You may be asking yourself: “What does it mean to be on the board of BDSM in Iceland? Can I volunteer? Do I need to know a lot about everything and have a lot of free time?”
We decided to give a brief description of what is involved in being on the board of the organization, hoping that it will answer these questions. Keep in mind that the description is based on how boards of recent years have operated, but each board is free to adapt things to its own needs.
After the board is elected at the annual meeting, they get together and divide up their tasks. The positions that need to be filled are: secretary, treasurer, and vice-chair.
The division of labor within the board is as follows:
- The secretary is usually responsible for writing meeting minutes (recording what was discussed and decided at the meetings).
- The treasurer manages the organization’s finances, has access to bank accounts, receives payments, and pays bills as necessary.
- The vice-chair takes over the chair’s duties if they are absent or resign.
- The rural representative may take on other roles within the board, but their primary role is to be the voice and liaison of the rural area.
The chair is elected every year. Their role is not very rigid, but they must be prepared to represent the organization and be its face when needed.
Meetings:
The board decides for itself how often it meets. In recent years, the board has typically met about once a month. Board meetings have usually been one and a half to two hours long. Because this organization is full of fun people, the meetings are usually informal, with people chatting and joking between discussions and decisions.
At board meetings, the board makes collective decisions about everything done in the name of the organization, such as how courses and events should be held. The board may establish committees for any purpose and invite other members to serve on them. This way, more people can be involved in working for the organization.
The board must hold at least one membership meeting in the fall, and of course, the annual meeting.
The board decides whether the organization will participate in events such as Reykjavik Pride and associated events, responds to inquiries received by email and social media, and participates in public discussions of BDSM-related issues, if any arise.
It is good for as many people on the board as possible to be willing to come forward, but no one is pushed out of the closet.
What you need to volunteer in conscience is:
- A willingness to work with other people for a good cause
- A few hours a month