Volunteer Call:
Board of Management

& Programs

Applications: Open

Positions take office: Immediately upon Board approval.

The GCW is calling for volunteers to sit on the Board of Management and to assist with important GCW programming. Volunteers are the energy that run this Guild. They help to provide the services we all use and enjoy. Board volunteers help guide decisions and the future direction of the Guild by attending meetings held by Google Docs, normally four times a year. Some Board volunteers are expected to fulfill additional duties including coordination of special programs and communicating with membership.

To apply you must be a member of the GCW in good standing and hold a minimum of TWO consecutive years of membership (exceptions may be permitted, we encourage all members to apply). Available positions are listed below.

Currently we are looking for volunteers for the following positions:

• President

• Vice President East

• Vice President West

• Regional Representative Manitoba

• Regional Representative Ontario

Scroll down for more details…

POSITIONS FOR NOMINATION / APPLICATION

Formal volunteer role descriptions are available on request. Please email Mackenzie at guildofcanadianweavers@gmail.com for more information.

President

The President promotes the living legacy of the Guild of Canadian Weavers (GCW) and works to cultivate excellence in hand weaving, while fostering an inclusive and welcoming community of weavers across Canada. Responsible for leading a broad range of guild activities, the President should possess a thorough understanding of all operational and administrative aspects of the GCW. It is expected that the President will work to advance the goals of the GCW as outlined in the Constitution, Article I, Section I. 

The President of the GCW is a member of both the Board of Management and, within the Board, the Executive. The President is accountable to (and supported by) the Board of Management and all GCW members. As such, it is expected that the President will consult and communicate with both on an ongoing basis. 

The President is elected by ballot for a two-year term, and no one may serve more than two consecutive terms in this same office. The honorarium for this role is $200.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The President of the Guild of Canadian Weavers shall:

1. Chair the GCW Board of Management.

2. Advance the goals of the GCW as outlined in the GCW Constitution (Article I, Section I).

3. Ensure major changes to the GCW Constitution or Procedures are communicated to membership via The Bulletin.

4. Appoint the Secretary and Treasurer to the Board of Management.

5. Appoint the Bulletin Editor .

6. Seek individuals to fill vacant appointed/volunteer roles.

7. Collaborate with the Board of Management to manage the performance of volunteers and seek solutions as problems arise.

8. Welcome incoming officers to the Board of Management via email with relevant documents attached (Constitution, Member Handbook and Volunteer Handbook - depending on the position member lists, Regional Rep and guild contacts should also be shared).

9. Maintain timely, regular communication with both the Board of Management and GCW Members, referring specific inquiries as appropriate.

10. Maintain a thorough knowledge of GCW finances advised and supported by the Treasurer.

11. Ensure that GCW finances are subject to “…a thorough independent review by a person with sound recognized financial skills.” (GCW Constitution Article III, Section 3.)

12. Work with the Treasurer to coordinate annual publication of the GCW Budget in The Bulletin.

13. Request and review annual reports from lead volunteers in each Program area - Membership, Master Weaver Certificate, Awards & Scholarships, Weaving Exchange and Library & Archive - for publication in The Bulletin.

14. Monitor the activities of active GCW committees and ensure that notable results of any committee work are published in The Bulletin.

15. Work with the Vice Presidents to arrange for the production of woven samples for The Bulletin. (refer to General Procedures in this document.)

16. Work with the Secretary to track terms of office for members of the Board of Management and Provincial/Territorial reps and initiate election proceedings and a Nominations Committee as required.

17. Act as signing officer on the GCW bank accounts.

Vice President East & West

There are three GCW Vice Presidents with each representing a particular region of the country. Currently we are looking for A Vice President residing in the Eastern region of Canada (Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick). The Vice Presidents work closely with the President to support GCW activities. As such, it is important that Vice Presidents have a working knowledge of the operational and administrative aspects of the GCW.

Responsibilities of the GCW Vice Presidents (subject to change):

1. Serve on the GCW Board of Management. 

2. Advance the goals of the GCW as outlined in the GCW Constitution (Article I, Section I).

3. In the absence of the President, the Vice-President East shall discharge the duties of the President.

4. Maintain timely, regular communication with the President, Board of Management and GCW Members, referring specific inquiries as appropriate.

5. Consult regularly with Regional Representatives and assist with communication, outreach and promotion of various GCW activities as appropriate.

6. Discuss volunteer opportunities in the GCW with members of their community (often in consultation with Regional Representatives) as needed.

7. Promote membership in the GCW to individuals and groups in their respective weaving communities.

8. Recruit advertisers and article submissions for the Bulletin in collaboration with Regional Representatives.

9. Submit reports on their activities to board meetings on a quarterly basis. (Refer to Board Procedures in this document and the Calendar in the GCW Member handbook for Board of Management meeting dates.)

10. Act as signing officer on the GCW bank accounts.

Regional Representative Ontario

Regional Representatives (provincial, territorial and US) engage with their own local weaving communities; represent their ideas/concerns as voting members of the Board of Management; and communicate their activities to the entire GCW membership via regular reports in The Bulletin. Regular outreach and communication with local guilds is important in this role. There are ten Regional Representative positions: 

• British Columbia

• Alberta

• Saskatchewan

• Manitoba

• Ontario

• Quebec

• Maritime Provinces

• Newfoundland/Labrador

• Northern Territories

• United States (non-voting) 

Regional Representatives are supported by and accountable to their respective Vice President (refer to page 5) and the Board of Management. Note that the United States Representative is non-voting. Ongoing communication/consultation between Regional Representatives and the three Vice Presidents is expected. 

Regional Representatives are elected by ballot or acclamation for a three-year term, and no one may serve more than two consecutive terms. There is no honorarium offered for this role.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Regional Representatives of the Guild of Canadian Weavers shall:

1. Serve on the Board of Management.

2. Maintain timely, regular communication with their Vice President, the Board of Management and GCW Members, referring specific inquiries as appropriate.

3. Consult regularly with their Vice President and assist with communication, outreach and promotion of various GCW activities as appropriate including:

• Promoting membership in the GCW to individuals and groups in their respective weaving communities.

• Discussing volunteer opportunities in the GCW with members of their community (often in consultation with their Vice President) as needed.

• Recruiting advertisers and article submissions for the Bulletin in collaboration with their Vice President.

• Distribute Nell Steedsman Award information available to major conferences/gatherings in their region.

4. Report on their activities at quarterly meetings of the Board of Management.

5. Contribute at minimum one article per year to The Bulletin regarding weaving activities of local guilds and weavers.

Scholarship Chair

The Scholarship Chair encourages applications for the various scholarships available to Guild of Canadian Weavers (GCW) members. Scholarships are adjudicated by the Scholarship Chair, who will apply scholarship criteria and submission guidelines equally to all applicants. Impartiality, fairness and discretion are essential in this role. 

The Scholarship Chair is accountable to the President and the Board of Management. Regular communication with members of the Board of Management is expected. This is a volunteer position with a suggested minimum term of four years and continues as long as mutually agreeable to both the individual, the President and the Board of Management. There is no honorarium offered for this role.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Scholarship Chair of the Guild of Canadian Weavers shall:

1. Receive applications for GCW scholarships.

2. Acknowledge receipt of scholarship applications.

3. Adjudicate all scholarship applications.

4. Initiate a committee when required (typically when a larger than normal number of applications have been received) to adjudicate scholarship applications.

5. Advise the Treasurer of successful applications to initiate a disbursement of funds.

6. Advise scholarship recipients of their successful application, payment details and reporting requirement. 

7. Advise non-recipients of their unsuccessful application, including a thank you, feedback (as relevant) and an encouragement to apply again.

8. Inform the Bulletin Editor of the scholarship recipients, submitting a short article announcing the scholarships for inclusion in The Bulletin.

9. If questions arise regarding a submission, the Scholarship Chair will consult with the President.

10. Submit an annual report to the GCW Board.

11. Participate in a review of Scholarships and their criteria as required.

If you are interested in volunteering, please email Mackenzie at guildofcanadianweavers@gmail.com for more information.

Application Form