The Roles and Responsibilities of a Voting Member Organization

The below information is from the 2018 CYPT Charter document. The full charter can be found here.

Voting Member Organizations

Voting Member Organizations are those that are intentionally invested in the strategic direction and future of the Children and Youth Planning Table, and who seek intentional linkages to the work of the Table and their organization. By virtue of their Voting Member designation, they are organizations that reap the following benefits:

A broader and richer community-wide perspective on child and youth well-being.
An opportunity for input and influence into how to be best mobilize as one system for child and youth well-being.
Avoidance of duplication in their work by having a greater awareness of other child and youth well-being efforts.
Stronger relationships and networks with those working in the child and youth well-being space.
Opportunities for leadership, and for engaging with other leaders in the system of services and supports for children and youth.

Collaboratives/Networks/Councils and other groups that are made up of representatives from various organizations and who wish to make intentional linkages to the work of the Children and Youth Planning Table are welcome to consider a Nested or Affiliated designation [see earlier description]. When endorsements/votes are put forward to Voting Member organizations, Nested and Affiliated Groups will have opportunity for input – to be considered alongside the official endorsement/vote of Voting Members.

Roles and Responsibilities of a Voting Member Organization

Aspires to the Vision of the Children and Youth Planning Table.
Actively considers how the work of their organization fits in with the broader system of services and supports for children and youth – and considers opportunities for doing work differently in the interest of greater child and youth well-being (alignment with the CYPT Mission).
Looks for opportunities to intentionally align the work of the organization to CYPT’s Shared Measurement Framework; to move the needle on measures within the nine dimensions of child and youth well-being.
Actively works with/towards the ideals expressed in the Shared Foundation for Practice.
Designates a primary and secondary Voting Member representative for their organization who will adhere to the roles and responsibilities of Voting Member Representatives (outlined below).
Ensures organization information is up-to-date on the Family Compass website.
Ensures Family Compass link is active on organization website (and promoted in others ways as appropriate).
Actively votes/endorses/participates in CYPT requests to Voting Member Organizations.
Actively contributes to the work of the CYPT (e.g., provides staff time for Groups, provides meeting space, provides/shares in-house resources, etc.).

Each Voting Member organization designates a primary and secondary individual to act as the Voting Member representatives for their organization. The roles and responsibilities of these individuals are as follows:

Roles and Responsibilities of a Voting Member Representative

Acts as a champion for stretching beyond traditional organization practices and looking for meaningful opportunities to work differently together in the broader system of services and supports for children, youth and families.
Intentionally removes their organization/sector “hat” for the purpose of system-level conversation (as warranted).
Stays informed of the work of the CYPT.
Acts as a conduit for information between the CYPT and other members of their organization, and vice versa.
Actively gathers input from other members of their organization to inform the work of the CYPT.
Participates in Voting Member activities and provides official vote/endorsement from the lens of what is in the best interest of advancing the Vision and Mission of the Children and Youth Planning Table.
Provides sign-off on behalf of the organization (as requested).
Shares feedback via a survey once a year on their participation as a Voting Member Organization.
Declares any conflict of interest for any item in which they, or their organization would have a direct financial or vested interest in a specific outcome. In such an event, the individual will not actively take part in the discussion or the final decision for that item (if that is the will of the group).

Accountability

Voting Membership is open to any organization who sees their work as aligning with the Vision of the CYPT, as well as the CYPT’s Shared Measurement Framework (intentional…moving the needle on at least one of the nine dimensions of child and youth well-being), and who intentionally seeks to be part of efforts to collectively mobilize as one system for children and youth in Waterloo Region that relentlessly strives to maximize well-being throughout generations (the Mission of the Children and Youth Planning Table). . An application form is completed by all interested Organizations and approved by CYPT staff (and Steering Committee if deemed necessary). Voting membership is considered active until the next Charter endorsement takes place, or until the organization deems it no longer a fit or expectations around active participation are not fulfilled (see below).

As Voting Member Organizations, we share in the ownership of the CYPT and know that collective success comes through active participation of all involved. For those who do not find it possible to actively participate (i.e., vote/endorse/attend Voting Member meetings at least 75% of the time over a rolling 24 month period), the Co-Chairs or Manager of the CYPT will reach out to the organization to discuss the fit of on-going Voting Member status and any concerns on the part of the organization. If the participation rate does not increase over the next 6 months, Voting Member designation will be removed and general participation status will be put in place. Organizations are welcome to submit a re-application for Voting Member designation for review and approval by Steering Committee.

With reference to the work of the CYPT, Voting Member Representatives are accountable to their own organization, as well to their fellow Voting Member Organizations of the Children and Youth Planning Table.

Decision Making

Voting Member Organizations of the Children and Youth Planning Table strive to make informed decisions. They are designated as the key decision making body for the CYPT, and in turn, will make decisions considering input from the broad group of CYPT participants and/or the community at large.

When Voting Member Organizations are asked to provide a vote or endorsement, they will be asked to consider if the decision/direction in the best interest for the work of the Children and Youth Planning Table.

A decision/direction will be considered supported when at least 51% of all Voting Member Organizations are in favour. This means that if less than half of all Voting Member Organizations participate in a vote/endorsement request, even if all participants are in favour, that a decision/direction cannot be moved forward due to the failure to hear from sufficient number of Voting Member Organizations.

Staff Support

Children and Youth Planning Table staff support the work of the Voting Member Organizations in the following ways:

Ensuring effective communication and knowledge mobilization strategies to make it easier to stay informed on the work of the CYPT and to provide meaningful vote/endorsement/participation.
Creating voting/endorsement/participation processes that are meaningful, respectful and informed. This includes arranging for alternative methods to participate/vote/endorse (as requested and as possible) and ensuring thoughtful use of time.
Creating processes and opportunities for organizations to strengthen connections to each other and to the work of the CYPT.
Requesting input specific from the vantage point of Voting Member Organizations.
Ensure intentional and effective on-boarding for new Voting Member Organizations.
Creating inclusive and welcoming spaces.

Meeting Schedule

Voting Member Organizations are asked to participate at 2-3 full CYPT membership meetings a year, as well as 2-3 Voting Member-specific meetings a year. Participation can be by either the primary or secondary Voting Member Representative – or a designate the Voting Member Organization deems as suitable.

The Steering Committee will have two seats designated for Voting Member Representatives. Voting Member Representatives can self-nominate for these seats, and selection will be made by Steering Committee. The term will be for two years.