The Urban League of London's Advocacy Committee Recruitment

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Terms of Reference

Mandate: 

The Urban League of London (ULL) Advocacy Committee reports to the ULL Board of Directors to support initiatives on current issues and strategies related to advocacy for communities and city building in London. The committee works to organize networking and communication opportunities, and to compile and make available resources related to advocacy for communities. The advocacy issues selected will align with Urban League’s strategic plan and priorities.

The committee will use input from citizens to influence the decision makers and decisions that impact building London as a successful, sustainable and vital city. 

Responsibilities & Objectives: 

The ULL Advocacy Committee will:  

  • provide broad advice on systemic (ongoing foundational) issues for city building and communities;  

  • provide specialized expertise/resources on a specific issue/topic that arises (i.e. Public Policy Statement consultations, reduction to funding and programs, city-wide community issues and/or impact of policy changes);  

  • facilitate networking and communication opportunities relating to advocacy;  

  • identify advocacy needs and resources (i.e. toolkits, individuals, associations) while working in conjunction with specific sectors;  

  • support government relations strategies;  

  • advocate for policies that support building a successful urban city;

  • communicate advocacy efforts to stakeholders. 

Deliverables:
The goals of the ULL Advocacy Committee are to:  

  • ensure there is a strong and sustained advocacy plan and strategies for the ULL; 

  • in an advisory role, be available for consultation on issues related to advocacy for community and neighbourhood groups; 

  • be available to attend public participation meetings when possible;

  • be able to review planning notices and policy decisions at the municipal level to provide feedback to the ULL Board and membership, and if necessary assist with advocacy on specific items;

  • provide input to decision makers;

  • conduct advocacy campaigns, which can come in the form of; 1 on 1 meetings, speaking at public hearings, letter writing campaigns, social media campaigns and other digital campaigns to support policy that builds a vital and successful city;

  • liaise with ULL membership. 

Composition:
Membership shall represent the diversity of the following sectors to a maximum of 10 individuals:  

  • Members of the League 

  • Board of Director members for the ULL

  • Engaged citizens in the London community

  • As needed, a working committee will be created to complete specialized, time-limited projects. 

  • Membership will reflect the diversity of the community with representation from various equity seeking groups

Qualifications:  

  • ULL members who have an interest in a leadership role in advocacy.  

  • Members will bring expertise from their own sectors while supporting an overall city-wide advocacy mandate.  

  • Candidates should have advocacy experience, which may include: knowledge of current and systemic issues that affect communities and cities; experience with government relations and public policy; development of communication strategies, expertise in social media, online engagement and new media technologies. 

  • Experience working with politicians, bureaucrats, public speaking government relations and media an asset.

Resources and Budget:
Resources required for this committee include:  

  • Ongoing support from the ULL Board of Directors

  • maintaining a public advocacy web page on the ULL website; 

  • posting/archiving of materials on ULL website;

  • Funds for special projects (e.g., Advocacy Summit, ULL Events at City Hall) 

Timelines

Committee members can expect a minimum of 4-6 meetings per year, which will be a mix of teleconference and in-person. The combined meeting and workload time (i.e. developing strategy, creating plans, attending meetings, building networks, etc.) is estimated to be approximately 6 days per year. 

Must be accessible during implementation of proposed advocacy campaigns to interact with decision makers and be accessible to media. This may include working under tight deadlines for periods of time. 

The ULL Advocacy Committee will report to the ULL Board at least once per year. The Meeting Agenda should be available to members at least 2 days prior to meetings. Minutes will be completed by ULL staff or committee designate and made available as soon as possible following meetings. Communication between meetings will usually be conducted through email. Quorum for committee meetings will be in effect when a majority of committee members are in attendance for a meeting. 

Term of Appointment: 

The term for ULL Advocacy Committee members generally runs for a period of 3 years, with the option to extend up to an additional 2 years at the discretion of the ULL Board. Member terms overlap to ensure knowledge transfer and consistency. Committee members are recruited from the ULL membership at large and the London community, as required. Co-Chairs will be appointed annually from within the committee. Terms are staggered terms of 2 years. Co-chairs are responsible for coordinating the agenda, facilitating meetings, ensuring portfolios are assigned, liaising with ULL Board  and reporting to the ULL Board.

To apply:

Send cover letter and resume to info@urbanleague.ca by December 21, 2020.

Alex Leonard