Training needs assessment of the boards of charitable organisations in Ireland

 
What is this survey?
One of the key objectives of the Government’s Strategy for Sustainable, Inclusive and Empowered Communities is to support education and training opportunities for board members of charitable organisations.  In furtherance of this objective, Pobal, on behalf of the Department of Rural and Community Development, is carrying out an assessment of training that may be required by the boards of charitable organisations in Ireland.  This survey will help us to identify the skills, knowledge and supports that you – as a board member* – already have and those you may need.

We will be asking questions about some non-technical skills or competencies that can help the boards of charitable organisations to operate more effectively. We will also ask about your training experiences, training needs and preferences relating to your position as a board member of a charitable organisation. We will also ask about your gender, age bracket, and work status so that we can learn more about charitable organisation board membership in Ireland and better understand the needs of different groups.

The survey takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. We are not asking for any information that will identify you or the organisation you work with. All results will be treated confidentially, and data will be stored in line with data privacy and Pobal’s GDPR obligations. Only summarised information will be published.

* The term “board-member” also known as “trustee”, refers here to anyone sitting on the voluntary board/ board of trustees/ board of management/ management committee (also known as "board of directors") of a charitable organisation. We will be using the term “trustee/board member” throughout this survey. The term “board” is used to refer to the board upon which you sit.

Why is it important?
By completing this survey, you will help the Department of Rural and Community Development to:

- Better understand board members and identify challenges, opportunities, and best practice in relation to their roles on the boards of charitable organisations;

-  Identify the training and capacity building supports that board members require, and;

- Improve outcomes for boards and their members, charitable organisations and the communities they support.

We hugely appreciate you taking time to complete the survey and help us to better understand how you can be supported in the valuable work that you do for your communities.