Join Our Board

Board Directors - Rainbow Families Australia Ltd

Rainbow Families seeks expressions of interest from suitably qualified people to join the Rainbow Families Board of Directors (the Board). All Rainbow Families Directors are unpaid volunteers. The Board is responsible for the strategic direction and governance of Rainbow Families and ensuring that Rainbow Families is meeting all its legal, financial and ethical obligations. The Board is led by a diverse and inclusive group of LGBTQ+ leaders, reflecting the diversity of our communities. 

We are actively looking to increase the diversity on our Board to reflect the diversity of the communities with which we work. We are particularly interested in working with geographically diverse First Nations people, people from a range of cultural and linguistic backgrounds, people with disability, neurodivergent people, and LGBTQ+ individuals including those who are trans or gender diverse.

About Us

Rainbow Families Australia reduces the suffering and disadvantage of LGBTQ+ families. Suffering may include bullying, harassment, abuse and discrimination. Disadvantage may include social exclusion, discrimination, stereotyping and stigma. Our purpose is to relieve suffering and disadvantage of LGBTQ+ families by providing resources and support for LGBTQ+ families and education to the wider community about the value of LGBTQ+ families within our communities.

We use the Pyramid Theory of Change to structure our goals, those being:

• Providing resources and support for LGBTQ+ parented families within safe, inclusive spaces, educating the broader community about the value of LGBTQ+ families and advocating for change.

• Creating a resilient, connected, supported, and celebrated community of rainbow families.

• Reducing and removing barriers faced by Rainbow Families.

• Rainbow Families are treated equitably to live their best and most colourful lives.

• Final Goal: Every family is included, respected, and living authentically.

Our Strategic Plan

Rainbow Families Objectives are to pursue the following charitable purposes:

We relieve poverty, distress and disadvantage of LGBTQ+ families by:

• Connecting, supporting and empowering LGBTQ+ families through peer support, community events, on-line support and playgroups;
• Developing and delivering education and resources including: parenting, making LGBTQ+ families, building resilience in children, and domestic violence; and
• Providing community education to reduce discrimination and promote inclusion of LGBTQ+ families.
• Raising funds for any of the purposes or things above

About The Role

Directors are also responsible for championing Rainbow Families. This means that Directors should be able to talk about the important work Rainbow Families is doing and be able to rally support for the organisation. 

The Board is legally responsible for Rainbow Families Australia. That means the decisions of Directors (the people who make up The Board) must be made in the best interests of the organisation. Directors must also make sure they understand the decisions they are making, and that they are legal and ethical. You can do this by asking questions, requesting the Board seek advice from specialists, or by asking for more time to consider your decision.

The Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission calls Directors “Responsible Persons”. See link below.

From Responsible Persons – board or committee members | Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (acnc.gov.au) 

Directors are elected to the Rainbow Families Board. The Board also has office-bearers who have additional responsibilities, being the Chair, the Secretary and the Treasurer.

Director’s Commitments

Directors are required to comply with laws that apply to Rainbow Families and the Rainbow Families Constitution (the rules that govern Rainbow Families), to follow Rainbow Families  policies and procedures (including a Code of Conduct), and to make sure that they don’t act in ways that could damage Rainbow Families’s reputation.

Directors are required to attend Board meetings. There are at least 6 each year, however The Board can decide to meet more or less often. Directors receive pre-reading (“Board papers”) the week before to assist them in preparing for the meeting. The Board also communicates via email outside of Board meetings and can make decisions via circular resolution (outside formal meetings via email). If there is an urgent issue, the Board may call additional meetings outside of the regular schedule. The Board will also participate in training, planning and/or strategy days. 

Induction and Training

Whilst all that might seem like a lot, you’re not on your own! The Board works together and everybody has a different skill set. We also provide an induction and training process for new Directors, and the Board engages in regular training sessions to help everyone understand their role and responsibility better.

Selection Criteria

• Understanding of the ACNC Responsible Persons and NSW Fair Trading Committee Members responsibilities and duties. 

• Are not on the ASIC banned and disqualified register or the ACNC disqualified persons register

• Willingness to get a Working with Children Check (or similar) for volunteers.

• Passionate about LGBTQ+ well-being and Rainbow Families  

• Understanding of the diversity of the LGBTQ+ communities 

• Knowledge of key issues for LGBTQ+ people 

• Stable internet connection for video conference Board Meetings 

• Able to commit to attending Board meetings as required, as well as additional meetings and/or days as the Board agrees

At Rainbow Families we’re focused on ensuring our Board has an appropriate set of skills to govern the organisation. Specifically we’re seeking expressions of interest from people that have skills or experience in the following areas:

• Corporate / Charity Governance

• Finance and Financial Reporting in a Non-Profit Organisation

• Company Secretarial skills for a public company or non-profit.

• Community Engagement 

• Sustainability

Application Process

Complete the Rainbow Families Board Director, Expression of Interest form by November 15th 2024.

Next Steps

We’ll let all applicants know if they were successful or not by email and / or phone.

If you are successful we will need to collect some additional information: 

• Your legal name and Director ID.

• Your residential address.

• Directors ID

• Working With Children Check

• Signed copies of the Rainbow Families Confidentiality Agreement (this states that you will not share confidential information outside of Rainbow Families ) and Agreement to Act (this states that you agree to become a Director of Rainbow Families and understand your responsibilities).

If you have any questions, please contact Public Officer / Executive Officer , Ashley Scott - [email protected].