Holding only two meetings a year is not an efficient way for the Canadian 4-H Council to work, says the past-president.
So Marie Logan, a farm woman from Lomond, Alta., who just finished as president of the council, dedicated her term to improving the process.
“We needed to be able to make decisions quicker and move forward quicker,” said Logan.
She said staff and council members were frustrated because under the old system “staff felt the board had to approve everything.”
A subcommittee that the council formed in May 2006 reported this past May on a policy governance model. It recommended that the staff focus on the day to day operational decisions while the board sets the overall vision.
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Executive director Mike Nowosad is to report to the board regularly on what’s happening.
The council’s board of 13 meets each May in a different province and every November in Toronto. Members also hold a spring conference call. The new plan will add a fall conference call.
Another suggestion is to increase the president’s term to two years. Logan, who sat on the subcommittee, said the one year term is not long enough for presidents to become aware of all the 4-H intricacies, especially if they are not a 4-H member or leader.
In September, the 130 corporate members of the council, which includes banks, government agencies, provincial 4-H councils and chemical companies, will vote via teleconference on the new model. If the plan is approved, the board will use its November meeting to develop goals and then instruct the staff to carry them out.
Logan said the main impetus for change was the declining numbers of young people joining the organization.
“I could see our membership going down and we had to decide whether to move into suburban and acreage areas.”
Logan said she doesn’t think children will notice an immediate difference with the new governance model, but it will pay off in the future with better programs and more members.
“I think 4-H is the best training investment for youth but we need to build awareness of it.”
Logan said survey results showed only 29 percent of the public had heard of 4-H, compared to 50 percent who were familiar with Boy Scouts.
