Change What It Means to Be Blind

Request for Candidates — August 28, 2017

CNIB Quebec (Canadian National Institute for the Blind) Seeks Candidates for Its Quebec Advisory Board

“Change what it means to be blind.”

Who We Are

CNIB is a registered charity, passionately providing community-based support, knowledge and a national voice to ensure Canadians who are blind or partially sighted have the confidence, skills and opportunities to participate fully in life. One of Canada's oldest charitable organizations, CNIB will celebrate 100 years of existence in 2018.

A New Start Over the next two years, the Quebec Division will undertake an ambitious program to increase its visibility and philanthropy and enhance its programs, in such areas as employability, to improve the quality of life for people living with vision loss.

Role of the Advisory Board Members The Advisory Board (AB) members support division management in achieving service objectives, visibility and philanthropy relating to the organization’s mission. They act as ambassadors and educators in their community, develop understanding and their ability to advocate in issues relating to vision loss and social, occupational and personal promotion of people who are blind or have partial vision.

Given the repositioning of CNIB’s mission in Canada and Quebec, as well as its presence among the broad range of charities addressing the public, the organization should be perceived as a start-up business and AB candidates should be available to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing context in which solutions will have to be invented quickly, in ongoing consultation with professionals, volunteers and CNIB staff. As technological innovations like smart phones open up a treasure trove of opportunities for people living with vision loss, the organizations that support these people must also interact creatively with technology to stimulate innovation. The candidates we need are entrepreneurs, pioneers, builders. Request for Candidates — August 28, 2017

Profiles In short, CNIB would like to receive applications from people interested in sitting on its Advisory Board: - Who live with vision loss themselves or are in contact with people who are blind or have partial vision. - Of all ages and experience, including those for whom this would be a first advisory board experience - In all scientific or professional fields with different experience profiles, especially: o Health and research o Advertising, public relations and social media o Finance o Technology o Law o Event management o Philanthropy, major and planned donations - Although a fundraising committee will be set up, the board members will be asked to help solicit donations or sponsorships from their business contacts and will also be invited to contribute funding to the organization, according to their means. - Although meetings are mostly held in French, a functional knowledge of English would be an asset.

Commitment Participate in 6 to 8 meetings per year and, if possible, join one of the committees (4 to 6 meetings per year), such as service management, fundraising, communications and event management, and advocacy. Once the AB is created, the committee structure will be reviewed.

If an AB role is too demanding and you would simply like to join a committee, please let us know.

Procedure Please apply by submitting your résumé with a short letter (maximum 400 words) explaining why you would be a good candidate for the Advisory Board. The candidates selected will be contacted. Please note that if you are selected as a candidate, the usual checking will be done.

Please email your application by noon on September 14, 2017, to the attention of Valerie Duchatel at [email protected]

CNIB is supported in this strategic repositioning by ISALégal and Alexander Hughes.