Good Governance of
National Societies
Experience from The Fiji
Red Cross Society.
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History and an Overview of Fiji Red Cross
Society
FRCS – Structure
FRCS – Programs- Key Service Areas
OCAC – Organisational Capacity Assessment
and Certification
Staff Development and Capacity Building
Branch Development and Capacity Building
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MISSION STATEMENT
“ We are a dynamic Fiji humanitarian
organization dedicated to saving and
improving the lives of the most vulnerable
through the mobilizing the power of
humanity and the spirit of volunteerism”
FIJI RED CROSS BRIEF HISTORY
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Established in 1952 as branch of British Red Cross.
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Recognised as independent National Society in 1971.
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1973: gained international recognition- 118th member of IFRC.
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Society officially recognised by Fiji Government as voluntary relief
organisation, auxiliary to public authorities & only Red Cross Society in
Fiji. Most widely recognised & respected humanitarian organisation in
Fiji.
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Has a National Council, National Board, National Office in Suva,
15 branches & 2 Divisional Service Centers throughout Fiji; covers 80%
of Fiji. Branches function primarily as relief operators & network system
for implementing / promoting various Programmes & services within
their communities.
FIJI ISLANDS
BRANCH LOCATIONS
Rotuma
Labasa
Seaqaqa
Savusavu
Bua
Tavua
Ba
Taveuni
Rakiraki
Nalawa
Lautoka
Levuka
Nadi
Sigatoka
SUVA
KEY SERVICE AREAS
Health & Care
Disaster Management
Safety
Resource
Development
Youth
Branch
Development
IHL, FPs and
Humanitarian Values
FIJI RED CROSS SOCIETY STRUCTURE
GOVERNANCE
NATIONAL COUNCIL
Patron
Appoints
National Board
Branches
Recommends
Independent
Members
Independent Members
Appoints
NATIONAL
PROGRAMMES
Patron
Honorary Auditor
Honorary Legal Counsel
NATIONAL
BOARD
President
HEALTH & CARE
CBHFA
HIV/AIDS
TB
Health & welfare
Community Safety
On recommendation
of the National Board
Vice President
MANAGEMENT
Treasurer
Board members
NATIONAL OFFICE
Chair of Standing
Programme Managers
Committees
Implement
National
Programmes
Financial Services
Appoints
Delegation
YOUTH
Human Resources
DIIRECTOR GENERAL
Puppet Theatre
Peer Education
Youth Link
Organisation Development
Accountability
Reporting &
Accountability
Each branch elects
2 members to national council
Delegation
SAFETY
DIVISIONAL
SERVICE CENTRES
Reporting & Accountability
Guidance &
Support
Northern
Western
Guidance &
Support
BRANCHES
Quality Services Provision
Levuka
Lautoka Tavua
Rotuma Rakiraki
Ba
Nalawa
Savusavu
Labasa Bua
Seaqaqa Taveuni
First Aid Supplies
First Aid Training
Water Safety
IHL and FP
Quality Service Provision
Nadi
Mitigation
Preparedness
Response & relief
Administration
Director General
Suva
DISASTER
LOCAL
COMMUNITIES
Vulnerable Groups
Youths
Quality
Services
Provision
BRANCH
DEVELOPMENT
Branch
restructuring
and Volunteers
GOVERNANCE
FIJI RED CROSS GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE
NATIONAL
COUNCIL
Patron
Each branch elects
members to national
council (Number
determined by National
Board proportion to size,
maximum of three )
National Board
Branches
Independent
Members
Appoints
National
Board
Recommends
Independent
Members
BRANCHES
Suva
Savusavu
Labasa
Seaqaqa
On recommendation
of the National Board
NATIONAL
BOARD
Facilitates
President
Vice President
Treasurer
VOSA – Volunteer and
Staff Advisory Group
Appoints
DIIRECTOR GENERAL
Board members
Chair of Standing
Committees
Director General
(Ex Officio
Member)
Appoints
FINANCE COMMISSION
The Treasurer is the Chairman with
two other members nominated by
the Board according to their
qualifications. Members do not have
to be Board Members.
Nadi
Levuka
Bua
Taveuni
Ba
Nalawa
Lautoka Tavua
Rotuma Rakiraki
NATIONAL
BOARD
Members are
elected for a
period of 4 years
at the end of
which they must
step down for a
period of 1 yr
before seeking reelection. At the
end of a 2nd term
the member must
stand down for a
period of 4 yrs.
FIJI RED CROSS GOVERNANCE FRAMEWORK
NATIONAL BOARD
GOVERNANCE
President Vice President Treasurer Board members Chair Youth representative
Director General (Ex Officio Member)
Governance has established a frame work that will allow the
development of the Society with integrity
OCAC
FINANCE COMMISSION
DIIRECTOR GENERAL
& MANAGEMENT
TEAM
YOUTH COMMISSION
INTERNAL AUDITOR
BRANCH PRESIDENTS
CONFRENCE
AUDIT OF ACCOUNTS
BY EXTERNAL
AUDITOR
STAFF – PROGRAM
IMPLEMENTERS
BRANCHES –
IMPLEMENTERS –
SERVICE DELIVERY
VULRENABLE COMMUNITY
VOSA – Volunteer and
Staff Advisory Group
FIJI RED CROSS GOVERNANCE FRAMEWORK
GOVERNANCE
Governance has established a frame work that will allow the
establishment and development of the Society with integrity
FINANCE COMMISSION
Finance Commission is an advisory commission to the National Board and
comprises of Chairman and two members appointed by the National
Board. The Treasurer of the society is normally the chairman.
YOUTH COMMISSION
comprises of Chairman and youth members nominated by Branches. The
Youth representative on the National Board is normally the chairman. It
advises the National Board on Youth matters
VOSA is a participatory forum through which internal stakeholders – staff,
volunteers and board come together to discuss and design policies relevant
to the good governance of the Society.
VOSA – Volunteer and
Staff Advisory Group
These policy documents are then forwarded to the Director General and
National Board for their approval before taking to the National Council for
endorsement.
The group’s membership is unique in that it allows for viewpoints from all
perspectives – governance/management/staff/volunteers – in the
development of policies and procedures and issues that impact the
organisation.
Vosa comprise 2 staff, 1 Board member and 3 volunteers, it is currently
chaired by a staff member.
VULRENABLE COMMUNITY
Youth Commission is an advisory commission to the National Board and
FIJI RED CROSS GOVERNANCE FRAMEWORK
GOVERNANCE
OCAC
Governance has established a frame work that will allow the
establishment and development of the Society with integrity
As a result of OCAC key priority areas were identified as requiring action
EXTERNAL FINANCE
AUDITOR
INTERNAL AUDITOR
To ensure good financial accountability the Society’s financial
accounts are audited by external Auditors KPMG Annually. It is the
responsibility of the DG and the Finance Team to prepare the financial
accounts for audit and present the final accounts for the National
Council for endorsement.
To ensure the integrity of its internal processes the Society has
appointed an internal auditor/assurance coordinator whose role is to
audit all internal procedures and processes and recommend
necessary changes and also to ensure compliance to the internal
processes reducing the capacity for abuse.
VULRENABLE COMMUNITY
ORGANISATIONAL CAPACITY ASSESMENT AND CERTIFICATION
(OCAC)
In 2012 the FRCS National Board approved the participation of the Society
in the “OCAC” Process.
5 Key Areas assessed were:
# 1. Capacity to Exist. # 2. Capacity to Organise
# 3. Capacity to relate and to Mobilise.
# 4. Capacity to perform. 5. Capacity to grow.
FIJI RED CROSS GOVERNANCE FRAMEWORK
GOVERNANCE
Governance has established a frame work that will allow the
establishment and development of the Society with integrity
BRANCH PRESIDENTS
CONFERENCE
Branches need to restructure to stay relevant in their
communities a Branch Structure was proposed to the Branch
Presidents and was agreed. To implement the Branch Structure
the Branches sign up to an MOU with National Office.
VULRENABLE COMMUNITY
BRANCH RESTRUCTURE
IN NOVEMBER 2012 THE FIRST EVER BRANCH
PRESIDENTS CONFERENCE FOR THE SOCIETY WAS
HELD.
The Branch Presidents agreed to:
1. Restructure their Branches according to a structure proposed
by National Office.
2. A minimum standard that would constitute what a successful
branch would look like.
3. A monthly reporting process for reporting activities to
National Office.
4. Better Financial accountability with all Branches eventually
being audited independently.
5. Agreed to conduct Low Cost Activities to keep volunteers
busy
BRANCH DEVELOPMENT
CURRENT BRANCH STRUCTURE
PRESIDENT
VICE
PRESIDENT
TREASURER
SECRETARY
ASSTANT
TREASURER
ASSISTANT
SECRETARY
YOUTH
CORDINATOR
PROPOSED STRUCTURE
PRESIDENT
VICE
PRESIDENT
TREASURER
SECRETARY
ASSTANT
TREASURER
ASSISTANT
SECRETARY
YOUTH
CORDINATOR
SAFETY
COMMITTEE
6 MEMBERS
2 ASSISTANT
MEMBERS
2 ASSISTANT
MEMBERS
HEALTH
COMMITTEE
6 MEMBERS
DISASTER
COMMITTEE
6 MEMBERS
YOUTH
COMMITTEE
6 MEMBERS
Key Notes
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Of the 15 Branches of the FRCS 6 Branches have signed the the MOU
with National Office.
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Two Branches have done the one day Volunteer Training Program and
the training is rolling out to the other 4 Branches who have signed up.
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The goal is to have all 15 Branches sign up to the MOU and the one
day volunteer training program conducted in all branches.
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Branch structure is designed to facilitate “Low Cost Activities” That
Branches can undertake on their own without resources from National
Office.
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Branch training is undertaken with support from IFRC regional office
in Suva.
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Volunteers who sign the Code of Conduct after the training program
are included in the Volunteer Data Base
Summary
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Red Cross Management and Capacity Building is an important
requirement for all National Societies.
For the Society to Manage and Capacity Build its Governance
needs to build a framework that enables and promotes growth
and capacity building.
The OCAC process provides a process of self assessment that
enabled the society to asses itself against 5 Critical Conditions
for sustained performance.
The results of the assessment has been used by the Fiji Red
Cross Society to prepare a series of Action Plans that it is
currently putting into place.
The new Strategic Plan for the Society from 2015 to 2019, to be
prepared and launched in 2014 will reflect the plans and assist
in setting the new strategic direction of the Society.