Diabetes Ireland is holding their National health and wellbeing exhibition in the Rochestown Park Hotel, Cork this year on Sunday 11th November.
Their Annual General Meeting takes place at this event also (12pm/Noon). I know an AGM doesn’t sound very interesting BUT if you are a member of Diabetes Ireland and you care about improving diabetes health services, then it’s the place you want to be!
This is where you find out all about the organisation’s activities during the previous 12 months. And, it is where you can express your view on what areas you would like the organisation to focus for the coming year.
How Does Diabetes Ireland Work
Firstly, let’s begin with how Diabetes Ireland is structured. Diabetes Ireland as a charity is set up as a Company Limited by Guarantee. It doesn't have shareholders, but has members.
Members
Diabetes Ireland is a member led organization much like a shareholder in a publicly traded company. Members pay an annual subscription as a contribution to the running cost of the organising. And with that annual subscription each member has a voice and a vote.
Board of Directors
The members nominate and elect people to serve on the (voluntary) board of directors. The board of directors guides the organization’s management on what the organization should focused on, ensures the organization is following legal requirements, and makes decisions on behalf of the members.
The current board of directors of Diabetes Ireland is comprised, mostly, of patient representatives, plus 2 healthcare professionals and 2 business professionals.
BUT It is the members who guide the board on what direction they want the organization to go. If the members don’t like the direction, their main opportunity to do so is at a General Meeting.
Day to day management
The executives in Diabetes Ireland, the CEO, etc, are tasked with carrying out the board’s directives.
Photo from Pixabay.com
The Annual General Meeting or AGM
This is where members get to have their say. The Purpose of an annual general meeting may include:
review financial information for the past year,
electing members to the board of directors,
discussing important decisions regarding the organization,
and informing the members of previous and future activities.
However, you don’t have to wait until November 11 to review the financial information from Diabetes Ireland because as a national registered charity Diabetes Ireland are legally required to file their annual report and share it with their members. The full annual report for July 2016 - June 2017, all 42 pages of what Diabetes Ireland did and how much it cost can be viewed here.
If you are a member of Diabetes Ireland you will have received notice of the AGM taking place on Sunday 11 November in Cork and you would also received a copy of the agenda for the meeting.
Every member has a say and every member has a vote.
If you want to make an organisation better, become part of it!