Blog: The Commission’s stakeholder forum
By Charlene Brooks
Chairperson, stakeholder engagement forum
Over the last few months the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland has been developing a stakeholder engagement forum to support the regulator in hearing a wide range of views from across the charity sector. To that end, the Commission has tried to draw members of the forum from a cross section of the sector in terms of size, income, location and the beneficiaries they work with.
I think the forum is a real opportunity for the charity sector to ensure its voice is heard by the Commission. It will provide a regular opportunity for joint discussion of issues and priorities related to charity regulation, and an ongoing means through which the views of the sector can be considered in the development of the Commission’s work.
The forum has 14 members who bring a wealth of experience of working and volunteering in the charity sector and who are committed to representing views from the perspective of charities in their part of the sector. I am delighted to take up the role of independent chairperson of the forum. In this role I will act as an advocate and champion for this initiative, doing my best to ensure meetings run smoothly and that all members can participate. I think it’s a sign of the importance the Commission places on the forum that one of the Commissioner’s, Gerry McCurdy, will act as a link person between the forum and the board of Commissioners.
We will meet four times a year and because each member will serve a three year term, we will have the chance to get to know each other and gel as a group. Agenda items will be compiled by the secretary to the forum from suggestions from both the Commission and the forum’s members.
We will be holding our first meeting, online, on Wednesday 22 September and I look forward to introducing you to the other members of the forum after that meeting. We will also publish updates about the forum on the Commission’s website as it develops.
I look forward to being part of a dynamic dialogue between the Commission and forum over the next three years.
About Charlene
Charlene Brooks comes from a community development background and has spent her entire working life in the voluntary sector. She is the Chief Executive of Parenting NI and vice–chair of NICVA’s board of trustees. Charlene has also been appointed as the independent chair of the Commission’s newly established stakeholder forum. In this blog she sets out her vision for the forum.