Advisory Group Terms of Reference

The purpose, membership, responsibilities and selection process for the Advisory Group.

Purpose

The role of the Advisory Group is essentially governance, to:

• Provide input into the day-to-day management practices of the website
• Oversee editorial policies
• Advise on the development of new website functionality
• Contribute to strategic directions and future ownership models
• Contribute to development and implementation of a marketing campaign
• Help build a constituency of community organisations willing to be involved in governance of the website.

Membership

The membership of the Advisory Group is as follows:

• One Te Atamira Taiwhenua representative (or nominee).
• One representative nominated by the DIA Pacific Island Consultant and Advisory Group.
• Six representatives appointed from nominations from community organisations.

supported by 

• One Community Development Group representative.

The Advisory Group meets three or four times a year, and uses electronic communication in between meetings to consider any emerging issues. Members are appointed for a three year term.

Local Government and Community Branch Responsibilities

The primary responsibilities of the Local Government and Community Branch (LG&C) are to:

• Maintain reliability of service provision
• Ensure regular updates
• Implement editorial policies
• Prepare promotional material
• Monitor and report on performance
• Manage the development of new functionality
• Provide advice to the Advisory Group.

LG&C's Operations Manager retains final responsibility for the content and operation of the CommunityNet Aotearoa website.

Advisory Group Responsibilities

The primary responsibilities of the Advisory Group are to:

• Oversee editorial policies, including management of the "Hot Topics" section
• Develop strategic directions
• Investigate future ownership models
• Contribute to promotion of the website
• Provide advice about community sector information and networking needs.

Advisory Group members sign a standard code of conduct.

Selection Process

Nominations are open to anyone working in iwi/ Māori and community and voluntary organisations. The current Advisory Group will make recommendations on potential governance group members to fill upcoming vacancies, keeping the Group broadly representative of New Zealand communities. The final selection will be approved by LG&C's Director Operations.

Selection criteria are:

• Knowledge of iwi/ Māori and community organisations, and access to community sector networks
• Evidence of commitment to the Treaty of Waitangi and Effectiveness for Māori
  Commitment to effective governance processes
• Interest in use of IT by iwi/ Māori and community organisations, but not necessarily technical expertise.

(Amended August 2005 to include additional member, term of appointment, meeting frequency, ongoing selection process and minor wording changes; and December 2006 to add minor clarifications.)