Understandingthe Role of the Board in Scouting Ireland
The Board of Directors of Scouting Ireland isultimately responsible to its stakeholders. It oversees the organisation'soverall governance, strategic direction, and operations. It can be quite a challengeto keep members, staff, as well as government and regulatory bodies aligned andreasonably happy!
The Board's Key Roles Include:
1. Setting Strategic Direction
The Board is responsible for establishing the long-term vision and strategic priorities of Scouting Ireland, ensuring that the organisation remains aligned with its mission to support young people in achieving their full potential through Scouting.
2. Governance and Oversight
The Board ensures that Scouting Ireland operates in compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. It oversees the organisation's financial health, policies, and practices to maintain high standards of governance.
3. Risk Management
The Board identifies and manages risks to the organisation, ensuring appropriate measures are in place to protect its reputation, assets, and members.
4. Support and Guidance
The Board supports the executive team, ensuring the organisation’s operations align with strategic goals. It establishes and chairs (or supports) working groups and subcommittees to manage the workload involved in oversight and continuous improvement across various areas of Scouting.
5. Accountability and Transparency
The Board is accountable to members, stakeholders, and the public, ensuring that decisions are made transparently, to the best of its ability, and in the organisation’s best interests.
The Board's responsibilities are outlined in a document titled “Matters Reserved for the Board”. This Scouting Ireland document can be found [here]. Board members are also required to sign and abide by a code of conduct which can be found [here]. Unless specifically asked to support a particular task or challenge faced by management, the Board should focus solely on matters reserved for it and avoid involvement in day-to-day operations, such as staff management, training, or programme delivery. These activities are the responsibility of the CEO, staff, and volunteers.
Useful Skills for Board Members:
• Leadership and Strategic Thinking
The ability to see the bigger picture, reach consensus, foster trust, and guide the organisation towards long-term goals.
• Financial Acumen
Understanding financial statements, budgeting, and planning to ensure financial health. Experience with charity finances and fundraising is beneficial.
• Governance and Compliance Knowledge
Familiarity with company law and regulatory requirements to ensure legal compliance.
• Risk Management
Ability to identify and mitigate organisational risks effectively.
• Brand, Communication, and Collaboration
Strong communication skills to engage with stakeholders and the broader Scouting community. Self-awareness and the ability to collaborate are crucial.
• Problem-Solving
Strong analytical and critical thinking skills. The ability to challenge respectfully, avoid groupthink, and consider diverse perspectives is essential.
• Youth and Programme Development
Understanding youth development needs, which is central to Scouting Ireland’s mission.
• Commitment to Organisational Values
Alignment with Scouting principles such as integrity, diversity, inclusivity, and a dedication to youth development.
• Humility and Self-Awareness
An effective Board member brings not only skills and experience, but also humility. Leaving ego at the door is essential. Board work is a collective effort where no one individual holds all the answers.
The best outcomes for an organisation come from open dialogue, mutual respect, and a willingness to listen and learn from all stakeholders. Healthy challenge is encouraged, it should come from a place of curiosity and commitment to the organisation’s success—not personal agenda. Board members must be open to feedback, prepared to change their minds when presented with new information, and focused on what is best for Scouting Ireland as a whole.
The Board aims to maintain a mix of key skills and competencies. When specific expertise is lacking, external professionals may be consulted and or co-opted onto the board. It is also considered best practice to include several independent, non-Scouting Board members who can offer fresh and independent perspectives.
Professional qualifications in the above areas help Board members contribute meaningfully to the governance and strategic leadership of Scouting Ireland, ultimately benefiting young people.
Interested in Joining the Board?
If you are interested in contributing to the Board of Scouting Ireland or indeed any other board, there are many resources available to learn more about board work:
- The Institute of Directors in Ireland
- The Corporate Governance Institute
- The Governance Forum
A professional board qualification is not required to join the Board, but it is highly desirable. Most Boards aim to have a number of professionally qualified directors.
Commitment Required
While it may not involve the fun outdoor adventure aspect of Scouting, Board work is vital for a well-functioning organisation and can be extremely rewarding. Stability, consistency, and continuity are key. The following is a summary of the commitments required of Scouting Ireland board members:
• Board Meetings: Typically, there are 12 Board meetings per year (4 hours each), usually held on Saturdays or Sundays (10am–2pm), with some evening meetings.
• Preparation: Each meeting may require 1–2 hours of reading in advance.
• Confidentiality: While transparency is fundamental. Board members must also uphold strict confidentiality, ensuring all sensitive information and discussions remain within the Board.
• Conflict of interests: Board members must disclose any potential conflicts of interest and recuse themselves from related discussions or decisions to maintain integrity and impartiality.
• Agenda: Usually 12–18 items per meeting. The draft agenda is prepared by the Chair and Company Secretary and circulated in advance. Board members may propose additional items.
• Ad Hoc Meetings: Occasionally, short additional meetings are needed to make decisions or respond to urgent matters.
• Subcommittees: Board members are expected to serve on subcommittees (e.g., Legal, Audit & Risk), which may meet 5–10 times per year.
• Additional Contributions: Board members may be asked to research best practices, assess legal impacts, or work with advisors and subcommittees on specific projects.
How to Express Interest
If you have the skills, experience, and passion to contribute to Scouting Ireland’s governance, email cosec@scouts.ie to complete an expression of interest. Your details will be kept on file, and you will be notified when the next Board vacancies arise.
