Figure 7
Supporting Tutors

  • One-on-one help after tutor training for those who need extra help
  • Follow-up consultation soon after a match to ensure it's working
  • A quick re-match when matches break up
  • Regular telephone contact to provide advice/assistance (every one to two months)
  • Being available in the office to talk about strategies
  • Providing help in using the library e.g. recommending resources
  • Allowing time for social talk when they are in the centre for tutoring or when they drop in to use the library
  • Offering alternative volunteer work in the organization if tutoring is not suitable for them
  • Consistent follow-up for tutors on hold
  • Showing appreciation for their contributions (see Volunteer Recognition Activities in Participation Summaries)
  • Providing additional volunteer opportunities for those who seek them e.g. small group tutoring helping in tutor training, board or committee work etc.

We were fortunate that our Chair from 1993-1995 had considerable experience in board development having volunteered for several years as a board trainer with he Volunteer Centre of Edmonton

50/50 and the Board of Directors

At the time this project began, Prospects status as a charitable organization was still only a little more than two years old, and the small six-member Board was still finding its feet. We were fortunate that Ken MacDonald, our Chair from 1993-1995, had considerable experience in board development, having volunteered for several years as a board trainer with the Volunteer Centre of Edmonton. Ken thus brought a wealth of theoretical knowledge to his new position as Chair. But he was also prepared to invest the time needed to put his knowledge into practice and to do this within the context of the 50/50 project.

Intake Focus

One of Ken's first tasks was to review the organization bylaws with a view to revising them. This was subsequently done by a board member with legal expertise, in consultation with other board members and staff. The new bylaws were approved at the 1994 Annual General Meeting and are now undergoing further revisions in order to put them into plain language.

We wanted to be able to share the workload and to recruit people with a range of expertise

As part of this revision process, it was also decided that we should increase the number of people who could be elected to the Board. We wanted to be able to share the workload and to recruit people with a range of expertise. We decided to increase the size of the board to a maximum of ten members and to include both tutor and student representatives.


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