Elder Abuse Prevention Ontario (EAPO) is calling for expressions of interest by community members and influencers to join our Board of Directors.
Who are we?
EAPO is a provincial, registered charitable organization, mandated since 2002 to prevent and mitigate the abuse of older adults in Ontario, Canada, and to support the implementation of Ontario’s Strategy to Combat Elder Abuse.
Funded primarily by the Ontario government, EAPO focuses on:
- public education to raise awareness;
- training of front-line service personnel to be able to effectively recognize and support seniors at-risk of or experiencing abuse; and
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fostering public policy and programming to prevent the abuse of older adults.
An anti-ageist lens informs all aspects of our work. We collaboratively engage with a strong, growing network of partners and stakeholders to address the challenges and complexities that elder abuse poses to the lives and basic human rights of seniors. We aim to help restore respect and positively impact the quality of lives of vulnerable older adults.
What’s in it for you?
This is a rewarding opportunity for those who are passionate about making a real difference in the lives of older adults in communities across the province. You will have the chance to apply your talents and collaborate with sectoral partners and networks. You will help steward this organization’s collective resources towards realizing its full potential as THE leader in elder abuse prevention.
What does the Board do?
The volunteer Board is comprised of dedicated individuals from across Ontario. Directors:
- govern EAPO to steward its finances and resources.
- provide oversight to effectively align operations with desired outcomes and optimize our impact in the community we serve.
- help build and advance relationships with diverse stakeholders in accordance with our mission, vision and strategic goals.
- advocate for policy and programming to prevent and mitigate the abuse of older adults, and
- help develop collaborations among community stakeholders and build partnerships for a strong, sustainable organization and sector.
What will be expected of me?
The term of a Director, is 2 years, renewable to a maximum of 6 continuous years. You should be prepared to invest an average of 5 – 7 hours per month as part of this role.
Directors are expected to:
- prepare for and participate in virtual bi-monthly Board meetings lasting 1.5 – 2 hours in duration, as well as the Annual General Meeting, held in the late fall
- serve on at least one Committee of their choice; and
- be an advocate on the issues of elder abuse prevention and for the organization.
What are we looking for?
We are looking for skilled, articulate and passionate Directors who can help the Board deliver on its immediate strategic priorities. These are to further augment EAPO’s profile and leadership role in elder abuse prevention by:
- helping to locate and deliver new strategic partnerships,
- providing strategic insight into resource development opportunities,
- communicating key messages and themes through appropriate channels,
- locating and delivering new funding opportunities,
- providing strategic oversight of EAPO’s finances and
- acting as a leading voice on core issues, to rally people and resources around this important cause.
As a result, at this time we are particularly interested in candidates with strong skills in resource development, partnerships and government relations.
Directors should possess:
- a solid understanding of seniors’ issues
- a commitment to the prevention of elder abuse and
- governance expertise
To inform our strategic directions, we seek a balance of expertise and experience in our Board. We are seeking applications:
- from communities across the province
- that reflect Ontario’s diversity, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), immigrant, francophone, and 2SLGBTQ identifying candidates
- with a range of professional expertise or lived experience, including from sectors such as health, community support, nursing, law, victim services, financial services, and knowledge translation and mobilization.
TO APPLY
Please submit your C.V. and a covering letter that outlines why you are interested in engaging with EAPO and how your specific experiences and/or skills closely align with the characteristics EAPO is seeking.
Please send these documents by e-mail to: Nominating Committee c/o [email protected] by end of business day, November 17th, 2023.
Interviews will be conducted the week of November 20th. Directors will be formally elected to the Board at our Annual General Meeting (AGM) in the spring of 2024.
Another and more flexible option for putting your commitment to quality lives for seniors to work, is to consider engaging with us as an Ambassador. Ambassadors help EAPO to fulfil its mandate by:
• working with the Board and staff team to amplify key messages around elder abuse prevention,
• identifying and building opportunities for strategic relationships, and
• sharing their expertise and perspectives.
EAPO thanks all applicants for their interest, however, only those selected for interviews will be contacted.