2020 in hindsight:
The Governance Committee has made important advances during 2020, several documents are ready for board review and for final release and implementation. The team has made a tremendous job, our heartfelt thanks go to each of its members: Rosa Maria Bonifaz, Lina Florez, and Juan David Gomez.
Comprehensive documents covering areas such as Policies and Procedures, Roles and Responsibilities, Document Management Process, Organigrams, etc. are the framework and foundation that will guide the future operations of Hispanotech. These documents are being drafted for each of the committees and we are planning to have them completed before 2021 ends. Based on these documents, we will also be updating the Volunteer Manual and the Director’s Guide.
The goal is to have well documented our processes and procedures that are written in an easy to learn manner, so that any volunteer coming into a role can quickly be brought up to speed and have a clear picture of their commitment, their responsibilities and accountabilities, and, equally important, be able to understand what is expected of them. This is specially important for the volunteers aspiring to have a Director’s role.
There is still a ton of work to complete, so, if you have experience writing this type of documentation and would like to get involved, please reach out to any of us.
When we leave our country, we lose, in an instant, three very important networking circles: Our family, our barrio / friends, and our professional colleagues. It is through organizations like Hispanotech where new Canadians have the opportunity to quickly rebuild these crucial networks.
By getting involved and volunteering, no matter how small a role, one can quickly get past the infamous “Canadian Experience” (all volunteers get a Letter of Reference after their involvement), and advance in their journey of settling in Canada and, at the same time, have an excellent chance to advance professionally through Hispanotech’s networking events and mentorship programs.
I only wish Hispanotech was around when I landed, 33 years ago!
–
Galo
Director, Governance
