PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Mr. McCuaig found it particularly valuable to learn how different Branches are engaging their Members and what supports are available. For example, APEGA has two staff members available — a branch coordinator for the north and one for the south — to help Branch volunteers deliver programs. Branch Chair meetings are held quarterly, providing valuable face-to-face time for Chairs, Branch coordinators, and the Director, Member Services, to discuss issues. Again, the main focus is information sharing and collaboration about serving Members.
to renew and refocus our delivery of services and information to Members. Branches allow us to reach Members across the province, where they live. They provide the reach that we need and that Members expect. When Branches and Members are engaged, our professions are stronger, making APEGA a stronger and more representative self-regulator. “To maintain our ability to self-regulate, we need an engaged membership,” notes Mr. McCuaig. “The self in self-regulating is much greater than the APEGA head office — it is the membership.”
LEGISLATIVE REVIEW
SUCCESS STORIES SO FAR
Engaging Branch Executives in APEGA’s strategic business priorities, like the legislative review that’s now underway, has also been an essential part of the Branch renewal process over the past year. APEGA recruited Branch Executive Members to be part of the champions collaborative, a group of APEGA professionals gathering input from APEGA Members and Permit Holders on key issues surrounding the legislative review. The champions recognize the importance of the review and have been discussing it with stakeholders.
Several initiatives are moving the renewal process forward. We’ve been clarifying the roles of Branches, and ensuring that their direc- tion and focus reflect APEGA’s business and strategic plans. First up was updating APEGA’s Branch Manual. This document outlines the responsibilities of the Branch Executives. It includes: • policies, procedures, and guidelines for conducting Branch business • a timeline for key activities that must be performed during the year • details on reporting finances Since Branch Executives change each year, the manual serves as a foundational document, providing continuity and the standard- ization of Branch operations, and ensuring consistency across all Branches. “With volunteer turnover, that knowledge is sometimes lost,” says Mr. Walters. “People may not know what their role is and what’s expected of them.” With this in mind, Branch Chairs have worked closely with APEGA staff to develop job descriptions outlining the responsibili- ties of executive positions, such as Chair, Past-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Vice-Chair, and Member-at-Large. The new and improved manual was adopted in April, just before APEGA’s Summit 2015 Annual General Meeting and Confer- ence. It was put to use right away at the annual Branch orientation session, held following the AGM. The orientation puts Branch vol- unteers from around the province in the same room for an over- view of Branch roles and an explanation of how Branch Members fit into the larger APEGA picture. With engagement in mind, the orientation format and delivery were overhauled to make the event more interactive. In 2015, a mix of new and seasoned volunteers attended, and the focus was: • collaboration • networking • sharing best practices • learning how branches fit within the APEGA framework This allowed Branches and APEGA staff to understand and agree upon where efforts and attention belong. “It was a good forum to discuss how the Branches are work- ing and how we can do better,” says Mr. McCuaig. “We’re capitaliz- ing now on a lot of corporate history, not just within the individual Branches but within the Branches collectively. That has been a boon to re-engaging our membership.”
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A STRATEGIC PRIORITY
An APEGA strategic priority in our 2015 Business Plan was Branch renewal. Several goals were targeted and most have already been met or are in progress. Develop a renewed Branch manual that is actively being used 9
Improve Branch engagement
Ongoing
Standardizing roles and responsibilities of Branch positions across all Branches
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Ensure transparency of Branch finances
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