About The Portage Board

The National Portage Association has a structured support mechanism for Portage Services.

There is a Board of Trustees that undertakes to manage the business of the Association. The Trustees are representatives elected from the membership of the National Portage Association.

The Membership of the Association is divided into regions. Each region elects one of its members to serve as its Regional Representative on the Board of Trustees.

At both Board and regional level, elected officers are drawn from members who may be parents/carers and practitioners directly involved in Portage Services.

Board members fulfil their role in a voluntary capacity. Some aspects of the work are carried out by a small number of staff employed directly by or contracted by the NPA.

The Board of Trustees

Membership

The elected Board of up to 17 Trustees comprises:

• Honorary Officers (Chairperson, Vice-Chair and Treasurer)
• Membership Coordinator
• 3 Parent Representatives
• 6 Regional Representatives (Eastern; London and South East; Midlands; Northern; North East; South West).
• 4 representatives of sub-committees appointed by the Board (Equal Opportunities; Ethics; Publicity and Information; Training and Monitoring)
• Co-opted Trustees (up to 3 members of the Association may be co-opted as Trustees as required, who may serve until the next AGM following their appointment.)

Others in Attendance

The Communications and Development Coordinator, Conference Coordinator, and Book-Keeper may be members of the association and may attend some/all board meetings as observers. Also in attendance are the Portage Consultant and the Editor of the Portage Post (co-opted member).

The Roles of Trustees and other Members of the Board

Chairperson

• Act in the best interests of the NPA by having strategic responsibility
• Maintain and promote the profile of the NPA
• Act as a spokesman for the NPA
• Ensure representation of the NPA on National Advisory groups and other forums as appropriate.
• Liaise with all Board members in the roles of individual responsibility or sub-committee members to ensure the work of the NPA is being carried out in accordance with planned objectives.
• Produce an Annual Report that details successfully attained objectives and future initiatives.

Vice Chairperson

• Support the Chairperson in all the above functions
• Deputise for the Chairperson as deemed necessary
• Act as appoint of contact for all new Trustees.

Treasurer

• Deal with the day to day financial affairs of the NPA
• Prepare accounts and reports in accordance with current legislation
• Prepare budgets and present implications for forward planning

Membership Coordinator

• Promote membership of the National Portage Association
• Maintain a register of individual members of the NPA

Parent Representatives

• Contribute a parental perspective to the work of the NPA

Regional Representatives

• Present the views and opinions of Portage members from the region at Board meetings
• Disseminate information to the region on the work of the Board
• Provide a contact point for the NPA and disseminate information and advice to the public, registered services and individual members of the NPA

Representatives of sub-committees

Equal Opportunities

• Offer advice on issues raised by registered services or individual members
• Monitor the implementation of the NPA's Equal Opportunities Policy

Ethics

• Offer advice on issues raised by registered services or individual members
• Collate information, prepare guidelines and good practice statements on issues raised by NPA members

Publicity and Information

• Provide an information service for use by anyone researching Portage or needing facts about specific areas
• Highlight the name Portage and the work of the NPA
• Monitor and record press and media coverage concerning Portage

Training and Monitoring

• Encourage new and maintain existing training initiatives
• Offer advice on issues raised by registered services or individual members on training
• Oversee the development of Portage Basic Workshop; Portage Curriculum for Professional Development; Training for Trainers
• Ensure the delivery of Training for Trainers
• Organise and run an annual trainers' forum
• Oversee the application process for accredited trainers
• Oversee service registration

In attendance at Board Meetings

Communications and Development Officer

Provide administrative support to the Board of Trustees for the business of the NPA including:

• registration and membership
• training
• orders, correspondence, phone calls, emails etc
• the annual Conference
• identifying sources of grants and supporting the compilation of bids

Conference Coordinator

• Plan, administrate and evaluate the NPA Annual Conference with the support of the Conference Organising Committee
• Attend/report to Board meetings

Editor of the Portage Post

• Write the editorial for Portage Post
• Organise the production and distribution of Portage Post
• Attend/report to Board meetings