EAZWV Communications Working Group Briefing

1Constitutional basis for Working groups.

Article 16.Constitution and obligations of Working Groups

1Working groups may be set up by the Board to further the strategic aims of the Association. The Board may also dissolve working groups if they are felt no longer to be required.

2The objectives of the working group will be defined by the Board and reviewed on an annual basis.

3The Board will identify and appoint a suitable working group chair, who will oversee the activities of the working group. This appointment will be reviewed on an annual basis and can be renewed by mutual agreement.

4Appointment of further working group members is at the discretion of the working group chair but should represent the diversity of the organisation as far as is practicable.

5The working groups shall, to the extent necessary and desirable, undertake to coordinate their efforts and activities.

6To fund their activities, the working group may undertake fundraising events or may be subsidised from the Association's budget.

7Each working group shall be represented on the Advisory Board by the working group chair or their nominated representative.

8Each working group shall provide a report for the biannual Board meetings and produce a short written report suitable for dissemination to the membership to the secretariat 4 weeks before the General Assembly and the autumn meeting.

2Working Group Objectives

In April 2016, the board and advisory board took part in a strategy planning workshop for EAZWV. A number of priority initiatives were identified. (see report).

The Coms WG input is required on 12 of the initiatives.

They will lead one, have significant responsibility for delivery of 7 and consult on 4 others:

Initiative / Role of ComsWG
Improve member communication and access to resources / Lead: accountable for organizing, delivering and reporting on this initiative
See below for more detail on this initiative.
Raise professional standards through production and dissemination of technical resources / Responsible: contribute to delivery.
Help technical resources group identify key resources required.
Assist in producing these resources as appropriate.
Ensure EAZWV (including its members) minimizes its environmental impact / Responsible: contribute to delivery. Ensure own activities (events) in line with this. Help develop event guidelines
Run an annual conference that meets the needs of the whole membership AND is a showcase of EAZWV scientific activities / Responsible: contribute to delivery.
Work with conference planning group to ensure workshops/round tables and plenaries consistent with identified training priorities.
Proactively engage in debate (and arbitration) on ethical and welfare issues both internal and external to EAZWV / Responsible: contribute to delivery.
Increasing EAZWV Membership / Responsible: contribute to delivery.
Professionalise EAZWV: Clear governance structure, policies and procedures / Responsible: contribute to delivery.
Clarify EAZWV's position on ethical issues pertaining to Wildlife health, welfare and conservation and get member buy-in
/ Responsible: contribute to delivery.
Identified need to run some training events on ethics (difference between ethics and morals. Ethics and welfare etc) + build capacity of both ethics working group and membership on how to approach ethical issues.
May also need to commission media training (stop our members inadvertently falling into traps)
Increasing EAZWV resources (financial) / Consultation: your views required
Financial resources group needs to understand types of initiatives you are working on, what might be grant funded, what needs fundraising. Also what support you need for business planning.
Raise professional standards through provision of specialist training to meet member needs / Consultation: your views required
Raise professional standards by increasing data collection, sharing and use for evidence based decision making / Consultation: your views required
Increase EAZWV's effectiveness in influencing EU legislation / Consultation: your views required

The outline briefing for the initiative for with Communications WG will lead is as follows:

Improve member communication and access to resources:
The issue identified: / The current website rarely used. Forums are not used at all, the newsletter takes a long time to produce (not current) and not made best use of. Social media (Facebook) is used but primarily by those under 30.
The result we are looking for: /
  • The website is go to resource for all members both to access information and to communicate with the EAZWV community
    news and technical resources are up to date and used regularly by majority of members

What do we need to do: /
  • upgrade website
  • revamp news provision to membership
  • develop social media capacity
  • familiarise membership with new resources (including forums, online voting, feedback areas etc). - need FAQs
  • careful use of bulk emails to keep members inform and also publicise our events to non members.

What resources /support is required/available? /
  • communications working group
  • news collectors, social media expertise etc
  • webmaster!!!
  • new webplatform
  • secretariat
  • google/facebook analytics

Potential pitfalls (ie Things to watch out for) / lots of effort but members still don’t use resource
How will progress be monitored? /
  • google analytics / click backs
  • member satisfaction survey
  • social media useable

Who needs to be involved in the work? /
  • Executive Director
  • Communications Team

Who needs consulting? /
  • Communications Team

Who needs to be kept informed / All sections and working groups

If the Working Group wishes to propose additional initiatives (other than the ones assigned to them by the Board) – they should produce a written proposal to the Board in line with the structure given above, indicating how this new proposal will contribute to the strategic aims of the association.

3Working Group Terms of Reference

WG Aims and Objectives:

  • The Board commissions working groups to further the strategic aims of the Association.
  • The objectives of the working group will be defined by the Board and reviewed on an annual basis. The aims of this working group our outlined in section 2 above.
  • The Board may decide to dissolve working groups if they are felt no longer to be required.

Membership and Term of Office

Chair

The chair is appointed by the board from the membership. The initial term of appointment is 2yrs (with annual review) but there is the option of reappointment.

Vice chair

The vice chair is proposed to the board by the chair. The initial term of appointment is 2yrs (with annual review) but there is the option of reappointment.

To spread the opportunity of Working group leadership among the membership, the total time that any one member may serve either as chair or vice chair of any specific working group is capped at a total of 6 consecutive years.

Working Group Members

WG members are appointed by the Chair from the EAZWV membership. There is no limit to number of working group members. The working groups may define their own rules about terms of office.The working group should, where possible and appropriate, reflect the breadth of membership (ie different disciplines, students and full members, geographic mix).

Meetings

Working group work is organized via the WG forum (see below), e-mail or other electronic means. A physical meeting takes place at the occasion of the Annual Conference. Any additional meetings may be scheduled at the discretion of the Chairperson.

Decision making

The working group seeks to decide by consensus or if not possible, bymajority vote.

Roles and Responsibilities

Chair and Vice-chair

  • The chair is coordinator for the initiative/initiatives on which their group leads and is accountable to the board for the delivery of the working group initiative(s).
  • The chair should propose a vice-chair to assist them in their role. The vice-chair must be an EAZWV member and must be approved by the board before appointment. It is anticipated that the vice-chair will take over from the Chair at the end of their term.
  • The vice-chair may be given delegated authority by the chair to lead on specific initiatives or produce the bi-annual working group reports. The vice-chair is expected to take on the role of chair if the chair is not available.
  • The chair will recruit a working group to assist them with developing the brief and producing a work plan. (consulting with the other working groups as required). Once approved, the work plan needs to be put into operation. Each component of the work plan will have its own lead (accountable for delivery of that bit) and team of volunteers. The lead will report back to the chair or, if they delegate, to the vice-chair.
  • Will represent their working group on the Advisory Board or appoint a deputy to attend on their behalf.
  • The chair shall provide a report for the biannual Board meetings and produce a short, written report suitable for dissemination to the membership to the secretariat 4 weeks before the General Assembly and the autumn meeting.
  • The chair is also responsible for assisting other initiative leads in fulfilling their work plans (as laid out in the table). Again, the specific activities can be delegated but the chair is accountable.

Working group members

Working group members should expect to be delegated tasks by the chair. They must agree timelines and undertake to deliver their tasks to time and standard. If they need help, they should identify helpers if possible and make sure they inform the chair asap.

The executive:

  • The ED will provide a web page/ pages for the working group and storage space for their files.
  • On provision of the names and email addresses of the working group, the ED will set up a secure email forum for them to use (and training on how to use it).
  • The ED will act as liaison between the working group chairs and the board. They will ensure that issues requiring the board’s feedback are tabled at the next meeting and feedback within a week of the meeting.
  • The ED will coordinate surveys, event registration set up, advertising and other aspects of member communication with the assistance of the communications working group.

The board:

  • Commissions the working group
  • Appoints the chair (and approved their nominated vice-chairs)
  • Will review initiatives on an annual basis – and consult with the working groups.
  • Expects a progress report on each initiative at least twice a year (October and April)
  • Will endeavor to assist the working groups with any requests.
  • Will provide feedback on any questions from the working group within 4wks. (sooner if practicable).
  • Will sign off on all delivery plans and budgets.
  • Will determine what funds are available from EAZWV core funds.
  • Will review (+/- approve) any fundraising plans.
  • fundraising plans.