Facilitator

Position Description:   FACILITATOR

      Reviewed:   August 2021

  There are a number of distinct areas of responsibility for this position.

1.  General Responsibility

  • Ensure that SWAN in all its undertakings - Committee of management and all associated roles e.g. financial and administrative management, membership meetings, adherence to Constitution, required reporting including Community Affairs Victoria and public involvement - fulfils all accountabilities and does so within the articulated values of SWAN.
  • Point of contact for media, public comment, negotiation e.g. space, signing of funding submissions and reports where required. 
  • The “support of Committee of Management “ part of the Facilitator’s role is to ensure and support other members to undertake their role.

2.  Committee of Management meeting facilitation

The role of the Facilitator is to ensure that meetings are fair and respectful, and in line with the constitution and values of SWAN. 

 Work with Minutes secretary to develop the agenda

  1. Ensure a quorum is met
  2. Welcome and introduce guests
  3. Keep to timeline
  4. Prioritize and adhere to the agenda
  5. Facilitate discussion and encourage participation
  6. Make sure all opinions are heard
  7. Reflect, clarify and summarise discussion
  8. Assist the secretary by making sure they have time to take clear minutes and that decisions are clearly identified
  9. Minimize and control conflict
  10. Call for votes where applicable. 

3.  Sunday Meeting facilitation

The SWAN Facilitator hosts the membership meeting, and is also responsible for opening and closing down the venue e.g. ensuring the venue is clean, that all doors are locked and the alarm is activated if necessary.

 Prior to the meeting

  • Ensure a venue is booked and paid for.
  • Ensure key code is available at the meeting if applicable
  • If face to face meeting is not possible, ensure Zoom meeting is set up and any hall booking cancelled.
  • Update the running sheet
  • Conduct the AGM at the September meeting, including approving the minutes of all Sunday meetings for the year. These could be sent to members or published on the website to avoid having to read them at the meeting.
  • Check on other members – see if they are set for the meeting
  • Store the Facilitators case containing candle, tablecloths, etc

 At the meeting

  • Work with the committee members to set up the venue, and achieve the tasks required e.g. audio, food, etc.
  • Set up the speaker’s table with tablecloth etc
  • Set up the Remembrance /Acknowledgement candle
  • Set up flowers for speaker
  • Follow the running sheet for the meeting.  A notepad to make notes about specific issues may assist.
  • Assist with break down tasks. Check all Committee members are ok, ask general members to assist them with tasks if necessary etc.
  • The Speaker Coordinator is responsible for greeting the speaker when they arrive.  However the Facilitator should make a point of connecting.
  • If the Speaker is unable to attend, form small discussion groups so we get to know each other better and discuss current Social Justice issues.

 End of the meeting

  • Ensure room is packed up as required and reasonably clean.
  • Collect all material from the share table to distribute at the next meeting
  • Make sure all doors are closed and locked.
  • Secure the building, put key in key safe if appropriate.
  • Collect food provision notices and record for the folder.

 4.  Extra Tasks:

When new Committee elected or when necessary, determine where the Committee will meet and decide which day and time is suitable for all Committee members.

Ensure all new Committee members have the link to the Constitution and the Code of Conduct on the website and encourage them to read and understand these documents.

Ensure all tasks which are not allocated to a specific position are allocated to a non-Committee member if someone volunteers, or to a Committee member.  There is a list of these tasks in the Position Descriptions area of the website.

 

Approximate Time Commitment (Hours)

Sunday meetings:  

Booking venue, Running Sheet, flyer review   2

Set up, Meeting and Clear up                          4

                                                                         6

Committee meetings:

         Arrange venue and date, assist with agenda     2

         Meeting                                                               3

         Review minutes, follow up actions                      2

                                                                                     7

                                                                                               

Ad hoc tasks between meetings                                    4

Total                                                                             17

 5 x 17 = 85 hours per year approximately, mostly around meetings.