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CHI Board Meeting and Plenary

Seville, Spain

June 21, 2022 - June 21, 2022

Call for nominations to the CHI board of directors

What is the board’s overall role?

Cooperative Housing International unites co‑operative and mutual self-help housing organisations around the globe by:

  • Seeking members throughout the developed and developing world;
  • Facilitating regular communication and joint action among our members;
  • Assisting national movements in their efforts to form regional bodies.

Directors represent the cooperative and mutual self-help housing movement by:

  • Supporting our members’ local efforts to secure the legal, financial and administrative arrangements the movement needs to flourish;
  • Working regionally and internationally to bring about conditions favourable to the movement’s growth;
  • Disseminating information on the movement and its success in creating sustainable human settlements in all parts of the world;
  • Joining with other branches of the cooperative family to win recognition for the important role cooperatives play in combatting global poverty.

Board activities include:

  • Keeping aware of issues facing housing co‑ops internationally;
  • Monitoring our movement’s achievements in providing secure, affordable housing in different regions of the world;
  • Continuing to build a collection of information on mutual self-help and co‑operative housing models and systems throughout the world;
  • Developing a strategy for disseminating information about our movement and facilitating dialogue within it;
  • Taking steps to make membership in cooperative housing international accessible and attractive;
  • Identifying good practices in our members’ international development programmes and promoting their wider adoption;
  • Seeking opportunities for joint international development programming;
  • Organizing one or more thematic seminars or conferences for members each year;
  • Seeking appropriate support for co‑operative housing development from the European Union;
  • Helping our members in the new states of the European Union and countries in transition to secure appropriate cooperative legislation;
  • Co-operating with other regional and international bodies whose mandate is to promote sustainable human settlements;
  • Supporting the wider work of the ICA, collaborating as opportunities arise with the other sectoral organisations and the gender and development committees;
  • Collaborating with the CoHabitat Network at annual and regional events and in working groups
  • All board members are required to follow CHI Rules.

What to expect

  • Directors serve either a four-year or two-year term (see positions available below);
  • CHI board of directors meet twice a year, preferably in person but also possible to participate virtually;
  • Teleconference calls may be scheduled between meetings;
  • Directors may also serve on committees or represent CHI with other organizations;
  • The Executive Committee, composed of the President, Vice-president and Treasurer, is elected at the plenary meeting;
  • The executive committee meets approximately four times a year by teleconference.

Who can run?

  • Candidates must be a board member or staff of a member organization of CHI. Members of CHI are cooperative housing organizations that are either full members or associate members of the International Cooperative Alliance.

Who are we looking for?

  • We welcome and encourage candidates from a broad cross-section of people. CHI values diversity and is committed to an inclusive and equitable workplace.

What costs are covered?

  • Costs for travel and hotel for board meetings and annual meetings are covered by the board members’ own organizations.

Positions up for election in June 2022

  • President, 4-year term
  • Vice-president, 4-year term
  • At large directors: four 4-year terms and two 2-year terms

Interested?

  • Please submit the following to Julie LaPalme at jlapalme@chi.coop:
    • your CV
    • a letter of support from your organisation
    • a short essay on your vision for CHI and why you think you are a good candidate
  • The deadline for submissions is April 30, 2022
  • For more information please contact Julie LaPalme at jlapalme@chi.coop

For more information on the ICA General Assembly please visit the ICA website.

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