Chairman's Update November

Posted by on 12 November 2015 | Comments

Hi all,

As this comes through to you we are close to half way through the national road show, and one of the key themes that is coming through is the desire for greater communication from the Board to members. Going forward I will be sending out updates following our bi-monthly board meetings to provide an update about developments within the organisation.

- The South Island road shows are now complete which has provided a great opportunity for members to share their views on the organisation’s strategy and some key developments within the organisation. I look forward to visiting the North Island regions over the next week.
- As I have mentioned at the roadshows to date, two of the key roles of the Board are employing the CEO and providing oversight of the strategy for the organisation. The key strategic priority in the short term is to develop the ‘Benefit of Belonging’ to the organisation and increase the value of being a member. Over the next 6-12 months there will be some great offerings coming through to members out of this objective.
- The first initiative for developing the ‘Benefit of Belonging’ is the recently announced membership disbursement structure beginning in early 2016. This structure is intended to allow clubs and regions greater ability to provide value to members throughout the year and incentivise members to renew their membership. Under this structure, members will pay a $70 membership sub as usual, and National Office will disburse $30 back to the members club, $10 back to the members region, and retain $30 for operating costs. For a club with 25 members this will mean an additional $750 for delivering value to members of that club, and $250 to that region. As a result, a region with 300 members will now have an additional $3,000 for delivering greater value for membership.
- As we enter the months of Summer and the range of activities begins to increase, it is important that our clubs and members are always keeping Health and Safety in mind. Each activity or event within the organisation needs to be assessed for Health and Safety risks. Support from your regional Health and Safety representative (who sits on your Regional Committee) and the National Office is making this process as easy and stress-free as possible, resources are available on the NZYF website to aid you here. Health and Safety is important not because it is law, but because it ensures our members and friends are safe.

Lastly, James Christie has signalled his intention to stand down from the Board at the end of December. Many of you will know James, who has had a great level of involvement within the organisation, including being co-convenor for the 2016 FMG Young Farmer of the Year Grand Final in Timaru. James has been on the Board for the past 4 years as a co-opted board member. During this time, James has contributed a significant amount of value and expertise, and I would like to thank him for his contributions to the organisation in this role, and others, over this time. The Board will begin a process of seeking a replacement co-opted board member for James before the end of the year.

Look forward to talking with you soon,
Jason