Because of engaged, thoughtful, and mission-driven Board members the Youth Center, Inc. has been able to serve youth and their families for over thirty-three years.  The Youth Center utilizes board member’s expertise to ensure the Youth Center’s performance in three key areas; Fiduciary, Strategic and Generative.

Fiduciary:  The fiduciary work is intended to make certain Youth Center, Inc. is in sound fiscal conditions.  To achieve this, Board members are expected to: 

—  Ensure efficient and appropriate use of resources

—  Ensure legal compliance and fiscal accountability

—  Ensure adherence to all legal, ethical and regulatory requirements

—  Review  financial management policies and procedures

—  Review and approve annual budget

—  Arrange and participate in fundraising activities and make a financial contribution

Strategic:  A Board member acts on their expertise to strategize, based on its goals and mission, on the performance of the Youth Center.  To achieve this, Board members are expected to: 

—  Ensure program areas (Drop-In Program, Outreach to Schools, Classes and Field Trips and Special Events) have the resources they need to accomplish prescribed outcomes

—  Ensure success of the Youth Center, Inc.’s organizational benchmarks.  Take part in the thoughtful revision of the Strategic plan every five years

—  Seek internal and external environments for use of communication and marketing

—  Monitor performance in the areas of staff, programs and strategic plan

Generative:  A generative thinking Board member will: 

—  Makes sense of circumstances

—  Invites prior questions, alternative hypotheses

—  Puts perceived problems/opportunities in new light

—  Finds and frames new problems and opportunities

—  Concerns values, beliefs, and assumptions

—  Spawns policy, strategy, and decisions

—  Makes sense of circumstances

—  Invites prior questions, alternative hypotheses

—  Puts perceived problems/opportunities in new light

—  Finds and frames new problems and opportunities

—  Concerns values, beliefs, and assumptions

—  Spawns policy, strategy, and decisions 

As the Out of School Time profession grows, to help in the Board’s generative role, the Youth Center, Inc. will help keep Board members educated and informed about Out of School Time best practices as well as issues in the profession.