Volunteer Opportunity: Board Member at Large

Legal Specialist or General Member


Are you inspired by land-based education for equity-denied youth? Are you ready to step into a leadership role? Do you want to support local youth to lead the transition to a more just and sustainable future? We’re looking for a community member with experience and expertise in law to join our board of directors!

 

  • Attend 5 online board meetings annually (2-3 hours, weekday evenings) 
  • Contribute an average of 5 hours/month of volunteer time, including board meetings
  • Participate in strategic planning and visioning for the organization (every 2-3 years)
  • Review and approve annual budget, annual plan, and quarterly financial statements
  • Help to recruit new board members and support board succession planning
  • Help to organize and attend EYA’s annual general meeting in July
  • Help to ensure EYA is meeting its legal obligations 
  • Help to facilitate board meetings if you feel comfortable  
  • Help to reimagine what governance looks like for EYA
  • Conduct exit interviews for EYA staff, as required
  • Get to know EYA’s programs and act as an ambassador for our work in the community  
  • Be willing to take on officer roles (e.g. Co-Chair, Co-Treasurer, etc.) when vacancies occur

 

It’s an exciting time to join the EYA board! We’re actively working to reimagine what governance looks like at EYA and decolonize how our board works. We’ve also recently surpassed our goal of 50% youth representation. We start each meeting with a check-in question and land honouring, and have rotating meeting facilitators. No prior experience on a board is necessary – we’ll provide training and help you feel comfortable in your role as a board member. Board members are not required to make financial contributions to EYA. Learn more about our current Board Members here.

 

Requirements & Assets 

  • Ready to step into a leadership role in your community
  • Able to complete at least a 3-year board term
  • Able to respond promptly to email communications 
  • Able to attend online evening board meetings using Zoom
  • Clear and open communication skills 
  • Able to work collaboratively with other directors and EYA staff
  • Personal values fit with EYA mission and culture
  • Satisfactory criminal record check, including vulnerable sector check
  • Past experience as an EYA participant (asset)
  • Connections to local communities (asset)
  • Understanding of the legal duties of a board (asset)
  • A background in law, currently practicing law, and/or experience providing advice to nonprofits (asset)

 

EYA prioritizes applications from people who identify as Indigenous, Black, People of Colour, 2SLGBTQIA+, living with a disability, and others from equity-denied communities. We encourage you to self-identify in your application. 

 

About the organization
EYA empowers equity-denied youth to become environmental stewards. We provide land-based education and paid job training programs that braid Western and Indigenous perspectives on land stewardship, and are grounded in the principles of environmental justice. You’ll be joining a collaborative team of caring, creative, fun, like-minded people and an organization committed to decolonizing action. Find out more about our team and work: www.eya.ca

EYA operates on the unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) people.


How to Apply

E-mail a resume and cover letter outlining your interest in the position to Carmen Wong, Co-Executive Director (carmen@eya.ca) with “Board member application” in the subject line.

The deadline to apply is June 2nd, 2024 or until filled. Applications will be reviewed upon submission and interviews will be scheduled on a rolling basis.

The interview will take about 30-45 minutes and will be held on Zoom. We’ll ask you a few questions about your experience and motivation for joining the EYA board, provide you with more information about how the board works, and answer any questions that you have.