Advisory Boards in Adult Education
Adult education programs will rely on the advice and support of numerous people during the many phases of their existence. An advisory board (also known as a council) can be an important source of direction and support to an adult education program. Having an independent body of community leaders and adult learners working with staff can be key to building a secure, ongoing program.
The advisory board plays an important public relations role, as well as, providing program staff with a fresh perspective on programmatic issues. In addition, working with an advisory board may increase the organization's potential to broaden its funding through contacts for in-kind resources, and for direct financial support.
Massachusetts DOE Expectations for ABE Programs
All Massachusetts Department of Education-funded Adult Basic Education Programs must have an active Adult Basic Education Advisory Council which consists of students, staff, and community leaders. The council must reflect the diverse needs and interests of the local community. Council membership must consist of seven or more individuals if the ABE program is operating at a minimum of twelve hours per week. The council should meet on a regular basis but at a minimum of at least four times per year. The council should provide input and should advise the program staff on policy issues, long-range planning, and program evaluation in order to ensure that the program is meeting its objectives. Programs are required to provide minutes of their meetings in an annual report.
Advisory Board Responsibilities
Advisory boards do not have any legal authority, therefore all of their responsibilities are assigned at the discretion of the program director and/or board of directors. The purpose of an advisory board is to undertake meaningful and purposeful activities for support specific to the program in policy, planning, evaluation, public relations and sometimes fund raising. Responsibilities assigned to an advisory board may include any or all of the following:
Program Creation and Planning. It can be beneficial to create an advisory board during the early stages of developing a program so that board members can provide advice concerning the design and plans for the program. It is easiest to begin with a small advisory board, for example, four to seven community leaders and community members (including learners), during the planning process.
Development of Program Policy. While advisory boards cannot create legally binding policies for the organization, they can help create policies which provide direction and support for the program staff.
Planning and Implementing Public Relations. An advisory board which includes influential community leaders and learner advocates can be effective at spreading the word about program services.
Funding Leadership. Sometimes advisory boards have major responsibility to raise program funds. The advisory board must be granted this authority by the executive director or the board of directors. Individuals committed to the organization with the influence to leverage resources will be most successful.
Subcommittees. The advisory board may develop subcommittees which have assigned tasks in specific areas. For example, a public awareness subcommittee composed of four members may be responsible for making recommendations about public awareness strategies and resources. Subcommittees may be short-lived according to a specific assignment or ongoing.
Other Tasks. Advisory boards can be created to address a specific organizational need. These advisory boards are usually short-lived and are disbanded as soon as their specific goals are met.
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Board Membership
Each advisory board member brings something unique to the program. Some members will take responsibility for specific tasks. Other members will not be able to accept specific responsibilities, but will attend meetings and provide valuable input. Others may not be able to attend many meetings, but have good contacts or can carry out a specific function independently. Some board members may not be able to attend meetings or take any specific responsibilities, yet their support, even if in name only, may be important because it lends credibility to the project.
The membership for advisory boards and boards of directors should reflect the diversity of the community, including representatives from various cultures, socioeconomic groups, and settings (rural, urban, etc.) as appropriate. The program director, staff and the program's Board of Directors need to think carefully about the program's current and future needs for "advice" when deciding about the composition of the advisory board.
Recruitment of Advisory Board Members
Potential advisory board members should be recruited based on the program's current and future needs for "advice". They may be found in the immediate circle of program contacts as well as civic, business and human services organizations. Others may be identified through professional groups that lack representation on the current board (i.e., an accountant or early intervention specialist). While it can be helpful to have influential community members on the board, these individuals must care about the services offered by the organization.
It is best to contact potential advisory board members personally. Usually, the program director invites the candidate to a meeting to discuss potential membership. A follow-up packet of materials is sent after the call to provide the candidate with additional information about the organization, including a description of activities and expectations for members. Sending these materials will also send a message about the organization's professionalism.
When meeting with individual candidates, the organizational representatives should discuss the specific contributions that each can make to the organization. Having a description of the activities and expectations available during this meeting will help clarify the specific role the individual is being asked to fill. It is important to be specific about the reasons for approaching potential board members. This will allow individuals to understand what is being asked of them and whether they have the time and energy to fulfill that request.
Training, Motivation and Retention
Training individuals to be effective members of an advisory board, maintaining their participation over time, and ongoing education of members, are crucial to a successful relationship between the advisory board and adult education program administration.
Once individuals have agreed to serve on the advisory board, it is important to orient them to the organization. Board members need to understand the organization to serve it effectively. Providing them with background information, a tour of the facilities, a meeting with key staff members and the students, and, perhaps, assigning each a mentor from the current board, will help them to become involved more easily. Giving new members concrete tasks will allow them to develop a sense of belonging. It will also provide the board with an opportunity to give new members formal recognition for their specific contributions early in their term of service.
Every board member will need ongoing training to remain on the forefront of organizational issues. This can be accomplished at regular meetings or at designated training meetings. In addition, annual board retreats are a good method for integrating new members, building cohesion among members, and taking time to reflect on the past year's performance. Ongoing training will help board members feel educated and involved.
While training board members and using their skills effectively will help keep members interested in serving, board members also need public recognition for the important volunteer work they are doing for the organization. Holding an annual recognition dinner is an easy and fun way to recognize board members, as well as other volunteers. Taking the time to say thank you can go a long way in maintaining a positive relationship with the board, and in so doing, with the entire community.
Build commitment and energy by engaging board members in specific tasks and projects right away. Activities that are short-term and have tangible, visible results right away help build commitment. For example, board members might help develop a program policy on handling serious disruptive behavior. Other appropriate activities include providing input for celebratory event, scholarship funds and distribution, or a financial literacy curriculum.
Energizing Existing Boards
At times, the relationship between a board and program staff may become stagnant. This is a natural occurrence and should not cause alarm. The executive director has several options for handling the challenge of re-energizing an existing board.
The direct one-to-one approach is often effective. The program director can schedule private meetings with individual board members to determine the nature of their interest and commitment. This will enable the executive to match the talents and interests of board members with appropriate committees and/or tasks. This also conveys the conviction that each board member can perform functions important to the organization's future.
Another way to energize an existing board is through training. Training allows a board to see itself in a new light. The training may be general instruction concerning the function of board members, or it may be specific to a task in which the board will engage. It is also possible for boards to be energized by the addition of new members. An executive director may recommend new members to the board chairperson or nominating committee, depending upon the established process. New members provide new vision and commitment to the organization.
Conclusion
Working with an advisory board can be an exciting and supporting experience for an organization. When the mission of the program, the social and political influences affecting the program, and responsibilities of the staff and advisory board members are understood and worked with, the result can be the addition of a body of individuals who support every project of the agency and help it attain success.
Resources
BoardSource [formerly: National Center for Nonprofit Boards], 1828 L Street NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20036, 800-883-6262, www.ncnb.org Society for Nonprofit Organizations, 5820 Canton Center Road, Suite 165, Canton, MI 48187, 734-451-3582, danenet.wicip.org/snpo
*Rather than "recreate the wheel", the text above has been excerpted and adapted, with permission, from a public document: McKinney, Sue, and Nancy Smith. Advisory Boards and Boards of Directors, ARCH Factsheet Number 24, May 1993, ARCH National Resource Center for Crisis Nurseries and Respite Care Services.
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Advisory Boards in Adult Education: The Short Cut
(Special thanks to David Rosen, former director of the Adult Literacy Resource Institute)
- Recruit advisory board members whose point of view you care about.
- Orient new members on what the program does and how it does it. Provide informational materials.
- Be clear about advisory board member responsibilities.
- At each meeting, present issues for advisory board members to think about — real issues with which the program is struggling. Provide written materials on the issues. Allow the board to explore the issue over time: use one meeting to present the issue, and another to seek advice and input from the board.
- Listen actively.
- Document the work: each year, compile a report of the board recommendations. Six months later (or some other designated time), report on the action taken as a result of their recommendations.
- Recognize the work of the board. Publish it. Celebrate it! Say "Thank you".
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Advisory Boards
Some thoughts for ABE Program Directors (with apologies to Stephen Covey)
Habit One: Be Proactive
How can an advisory board help your program?
Habit Two: Begin With The End In Mind
Have I truly helped board members to understand the vision and mission of the agency and their role in the vision and mission?
Habit Three: Put First Things First
Have I truly helped the board members to understand the types of activities they might undertake?
Habit Four: Think Win-Win
Have I truly helped the group to develop an abundance mentality with regard to community resources and networking?
Habit Five: Seek First To Understand, Then To Be Understood
Do I actively seek other points of view within the group?
Habit Six: Synergize
Do I truly value differences and seek third alternatives within the group?
Habit Seven: Sharpen the Saw
Do I provide opportunities for the group to engage in continuous quality improvement?
Web Sites of Interest
There is a wealth of information on the Web regarding different kinds of boards, their roles and their development. Check out these sites for tools, tips, and the answers to your questions about advisory boards:
Nonprofit Genie
www.genie.org
Board Development [United Way of Canada]
www.boarddevelopment.org
What You Need to Know About Nonprofit Charitable Orgs
nonprofit.about.com
And of course, remember www.sabes.org, your source of curriculum, news, ideas, and technical assistance in adult basic education. |
