Job Description
Celebrating 17+ years and reaching 500,000+ youth across Canada, Unity is a national non-profit organization that uses hip-hop art forms to promote resilience and well-being among under-resourced communities and youth through free programs and events. To us, hip-hop is more than a collection of art forms – it is a vehicle of advocacy and solidarity that empowers the next generation to discover their voice and power. The majority (75%+) of our team (board/staff/artists) is made up of BIPOC individuals who represent the diverse communities we serve. We work year-round in Ontario, Nova Scotia and Manitoba.
Every initiative at Unity features equity-led consultations that center our youth and artists in planning, design, delivery, and evaluation. Our year-round work is informed through ongoing consultations with our community to ensure that our offerings remain representative, relatable, and relevant to them.
All our programs are free and begin with “Inspire” outreach initiatives where Hip Hop community champions promote the art forms as mediums for expression, overcoming obstacles and finding connection. Youth are then invited into our “Engage” initiatives where they build resilience, social networks, artistic skills, and assets in programs led by peers & caring adults. Finally, youth & emerging artists are invited to access “Empower” initiatives that develop creative industry employability skills and support the exploration of adjacent community spaces, events, and careers within and beyond Unity’s network.
Seeking Board Members with
- Board Experience (Non-profit governance)
- Non-Profit Finance Experience
- Program Delivery / Evaluation Experience AND / OR Fundraising Experience
Seeking Board Members that reside in Ontario, Nova Scotia, or Manitoba!
About The Role
Unity is searching for individuals to join the Board of Directors! Board Members’ responsibilities include attending quarterly board meetings to advise on organizational strategy, finance, fundraising, governance practices, HR, operations, risk mitigation, community youth programming, hip-hop culture, the creative industries, the Canadian non-profit arts landscape, leadership practices, advocacy, and other relevant topics, as per the Board Member’s expertise and lived experiences. Board members also support Unity through attendance at events and brokering relevant connections within the Board Members’ networks.
An outstanding board member will stay up to date with Unity’s work, feel passionate about the organization's mission, and prepare and actively participate in Board Meetings.
Board Member Responsibilities
- Knowing and understanding the organization's mission, programs, policies, and needs
- Preparing for meetings by reviewing the agenda and supporting documentation–provided one week in advance of meetings
- Regularly attending board meetings and participating actively and conscientiously. (Meetings take place in October, January, April and July, are 1.5-2 hours in length, and take place virtually.)
- Keeping up with issues and trends that affect the organization
- Participating in the evaluation of business operations and the executive director (at Board Meetings)
- Approving audit reports, budgets, and business decisions (at Board Meetings)
- Contributing to the development of policies and strategic plans, as relevant to the Board Members’ expertise and lived experiences
- Maintaining confidentiality in all internal organizational affairs.
- Board Members are strongly encouraged to join one of Unity’s Board Committees within 1 year of joining the Board. Unity’s Committees include:some text
- Programs and Evaluations
- Finance
- Resource (Events, Fundraising, and Networks)
- Governance and HR
Board Onboarding And Terms
- Board Members are invited to join for a two-year term and may extend this term up to two times for a maximum six-year term.
- Prospective Board Members will participate in two casual interviews. The first interview will be with a member of Unity’s staff leadership team (Executive Director). The second interview will be with a Board Member from Unity’s Governance and HR Committee / the Board Chair.
- Board Members will join a 1-hour orientation session with the Executive Director before their first Board Meeting.
- Board Members are voted to the board by existing members, upon the Executive Director/Governance Committee/Board Chair’s joint recommendation.
Benefits Of Joining The UNITY Board
The Unity team and Board strive to make all board and committee appointments a mutually engaging and reciprocally beneficial opportunity for all. Some of the benefits of joining the Unity Board and Committees include:
- Meaningful opportunity to directly support high-impact work for underserved youth, artists, young professionals
- Meaningful opportunity to build and grow your network. There is a long history of professional connections, meeting new clients/collaborators, recommending staff, etc. between board members
- Opportunities to learn about youth work, mental health work, Hip Hop art forms and culture and artists
- Opportunities to develop leadership skills and gain leadership experience (committee heads, officer roles, other awareness and fundraising initiatives)
- Opportunities to hear voices and perspectives you may not otherwise have access to
- Annual training for Board members on various topics (EDI, Restorative Justice, Governance topics, etc.)
How to Apply: If you are interested in joining Unity’s Board, please forward an expression of interest and LinkedIn profile link to Miri at miri.koller@gmail.com(Board Secretary) no later than Friday May 3rd 2024.
Unity advocates for individuals from diverse backgrounds and encourages applications from BIPOC individuals and individuals with varying abilities. Those with diverse abilities who need accommodation in the application process, or those needing opportunity postings in an alternative format, may contact bob.v@unitycharity.com
