Santropol Roulant’s 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM) will take place on Thursday, March 27th, 2025.
This means that members of the community and the public can now submit their candidacy to join the Santropol Roulant Board of Directors.
If the well-being of the community is important to you and you want to contribute to its development, if you are passionate about a healthier, more inclusive, and well-fed future, and if you believe that your professional experience or personal perspective could be valuable on our Board of Directors, we encourage you to consider submitting your candidacy.
This year, we are looking for 6 individuals to fill seats on the Board. Two members of the existing board will be seeking re-election. We encourage you to continue reading or share this article with people in your network! A board information session will be held on Wednesday, February 12th at 5:30 PM at the Roulant (111 Roy Est).
WHAT IS THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS?
The Board of Directors is a team of volunteers who are legally responsible for the direction of Santropol Roulant. While the staff team handles the daily operations, the Board oversees the big picture, such as strategic planning, and fiscal responsibilities and decisions, including approving the budget. Our Board operates in a highly collaborative way, working closely with Roulant staff. Want to learn more? Read here.
AM I ELIGIBLE TO SUBMIT MY CANDIDACY TO THE BOARD?
You can nominate yourself as a candidate to the board if you:
- Are 18 years or older;
- Are able to serve a 2-year term (non negotiable) and make the necessary time commitment;
- Possess a functional comprehension of both French and English;
- Possess the skills and expertise needed to address this year’s Board priorities;
- Possess a strong alignment with and commitment to Santropol Roulant’s mission.
- Whether you’re a new or longtime friend of the Roulant, we would love to receive your application for a position on the Board of Directors!
KEY SKILLS & EXPERIENCES
The Board welcomes and thrives on a variety of skills, profiles, perspectives and demographic backgrounds. Given its governance responsibilities and current composition, the Board has identified the following experiences as particularly valuable for the coming years:
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES: The Board’s experience needs are intended to cover both the Board’s recurring areas of responsibility (finance, governance, strategy, human resources), as well as emerging topics related to the current strategic plan and the evolving context of the Roulant and its community. These strategic and contextual elements include, among others:
These strategic and contextual elements include, among others:
- the emphasis placed on partnerships with other organizations in the new strategic plan, particularly in order to better reach people in very precarious situations;
- the changing fabric of the neighbourhood, particularly in relation to the housing, opioid and homelessness crises;
- strengthening the inclusive and diverse community of the Roulant, particularly as a nurturing third place, but also in terms of the composition of the board of directors;
- the construction of an agroeducational center, a major infrastructure project on the Roulant farm in Senneville;
- the overhaul of certain human resources policies over the coming years.
KEY SKILLS & EXPERIENCES: Considering these priorities as well as the existing profiles on the Board of Directors, the Roulant Board of Directors has identified the following needs for recruitment during the 2025 AGM, in no particular order:
- Knowledge of the field of street intervention and social action with people in very precarious situations, due to social and financial marginalization, loss of autonomy, drug and alcohol dependance or lack of status, in order to contribute to the better positioning of the Roulant regarding existing or possible community needs, services or partners;
- Knowledge/experience of cultures and realities of racialized and Indigenous people in Montreal, in order to contribute further our ongoing commitment to relationship building with racialized and Indigenous communities;
- Experience in justice, equity, diversity and inclusion, in order to contribute to ongoing discussions at the board of directors level which aim to foster an environment that is inclusive and representative of its community;
- Knowledge of the governance of not-for-profits, for example legal expertise or on leadership experiences within other boards of directors, in order to contribute to the continuous improvement of practices of the Roulant Board of Directors;
- Experience with human resources, compensation and recruitment policies/management, in order to advise on updating policies planned over the coming years.
Applicants do not need experience in more than one of the areas above, and this list is not exhaustive. Experience in other relevant fields is welcome. Furthermore, attributes such as analytical skills, the ability to synthesize information, and advanced critical and strategic thinking are of great value on a board of directors. Experience at Santropol Roulant, in the non-profit sector and on a board of directors is an asset, but is not required.
WHAT MAKES A STRONG BOARD?
Alignment: Board members are an important part of the team. As stewards of the Roulant’s mission, it is vital that directors understand our work, culture and aspirations.
Commitment: The Board plays a big role in the Santropol Roulant community, and it takes a sizable time commitment to make this happen. Board members are expected to attend one meeting per month, engage in additional committees and working groups, attend events, and have a visible presence in our organization with staff, clients, and volunteers. This translates to about 10 hours per month, depending on ongoing projects and committee needs.
Stability: Like any team, it takes time to find the best ways to form a productive team. This is why it’s important for board members to honour their two-year commitment.
Diversity: Diversity of thought and lived experience is at the heart of the Roulant. In order to best support the Roulant, our Board needs to represent our community by expressing its rich tapestry of voices.
The Roulant’s Board of Directors has historically been predominantly made up of men and women of Caucasian origin, without apparent disabilities, with post-secondary education, and who are cisgender. This group has in recent years been made up of a mix of English and French speakers (recently more French speakers), people of all ages (recently younger), various professional profiles, people with and without children, and of people born in Quebec and elsewhere. More rarely, it was also made up of racialized people and Roulant clients. It has not recently included representatives from community or philanthropic partners.
The board recognizes the individuality of each person as well as the collective realities experienced due to past and present inequalities between various groups. We therefore encourage people from all backgrounds and passionate about the Roulant’s mission to come forward in order to continue to broaden individual and collective perspectives within the Board and at the Roulant
Read more about Safer Spaces at the Roulant
Read our Justice Equity Diversity Inclusion Mission and Vision Statements
If you are interested in joining our Board of Directors, submit your application before Monday February 24, 2025 at 8am.
Sitting on the Board is just one of many ways to get involved in the Roulant. If you are interested in deepening your connection with the community but feel that the Board isn’t quite right for you, check out how you can support our organization through volunteering or becoming a donor!