the Executive Limitations policy c. report to the membership on the current legal and operational status, at least on a yearly basis d. develop resources and policies, adopt NCSC’s policies, and evaluate the implementations of those policies e. Approves NCSC’s mission statement and goals f. review fiscal summaries and examine issues related to fiscal policy, budget preparation, and recommendations of the auditors g. review and approve the annual budget.

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1. Responsibilities of the Board The Board of Directors for Nelson Community Services Centre will: a. become as informed about the issue under discussion as possible and anticipate a decision’s consequences before making a decision b. ensure that Board policies reflect the values and perspectives of the organization and the community, and further the ability of NCSC to fulfill its mission c. enforce upon itself appropriate discipline in all areas of Board responsibility, productivity, and policing of its actions d. provide assurance of effective staff performance through a staff evaluation process under the direction of the Executive Director e. implement the collective will of the NCSC membership f. work collaboratively with the Executive Director g. oversee and hold accountable the operation of all existing committees h. provide consistent governance as per current policies and procedures i. assume responsibility for the overall operation of NCSC and its services j. serve as a link between NCSC and the community k. be accountable to the stakeholders for the appropriateness of NCSC’s mission 2. Responsibilities of Individual Board Members Individual members of the Board of Directors will: a. be willing to submit to a Criminal Record Search b. accept the responsibility of Board membership c. attend meetings of the Board and general membership. Failing to attend three board meetings without notice shall constitute resignation (Bylaw Part 5 Item 21) d. contribute expertise e. assist in formulating policies f. assist in the evaluation of the work of NCSC g. interpret the work of NCSC to the public h. be familiar with and support NCSC’s purpose, objectives and goals i. avoid any conflict of interest or any appearance of personal gain j. serve on NCSC committees k. participate in planning and development functions of NCSC l. advise the Chairperson on issues of interest to the agency m. be an ambassador for NCSC in the community 3.

Officers of the Board The elected officers of the Board will be: Chairperson Vice-chairperson Secretary Treasurer a.

Chairperson - the Chairperson will: i. oversee all operations of the Board and the agency and assist in the effective administration of NCSC ii. chair the Board meetings iii. provide leadership and guidance for the other Board members in fulfilling their duties and responsibilities iv. ensure that adequate representation and discussion of issues takes place v. work collaboratively with the Executive Director regarding the agency’s day-to-day affairs vi. represent NCSC to the public vii. act as an official signing agent on contracts for service Page 6 of 19

5.

b.

Vice-chairperson - the Vice-chairperson will: i. carry out the duties of the Chairperson during his or her absence, or as delegated by the Chairperson

c.

Secretary - the Secretary will: i. will take the minutes of general meetings of the Board ii. will ensure that all relevant documents are submitted annually to ensure that NCSC remains in good standing with the BC Registrar of Societies and any other relevant submissions iii. will maintain the Board of Directors filing system iv. act as an official signing agent for contracts and other documents

d.

Treasurer - the Treasurer will: i. chair the Finance Committee of the Board and act as a consultant to the Executive Director and staff of NCSC’s financial matters ii. act as an official signing agent for contracts and other documents

Meetings Robert’s Rules of Order will be used to facilitate the conduct of business. The minutes from all meetings, with exceptions of In-Camera meetings and Personnel Committee meetings, will be made available to the public upon request. a.

Board Meetings i. Board meetings will be held a minimum of six times per year. (Bylaw Part 6 Item23) ii. Program service reviews will be a regular part of Board meetings and will be scheduled so that all programs are reviewed in a calendar year. This will serve as the Board's opportunity to assess the program’s achievement relative to its purposes.

b.

Board Minutes i. Minutes will be recorded at all meetings of the Board of Directors. ii. A modified version of Robert’s Rules of Order will be used to minute the proceedings of Board meetings, which will include the practice of not publishing names of the mover or seconder of motions. This form of voting on motions will be recorded as simply M/S/C (moved/seconded/carried) after each motion. However, if any member of the Board disagrees with or abstains from voting on a motion and wishes to have their position minuted, they can verbally request that. iii. When an agenda item or report to the Board is presented and the ONLY action is to receive it for information, details of any discussion that took place will not be recorded. The discussion merely adds background or clarification to the presentation. iv. When an agenda item or report to the Board is presented and leads to a motion or a specific action, relevant details of the discussion will be recorded in the minutes. v. Draft minutes will be distributed to Board members as soon as possible following each meeting, and at least a minimum of one week in advance of the subsequent regular Board meeting. Board members are encouraged to read them carefully. If any changes to the minutes are required, those changes will be made PRIOR to the adoption of the minutes. The adopted minutes will be the official record of the meeting. vi. Should a minuted item be changed AFTER the minutes have been adopted, the original minutes AND the amended minutes will be distributed to Board members. The amended minutes will, however, become the agency’s official record of the meeting. vii. Adopted minutes will be distributed to all Board members and to the agency’s staff and to members of the public, upon request. viii. All adopted minutes will be permanently filed at the Main Office. Page 7 of 19

c.

General Meetings i. General meetings will be open to all members of the Society and also to the public.

d.

Special General Meetings i. A Special General Meeting may be called by the Board of Directors at any time for the transaction of any business specified by the Board. ii. A Special General Meeting may also be called by seven (7) or more members of the Board, or by fifteen (15) or more members in good standing of the Society, by petitioning the Chairperson or the Secretary in writing. The Officers so petitioned must arrange the meeting within twenty (20) days of receipt of the petition. iii. The particular business for which a Special General Meeting is called will be transacted prior to any other business that can be transacted at such a Special General Meeting.

e.

Annual General Meeting (AGM) / Personnel Recognition i. The AGM will be advertised in the local newspaper(s) a minimum of two weeks prior to the AGM and will be open to all members of NCSC and also to the public. ii. The AGM will include a review of the long and short-term goals of the Centre, and the identification of future plans and planning issues. iii. The AGM will include a formal Employee, Volunteer, and Board Member recognition ceremony recognizing years of service as well as any special merit awards

f.

In-Camera Sessions i. From time to time, in-camera sessions of the Board may be required. Such meetings will only be called to deal with confidential issues including litigation, personnel, Board conduct, and those matters having immediate impact on the future of NCSC which require careful deliberation among the Board members. ii. The Board is free to determine who, or if, anyone else should be present; and authority to declare the session is vested with the Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson unless overridden by a simple majority vote. iii. Only members of the Board will normally be invited to such sessions. iv. Resource people appropriate to the topic at hand will be invited, as determined by the Chairperson. v. In-Camera minutes do not constitute part of the public record of the agency and are kept in the locked Board filing cabinet at all times.

6.

Board Organizational Development The Board is responsible for its own development and the development of Nelson Community Services Centre, and as such, will conduct an annual retreat of Board members in order to facilitate this responsibility. The purpose of this annual event will be: a. to evaluate the achievements of NCSC over the previous year and plan for the subsequent year b. to conduct a self-evaluation of the performance of the Board and its members c. to record developmental courses undertaken by Board Members

7.

Board Decision Making a. only decisions taken by the Board in a scheduled general or In-Camera meeting will be legally binding b. all such decisions will be recorded in the minutes and appropriate actions will be taken to ensure they are acted upon c. decision making by the Board will concern only those items that are consistent with their duties and responsibilities d. to ensure the Board is as informed as possible prior to making a decision, a member who must be absent from a meeting will make every effort to have their views presented by proxy or in writing. Page 8 of 19

8.

Voting a. In addition to voting conducted at general Board meetings, voting on a Motion under unusually time-sensitive circumstances may be conducted by telephone or email. b. A Motion that has been made and seconded may be presented to the members by telephone or email. c. A vote conducted by telephone or email, or a combination of these communication methods, will be acceptable provided that reasonable efforts have been made to contact all members eligible to vote and that members voting have been informed of the issues giving rise to the Motion. d. Minutes of a Motion voted on by telephone, email, or a combination of the two, will be duly recorded in the same manner as Minutes of an in-person meeting, noting all members who were contacted, those members who could not be contacted, and the attempts that were made to contact them. These Minutes will be distributed in the same manner as Minutes of an in-person meeting.

9.

Board Committees a. Standing Board Committees are: i. Executive Committee ii. Finance Committee iii. Audit Committee iv. Personnel Committee v. Community Relations Committee vi. Nominating and Recruitment Committee vii. Ad Hoc Committees b. Committees will be established and/or disbanded in order to meet the agency’s needs. Mandates for each committee will be established by the Board in its entirety prior to the first meeting of any committee. c. These groups will report their work to the Board on a regular basis. d. Minutes will be taken each time a Board committee meets. These minutes will contain dates, persons involved and actions taken at the meeting. e. Such committees will not have the authority to act on behalf of the full Board unless such authorizations have been explicitly provided by the Board.

10.

Avoidance of Conflict of Interest Members of the Board who individually, or as part of a business or professional firm, are involved a. in business transactions or current professional services of NCSC will disclose this information. Said members will not participate in any vote taken in respect to such transactions or services. b. A Declaration of Conflict of Interest form will be completed and signed by all newly-elected and c. returning Board directors at the first meeting following each Annual General Meeting.

11.

Removal of a Board Director The members may, by special resolution, remove an elected director from office prior to the a. expiration of the director’s term. The director who is the subject of the motion will be entitled to be present, to speak and, if b. qualified, to vote on the motion.

12.

Executive Director Performance Evaluations a. The Board Chair and Personnel Committee Chair will conduct the annual performance i. evaluation of the Executive Director, in writing, against the Executive Director’s job description, the Executive Limitations policy, and the agency’s strategic goals. The Executive Director will participate jointly with the Board Chair and Personnel ii. Committee Chair in the evaluation process. The Board representatives will present a Page 9 of 19

summary to the Board of this review process and will review, sign and respond to the evaluation before it is entered into the Executive Director’s personnel record. b.

Replacement of Executive Director Should the need arise to replace the current Executive Director, a Board committee will be i. created to conduct the formal search for a new Executive Director, and any needed resources required will be provided in order to support the committee’s work. This committee may be a committee of the whole. ii. iii. If there is a time period in which NCSC is without an Executive Director, either planned or unplanned, the Board will meet without delay to determine the most appropriate course of action as laid out in Policy # 3005 Executive Director Absence.

c.

Succession of the Executive Director i. The Executive Director will be responsible for developing and presenting an Executive Director Succession Plan to the Board on an annual basis. This plan should include, but not be limited to, an outline of the skills, abilities, qualities, and qualifications that would be most necessary in filling the Executive Director position at that point in time.

RELATED DOCUMENTS Board of Directors Orientation Manual Nelson Community Services Centre Constitution and By-laws Policy 1002 - Media Relations Policy 3005 - Executive Director Absence Policy 3006 - Evaluation of Executive Director Policy 3007 - Executive Director - Reporting Duties Policy 3008 - Executive Limitations Policy 3011 - Board Member & NCSC Employee Policy 3017 - Constitution & Bylaw Review Policy 3018 - Ethical Conduct - Conflict of Interest Policy 4001 - Standards of Conduct Policy 4018 - Internal Communication Policy 4024 - Criminal Record Search Policy 6006 - Signing Authority Policy 6007 - Spending Authority Policy 6009 - Risk Management Policy 6013 - Society Investments Policy 6014 - Capital Assets Policy 7021 - Whistleblower

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by Santiago Martinez

NELSON COMMUNITY SERVICES CENTRE SOCIETY

2014 - 2015 AGM Agenda Minutes from 2014 Annual General Meeting Society Reports to the Membership Page 11 of 19

The Nelson Community Services Centre Society

43rd Annual General Meeting Tuesday, July 14, 2015 @ 7:00 p.m. held at Best Western Baker Street Inn, Nelson, BC

AGENDA 1. Adoption of Agenda 2. Adoption of Minutes from July 22, 2014 Annual General Meeting 3. Society Reports to Membership: a. Board Chair b. Finance Committee c. Personnel Committee d. Nominating and Recruitment Committee e. Community Relations Committee  Annual Report 2013-2014 f. Executive Director g. Management Team h. Performance Quality Improvement Committee 4. Adoption of Audited Financial Statements 2014 - 2015 5. Appointment of Auditor for 2015 - 2016 6. Election of Board Directors 7. Adjournment

Presentation of Years of Service Awards ** Please help yourselves to refreshments ** Page 12 of 19

NELSON COMMUNITY SERVICES CENTRE

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Minutes of Meeting held July 22, 2014 at 7:00 p.m. in Room 202 - 518 Lake Street, Nelson, BC

Board Members Present: Judith Mitchell (chair), Kathy Baker, Julia Bennett, Ed Edmondson, Jenna Gatschene, Kathy Speirs, Carol Howard, Dino Falcone Executive Director: Rona Park There were 31 in attendance representing Board, staff, and community

No. of Voting Members Present: 8

Item Call to Order

Discussion/Decision The meeting was called to order at 7:05 pm

Action Judith Mitchell, Chair, called the meeting to order by welcoming those in attendance and introducing the Board Executive at the head table. Judith also introduced Rona Park, Executive Director, and noted that this was the exact one-year anniversary of Rona’s start at NCSC.

1.

Agenda additions/deletions

Agenda was distributed.

No additions or deletions. Motion: That the 2014 AGM agenda be adopted as distributed. M/S/C

2.

Approval of Minutes of 2013 Annual General Meeting

Minutes of Nelson Community Services Centre’s AGM of July 2, 2013 were distributed.

Motion: That the minutes of the NCSC Annual General Meeting of July 2, 2013 be adopted as distributed. M/S/C

3.

Presentation of Society Reports for 2013-2014

All Reports were distributed. a. Board Chair Judith Mitchell presented the Board Chair Report

4.

Presentation of Audited Financial Statements 2013 2014

No Questions.

b.

Finance Committee Ed Edmondson presented the Finance Committee Report

c.

Personnel Committee Report Julia Bennett presented the Personnel Committee Report

d.

Nominating and Recruitment Committee Report Kathy Baker presented the Nominating and Recruitment Committee Report

Question regarding the opportunity to bring names forward as possible Board Members. Clarification that names could be brought to any Board Member or to the Executive Director who is also part of the Nominating and Recruitment Committee.

e.

Community Relations Committee Report Carol Howard presented the Community Relations Committee Report

No Questions.

Stefan Lehmann from Berg Lehmann, Chartered Accountants, presented our Audited Financial Statements 2013 – 2014

No Questions.

No Questions.

Motion: That Society Reports 2013-14 be adopted as presented. M/S/C No Questions.

Motion: That Audited Financial Statements for 2013-14 as prepared Page 13 of 19

Item

Discussion/Decision

5.

Appointment of Auditor for 20142015

6.

Election of Board Directors

Motion: That Nelson Community Services Centre appoints Berg Lehmann as its auditors for 2014 – 2015. M/S/C a.

b.

7.

Motion to Adjourn

Action and presented by Berg Lehmann be adopted as presented. M/S/C

Resignations from the Board: During this past year, Jordon Konken, Susan Flynn, Barry Trute, and Danielle Bedard resigned from NCSC Board. We appreciate their contributions. Following this AGM, our Board Chair, J Mitchell, will be resigning from the Board. J was thanked for her nine years of dedication and service to the Nelson Community Services Centre Board. Request for Nominations from the floor Second Request for Nominations from the floor. Third Request for Nominations from the floor.

Julia Bennett nominated Monica Doyle. Monica agreed to let her name stand for election. Dino Falcone nominated Lisa Schmidtke. Lisa agreed to let her name stand for election. No further nominations.

c.

Two Board members were appointed to the Board since the last AGM and are continuing to stand for election - Jenna Gatschene (appointed Sept 2013) and Carol Howard (appointed Feb 2014)

Motion: That the following people be officially elected to the NCSC Board: Jenna Gatschene (second year of two year term) Carol Howard (first year of a two year term) Monica Doyle (first year of a two year term) Lisa Schmidtke (first year of a two year term) M/S/C

d.

Nomination Slate of previously Elected Members

Motion: That the following Board Members be elected by Acclamation: Kathy Baker (second year of two year term) Julia Bennett (second year of two year term) Dino Falcone (second year of two year term) Ed Edmondson (first year of a two year term). Kathy Speirs (first year of a two year term). M/S/C nd Motion: That the 42 AGM of Nelson Community Services Centre be adjourned. M/S/C

nd

Conclusion of the 42 AGM of Nelson Community Services Centre

Judith Mitchell, Chairperson

Kathy Baker, Secretary

__________________________________________________

____________________________________________

Date: July 22, 2014

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2014 - 2015 SOCIETY REPORTS TO MEMBERSHIP BOARD CHAIR’S REPORT I would like to congratulate and thank all the staff and the Board of Nelson Community Services Centre for another very productive and fulfilling year. Your special and unique abilities have contributed to making a positive difference in the lives of individuals and families in Nelson and surrounding area. This fiscal year we celebrated another successful four-year reaccreditation with the Council on Accreditation. Accreditation is a requirement of Nelson Community Services Centre as we receive over $500,000 per year in funding from the Ministry of Children and Family Development. All staff and Board should be congratulated for their efforts in achieving this milestone. As part of our preparation for reaccreditation, the Board and staff undertook full reviews of all governance and operational policies. We are on a sound footing with respect to policy and have shared our work in this area with many other organizations in the region. Our Executive Director has continued to emphasize areas of risk management. There has been a thorough review of our financial position and the development of a sound financial plan that is consistent with our Strategic Plan. We now have a comprehensive Strategic Plan, Risk Management Plan, Financial Plan, and Staff Training Plan, and are working on completing a Human Resources Plan and Community Relations Plan. These plans help guide the Board tremendously in its governance and strategic responsibilities. Our programs continue to be very successful due to an outstanding staff and commitment. We were fortunate this year to acquire the new Homelessness Prevention Program under contract with BC Housing. Along with this contract came funds for rental supplements which have greatly enhanced people’s ability to acquire market rentals in Nelson thereby directly preventing/reducing homelessness of many individuals and families. We continue to participate with many community groups and initiatives including the Chief Constable’s Diversity Advisory Committee, Nelson Committee on Homelessness, Nelson Housing Committee, VAWIR Committee, Youth Interagency Committee, Safe Kids and Youth Committee, and the “Nelson at its Best” Poverty Reduction Project, to name a few. In May the Board and staff took part in an Aboriginal cultural learning experience called the Blanket Exercise at Selkirk College in Castlegar. We were also pleased to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Aimee Beaulieu Transition House in May. This program’s leadership and staff were congratulated for their important and dedicated work to support women. Over 80 community members attended this celebration at the Prestige Inn Lakeside. This year, we welcomed two new board members, Cathy Leugner and Dave Haynes. Two long-standing members stepped down, Dino Falcone and Kathy Speirs. We thank them for their time and commitment to the Board over these past years. I would like to thank all of our volunteer Board of Directors for another dedicated year of service with Nelson Community Services Centre. It has been a pleasure to work this year with such a dedicated team of volunteers and staff. Respectfully submitted, Ed Edmondson, Board Chair Page 15 of 19

FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORT The Finance Committee consists of four board members: Kathy Speirs (chair), Carol Howard (treasurer), Ed Edmondson, Monica Doyle and two staff: Rona Park (Executive Director) and Vivian Smith (Finance Administrator). We meet quarterly to review and monitor the organization’s financial status. Our reports and any recommendation for changes are presented to the NCSC Board for further consideration and approval. This year our committee continued to review quarterly balance sheets and income statements, the 2013-2014 auditor’s report, the draft budget for 2015-2016, and reviewed our assets and liabilities. A detailed consolidated monthly financial report of all programs is presented at each Board meeting. The Board approved the hiring of a part-time Finance Assistant to assist with accounts payable and serve as backup for Vivian for payroll. Our big accomplishment this year was to formulate a Financial Plan based on our 2014-2018 Strategic Plan priorities. This new Financial Plan clearly identifies our Short Term (2014-2016) and Long Term financial objectives (2017-2018) as well as identifies where funds would be drawn from -- internally restricted and/or unrestricted reserve funds – should the need or opportunity arise. Most of the actual cash is invested until needed. Managing programs and funds for a non-profit organization like NCSC is no easy task. Reflecting solely on the 2014-2015 auditor report, the Income statement shows we took in $1,684,609 in revenues, incurred expenses of $1,657,046 so had an operating surplus of only $27,563 or came within 1.6% of breaking even. That is incredible! The staff and management should be commended on taking a disciplined and responsible approach in managing our funds and at the same time using all the resources at their disposal to deliver quality services to our community. So I heartily congratulate Rona, Vivian and every staff member in our organization for what was, in 2014-2015 a superlative year financially. Respectfully submitted, Carol Howard, Treasurer, Finance Committee

PERSONNEL COMMITTEE REPORT The first meeting of the fiscal year for the Personnel Committee was held on June 19, 2014. I was honoured to chair the meeting, taking over for Julia Bennett, who had held the position so astutely for the past several years. Thank you, Julia for your dedication and for continuing to sit on the committee. Sadly, Dino Falcone left the Committee when he resigned from the Board, and fortunately we gained Cathy Leugner, as she brings much life experience, compassion and career expertise to the table.

The Personnel Committee is responsible for the annual performance review of the Executive Director. The first year of our Rona Park’s employment ended on July 22, and her review took place in September. It was conducted by all Personnel Committee members with input from the outgoing Chair. Rona was acknowledged for the expertise she brings to the position and for the guidance she has offered the organization through the accreditation process, new hires, and many changes to policies and procedures that have tightened the reigns on best practices. This year we conducted the Personnel Satisfaction Survey, and overall we were satisfied with the results. All agreed the process was handled well and the feedback was appreciated but that improvements in the overall process of surveying personnel and sharing the information with both Board and staff could and should be made. Our main objective is to ensure that NCSC's employees experience a high standard of support and job satisfaction, with the organization's focus on retention. The Committee and the Executive Director agreed that Employee Service Awards are very important. The policy relating to this needed some amending and ideas were developed by the committee to ensure all were awarded appropriately. Going forward, the committee will continue to improve human resources and develop a modern and responsible practice with the ultimate goal of a cohesive working environment. Page 16 of 19

Respectfully submitted, Jenna Skidmore, Chair, Personnel Committee

NOMINATING AND RECRUITMENT COMMITTEE REPORT This past year NCSC received four resignations from our Board: Danielle Bedard, Lisa Schmidtke, Dino Falcone and Kathy Speirs. We thank them for their service and miss their input. We have been joined by Cathy Leugner and Dave Haynes who share their diverse expertise and interests. They are great assets to our Board. Several current members have agreed to extensions of their terms and for that we are grateful. We have commitments that will ensure smooth rotation of Board members. We continue to watch for interested community members who might join our Board. This year the Nominating and Recruitment Team has created the recruitment package in an electronic form. This is available for anyone expressing interest in joining the Board of Directors at our agency. Respectfully submitted, Kathy Baker and Monica Doyle Nominating and Recruitment Committee

COMMUNITY RELATIONS COMMITTEE REPORT Our team consists of three Board members --Julia Bennett, Jenna Skidmore and Carol Howard (chair), Rona Park, Executive Director, and two Program Coordinators, Anna Maskerine and Joyce Dahms-Whiffen. Our committee is responsible for the coordination of fundraising and donation initiatives, promoting the work of the agency within the community by means of different communication strategies, and keeping our stakeholders informed. Our reports and any recommendations for change are presented to the NCSC Board for further consideration and approval. These are a few items addressed in the past year by our committee:  development of a Community Relations plan (still in draft)  announcement of our successful accreditation in the Nelson Star  thanked the community for their generosity over Christmas with an open letter in the Nelson Star  amended Policy #3012 Fundraising and Donations to incorporate specific uses of donations to the Agency  amended Employee Recognition Policy #4017  assisted with the plans to celebrate the Transition House 20th Anniversary There are many items to address in our Community Relations Plan such as upgrading our website and setting up a Facebook page. Before we could make those changes it was unanimously agreed to update our profile as an organization by rebranding. The outcome of this decision was to hire a design consultant, Nichola Lytle of Pinkdog Designs. Our goal is to refresh our brand to better reflect who we are today. Nichola is guiding us through the branding process which involves as many staff, managers and Board members as possible. We are at the last stages of this process and will be selecting a new brand in the near future. We hope that our new brand and logo will inspire our clients, stakeholders, donors, and staff to show them our vision for the future. Respectfully submitted, Carol Howard, Chair, Community Relations Committee

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT This has been an exciting second year for me in the role of Executive Director. I began the year in full “accreditation mode” knowing that we had six months left to get ready for the accreditors’ site visit in late September. Everyone’s efforts in getting us to the finish line are to be commended – it was a huge piece of work and focus. With that huge milestone behind us, the “real” work of our agency and our Performance Quality Improvement (PQI) Committee work resumed their rightful places in our list of priorities. Most of the PQI data and analysis culminated in this year’s Performance Snapshot April 2014 – March 2015. It has been another record year in terms of numbers of clients served. Given the limited staff complement per program, we still managed to serve close to 1,000 people! Every program experienced continuously high demands for service throughout the year. In this year, BC Housing contracted with us for a new full-time Homelessness Prevention Program, inclusive of close to $100,000 for rental supplements allowing us to have an even greater impact on serving those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. And in this year, we reintroduced women’s healing and support groups and lead the evaluation of the Bridges for Women Pre-Employment Program in collaboration with the funder. April 2014 marked the beginning of a new 5-year Collective Agreement between BCGEU and the Community Social Services Employers’ Association. With that came some challenges in finding the funds to meet the negotiated 3% wage lift; but for the most part, our government funders came through with one-time assistance, allowing us time to reconfigure our budgets to be able to maintain this wage lift in successive years. We have had a stable employee group throughout this year. We welcomed several new casual employees at the Transition House and a part-time Clinical Supervisor, along with two practicum students. In recognition of the work involved in managing properties, a part-time admin assistant position was created at the Transition House; and our former live-in caretaker at Cicada Place return after two years away. To better support our employees, and to save money, we transitioned from one healthcare benefit provider to another this year. And we moved to a managed IT support system and purchased several new computers and office furnishings based on ergonomic assessments. Training and development continued as priorities for our staff group this year. We met our core training obligations, and we introduced ‘best practice’ discussions so that we could deepen our knowledge and skills by learning from each other and our own practice-based experiences. One of the discussions around violence in relationships led to a sub-committee that is working on how NCSC can fully embrace a zero tolerance for violence in our service approach. Towards the end of the fiscal year, we became aware of the government’s cross-ministerial Roundtable on Innovation and Sustainability that was inviting communities/regions to submit proposals for pilot projects that demonstrate innovation and efficiencies while achieving good client outcomes. As part of the regional administrators’ group, I have represented NCSC in the development of a regional integrated (and innovative) service delivery model. This work is ongoing and, if accepted, could prove to be very important and beneficial to our overall service delivery capacity. NCSC continued to enjoy a high profile in the service community by being an active participant in many interagency groups and committees. Our role in community development initiatives continued to play out in many ways. In closing, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the employees of NCSC whose dedication to the work inspires me every day. It is such a pleasure to provide leadership support to this group of professionals. And finally, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the Board for its continued confidence in me to provide leadership to this important and valued organization. I have appreciated your support and admire the dedication you continue to offer to this organization. Respectfully submitted, Rona Park, Executive Director

MANAGEMENT TEAM REPORT The Management Team is made up of Rona Park, Executive Director, Anna Maskerine, Transition House Program Coordinator, and Joyce Dahms-Whiffen, Youth Services and Housing Program Coordinator. This team is in its second year of working together Page 18 of 19

and has worked to further define its roles and priorities in best serving the agency. The team met roughly on a monthly basis with standing items that included personnel management matters, programming issues – related to existing programs and to new programming ideas, operational policies and procedures, budgetary considerations, community representation, risk management issues, and general information sharing from our respective roles.

As a good half of this year was dedicated to preparing for accreditation, the Management team spent considerable time developing the four-year Staff Training Plan, including management training needs, and various other PQI tasks. Prior to the development or amendment of any policy, the Management team undertook a review of the purpose and implication of any policy changes. The team instituted a change to the annual staff performance review process which involves shifting review dates to align with staff’s anniversary dates. This will be beginning in 2016. The Management team has identified a number of areas where considerable time and focus is required, for e.g. service continuity planning and revising job descriptions, as per CSSEA’s recommendation. The team has already begun some of this work and will endeavour to finalize it in the year ahead. Respectfully submitted, Rona Park, Anna Maskerine, and Joyce Dahms-Whiffen

PERFORMANCE QUALITY IMPROVEMENT (PQI) COMMITTEE REPORT In accredited organizations, PQI Committees play an important role in ensuring that quality services are being delivered and that priority areas such as policy development, outcome measures, and data gathering are maintained and that changes based on the data are made, where feasible. In this year leading up to reaccreditation, the PQI Committee increased its meetings to monthly to ensure that we had the evidence to support our adherence to standards. Between accrediting four-year cycles, the accrediting body (COA) always introduces new or revised standards that needed to be reviewed and examined for our compliance. Some of the accomplishments of the PQI Committee this year included:  complete development and review of Self-Study evidence for program and governance standards  revisions to forms such as Welcome Letter, Intake Form, and annual Outcome Measures Report  significant discussion, research, and amendment to several key service delivery policies such as Working Alone, Crisis Response, Critical Incident Reporting, and Participation in Research  compiled and analyzed the Client Satisfaction Survey data; looked at ways to improve response rate  standardized program reporting format (Quarterly Program Reports to the Board)  reviewed fire drill reports and facility inspection reports  recommended changes to the Employee Orientation manual  regular review of File Review Summaries, Incident Reports, Client Grievances, and Training updates Respectfully submitted, PQI Committee (Staff members - Liz Amaral, Anna Maskerine, Joyce Dahms-Whiffen, Cathy Swanston, Pat Hendrickson, and Rona Park; Board members – Kathy Baker, Julia Bennett)

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