Onkaparinga Food Security Collaborative – Terms of Reference
Ratified November 2021
Onkaparinga Food Security Collaborative
Background
The Onkaparinga Food Security Collaborative (OFSC) will bring together food security groups and other stakeholders within Onkaparinga to learn from each other, to share expertise and experience, resources, skills and information.
Vision
A food secure Onkaparinga where everyone has access to sufficient affordable, nutritious food that feeds the body and the soul; and communities are empowered to lead healthy, productive and more sustainable lives.
Mission
To work to achieve healthier communities by connecting people to healthy nutritious food, community education and advocacy, using an overarching principle of ‘achieving more together than alone’.
Values
• Equity and social justice
• Community participation and empowerment
• Focus on health promotion and prevention
• Respect for diversity
• Collaboration
• Sustainability
Governance and membership
Membership of the Collaborative is open to all individuals, groups and organisations with an interest in food security within Onkaparinga. Collaborative members will continue to develop their own activities and also contribute to Collaborative activities and projects. The Steering Group will lead and coordinate Collaborative activities. Healthy Cities Onkaparinga Inc. (HCO) will act as auspice to the Collaborative, providing financial management, Public Liability Insurance and overarching policy guidelines.
Steering Group
Terms of Reference
Purpose
The OFSC Steering Group will provide strategic direction and leadership to the Collaborative to ensure a stronger, vibrant community and neighbourhood for all generations by increasing opportunities for healthy living, healthy eating and being active.
Roles and responsibilities
The Executive (Chair, Deputy Chair and Secretary):
• Meet at least 10 days prior to any Steering Group meeting to discuss and set the agenda.
• Where there is an even split in voting, the Executive majority (who will not vote in the first round) will be the tiebreaker.
The OFSC Steering Group sets out to achieve shared core leadership, collaboration and learning by mutually agreed objectives of the group. Members will share information, effective practices, resources, programs and work together to facilitate projects where appropriate.
OFSC Steering Group is accountable for:
• fostering collaboration and facilitating partnerships
• facilitating and building community capacity and awareness of food security
• facilitating the development of resilience
• encouraging more participation in food security groups or programs
• maintaining at all times the focus of the Collaborative on the agreed scope, outcomes and benefits
• monitoring and managing the factors outside the Collaborative’s control that are critical to its success.
• Reflecting on and collecting data / stories about successes and otherwise in food security
Appointments and membership
OFSC Steering Group will comprise representatives from:
• Government
• Non-government agencies
• Community initiatives
• Food Industry, including small business
• Community members with networks/interest in food (in)security
• At least one representative from Healthy Cities Onkaparinga management committee
Election of Chair, Deputy Chair and Secretary (the Executive) will take place again in October of even numbered years. Appointments will be for two years, to provide continuity. Vacancies can be filled as needed and appointees can be re-elected.
Members of the Steering Group may self-nominate any time in the year, after attending a meeting as an observer, with final decision to be made at the following meeting by the current Steering Group members. Steering Group membership will be for two years, to provide continuity. The size of the Steering Group will be capped at 12 members. Members can also be re-elected.
Conduct of Steering Group members and meetings
OFSC Steering Group members will commit to:
• Regularly attending scheduled meetings and, if necessary, nominate a proxy (where a Steering Group member misses three meetings in a row, they will be asked to reconfirm their intention to contribute)
• Actively promote the Collaborative and its events within the community
• Actively recruit potential members of the Steering Group, working groups, and/or Collaborative
• Sharing all communications and information across all Collaborative Steering Group members via the Executive
• Making timely decisions and taking action so as to not hold up the Steering Group’s progress
• Notifying the Executive, as soon as practical, of any external factors which may affect the development or functioning of the Collaborative.
Members of the OFSC Steering Group will expect:
• that each member will be provided with complete, accurate and meaningful information at least 7 days before decision-making meetings (or advised at least 7 days out for a short-turnaround item)
• to be alerted to potential risks and issues that could impact progress, as they arise
• open and honest discussions, without resort to any misleading assertions.
The Steering Group also agrees to abide by the attached HCO Code of Conduct with the enhancement that if there is any breach of conduct, the Executive plus a neutral person if required, has a conversation with the person to discuss the conduct before issuing a formal warning.
Meetings
All meetings will be chaired by the Chairperson or in their absence by the Deputy Chair or Secretary. Decisions made by consensus minus 1 (i.e. members are satisfied with the decision even though it may not be their first choice). If not possible, OFSC Steering Group Executive makes final decision.
The Executive will hold pre-agenda meetings at least 10 days prior to the Steering Group to discuss and set the agenda. Meeting agendas and minutes will be provided by the secretary, this includes preparing agendas and supporting papers, preparing meeting notes and information.
Meetings will be held monthly, subject to review. If required, subgroup meetings will be arranged outside of regular meeting times at a time convenient to subgroup members.
Correspondence & Connectedness
If Steering Group or Collaborative members have an item / idea which they want raised, or a person they want invited to a meeting or added to the Collaborative, they will email the info@onkaparingafoodsecurity.org.au and request for the item / person to be put on the agenda, after checking with the Executive.
Public notices of upcoming events that relate to food security can be posted to the Facebook page.
If the item / idea is urgent, i.e. a Steering Group or Collaborative member needs a decision before the next meeting, the process is to call and / or email all of the Executive – the Chair, Deputy Chair and Secretary – so that they can discuss and respond if possible.
Spokesperson
Members of the Executive may act as spokespersons for the Collaborative, or other members of the Steering Group by delegation.
Resignation and dismissal
A member may resign by notifying the Steering Group Executive. Where possible an appropriate substitute should be suggested. A member may be asked to resign if they do not meet the Code of Conduct or support the Mission and Vision of the Collaborative.
Review
The Terms of Reference may be amended, varied, or modified at any time, by request and agreement of the Steering Group members or Healthy Cities Onkaparinga. The Terms of Reference will be reviewed every 24 months.
Next review due: August 2023 for ratification at the October 2023 meeting.
HCO / OFSC CODE OF CONDUCT 2021-2023
Onkaparinga Food Security Collaborative Code of Conduct Statement August 2021
The Code of Conduct is a set of behavioural expectations towards one another both during and outside of meetings.
This Code of Conduct is intended to facilitate a professional, respectful and inclusive environment. Failure to comply will incur a written warning plus a conversation, in the first instance, followed by dismissal from membership of OFSC by the Executive behaviour not in accordance with the Code of Conduct is repeated.
Members will:
1. Be a Team Maker a) acknowledge and respect others’ points of view and agree to differ if necessary b) refrain from shouting or talking over others c) respect diverse viewpoints and opinions even when you disagree 2. Be a Collaborator a) handle disagreement constructively and be solution focussed b) recognise diversity, be constructive and inclusive c) act fairly, honestly and in good faith 3. Be an Active Listener a) be objective, address the issue and not attack the person b) not interrupt, except the Chair if the speaker is off topic or has exceeded reasonable time c) not continue debate via email, social media or telephone post meeting
Endorsed by Onkaparinga Food Security Collaborative 24th November 2021
Review November 2023