Applications open on Monday for the Institute of Directors’ Tuakana Teina Chair mentoring programme.
The second cohort of 35 teina (mentees) was sought after a successful inaugural programme of 25 teina was run last year. It is run in conjunction with Community Governance Aotearoa.
Applicants must be a chairperson for a community organisation, including not-for-profit organisations, charities, non-governmental organisations and community groups, with tier three or four status, as defined by Charities Service.
They must have been in a chairperson role for less than three years, be open to learning and sharing their governance experience, not already a director on the board of an NZX or large company, and not participating in the institute’s emerging directors, mentoring for diversity or future directors programmes. They were also not expected to be members of the institute.
Institute Otago-Southland branch committee chairwoman Trish Oakley said not-for-profit governance was at the heart of New Zealand’s community sector and those who sat on those trust boards were often passionate about the organisation and its purpose.
Sometimes they encountered governance issues not previously experienced and there could be additional challenges to navigate, Ms Oakley said.
"Part of our way of supporting the sector is providing the opportunity for 35 chairs to be paired with someone with broad governance experience to coach and guide. The programme also provides access to both our governance and finance essentials online courses, which enables participants to strengthen their capability further," she said.
