TERMS OF REFERENCE
The Advocacy Committee of the Algoma Council on Domestic Violence
Membership;
Membership on this committee is open to service providers or anyone in the community
wishing to make a contribution to the work of the council.
Objectives, Roles and Responsibilities:
Objectives are as follows:
1. Identifying gaps within accessibility of services and information.
2. Communicating between agencies that deal with Domestic Violence and identifying
ongoing common issues that require advocacy.
3. Raising awareness on barriers and issues that victims face in our communities that
require advocacy.
4. Coordinating with other communities to identify and respond to emerging issues that
require advocacy.
5. Responding to issues that are identified pertaining to the media that require advocacy
guided by the principles of the Algoma Council on Domestic Violence.
6. Responding to issues that are identified pertaining to all levels of government and
agencies that require lobbying guided by the principles of the Algoma Council on
Domestic Violence.
Reporting and Communication:
A designated committee member will record minutes of all committee meetings. The
completed minutes are to be made available to the designated chair who is responsible to
ensure they are distributed to all members prior to the next scheduled meeting.
Minutes will be approved at the following committee meeting.
The Chairs will be responsible for maintaining, in good order, a binder containing all
committee minutes, Council minutes, and other correspondence and ensure the binder is
available for committee meeting.
It is understood that the committee will direct any correspondence directed outside the
committee and be under the Council letterhead. Copies of all outgoing correspondence
will be retained in the committee binder.
A protocol for urgent responses has been established and will be implemented as
necessary.
Chairpersons:
This committee prefers a co-chair system. Co-chairs will determine between themselves
how responsibilities will be carried out. The duties will include chairing meetings,
making arrangements for meetings if that has not been pre-determined. They will ensure
that minutes are taken, prepared and received by the designated chair. That chair will then
ensure that minutes are distributed in a timely manner and that all members have
appropriate notice of the next committee meeting.
The chairs will be responsible for ensuring that a committee report is ready for
distribution at each council meeting and that one chair at least is available to attend the
meeting.
The chairs are responsible for preparing the agenda for scheduled meetings.
The chairs will be responsible for preparation, approval, maintaining and reporting of the
advocacy budget at each meeting.
Meetings:
A committee meeting will be held monthly and as necessary.
It is the chairs’ responsibility to ensure that meetings are scheduled, organized and held.