Brightside Seeking New Board Members [CLOSED]

[This posting is now closed. We thank all interested applicants and will inform those selected for next steps.]

Brightside Community Homes Foundation provides affordable rental homes for a community of residents that represent an inspiring array of backgrounds and lived experience. We believe that our Board of Directors should be equally representative of our resident community, and are seeking new Board members to bring their unique voice to our Board governance.

We are proud of the diversity of our staff and management team, and have excellent skills and a variety of life and work experiences within our Board of Directors. With this as a platform, Brightside continues to seek further diversity of our Board in order to better understand our residents’ needs and challenges. Our resident community is made up of seniors and older adults who live independently, people of different abilities, Indigenous, racialized, and equity-seeking groups, diverse sexual orientations and identities, newcomers, and families. Many of our residents have been homeless or have experienced the risk of homelessness in the past.

New Board members are not required to have previous Board experience. Although this is a plus, we consider the desire to be guided in decision-making by Brightside values, the ability to think about things objectively, to become actively involved in open and curious discussions, and to understand and accept other perspectives as part of the consensus-building process as being critical skills for any new Board member. We offer Board training and maintain a “Board-buddy” system for new Board members who need or want such support. Board members must reside in the Lower Mainland, and have some knowledge of the challenges facing renters in Metro Vancouver.

Who we are as an organization

Brightside’s mission is to build resilient communities, throughout Metro Vancouver, with safe and secure homes for those struggling to meet the demands of market housing. As a charitable, non-profit society providing affordable homes for almost 70 years, we understand the need for our organization to reflect the communities we serve in a way that is just and equitable. In order to do that, we need to be governed by people who understand the experience of the communities we serve and of our residents.

More information on Board opportunities

As a Brightside volunteer Board Director, you will be one of twelve like-minded individuals committed to the Brightside values to improve the number and quality of affordable housing units in Metro Vancouver. Board meetings are held regularly on the fourth Tuesday of each month. You will also participate in standing committees, working groups, and other events.

For more information about the position, please see the Board Director role definition below, or download the role definition here.

Brightside’s Values are core to our decisions and actions. It is important that these values drive the work of all Board members.

Maintaining Clarity

The way we go about our work and interact with others is always expected, communicated and delivered clearly and, most importantly, valued.

To maintain Clarity, we are fair, open, and consistent.

Being Resourceful

To provide the best service possible, we need to be open to change and eager to constantly improve.

To be Resourceful, we are rigorous, diligent, and are great problem solvers.

Being Progressive

We have achieved great things through bold ideas and a comfort in our leadership role.

To be Progressive, we are adaptive, flexible, and proactive.

Being Inclusive

We cannot do this alone. Everyone from our partners to our residents are part of us and must be valued equally.

To be Inclusive, we are respectful, approachable, and empathetic.

Supporting Social Justice

We are committed to a process of deconstructing colonial, patriarchal, and other discriminatory systems and structures that marginalize or create inequities in our society.

To support Social Justice, we are intentional in highlighting issues, taking action to create equitable opportunity, and actively advocating for our vision.

How to apply

If you feel connected to this work and to our mission, please send us a resume with a short supporting statement (300 – 500 words) highlighting why this opportunity would be beneficial for you and for Brightside. Your short supporting statement should say why you are interested in the role and what you would bring to it. Alternatively, you can respond with similar information in a letter of interest, or if you prefer, a short video (maximum length 3 minutes).

Please send the above – whichever method you choose – to ceo@brightsidehomes.ca by January 10, 2022, and we can go from there.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Many thanks,

Jack Wong, Board Chair
William Azaroff, CEO
Brightside Community Homes Foundation

Posted on November 24, 2021

Our Commitment to the 50 – 30 Challenge

Brightside is committed to meeting or exceeding the Government of Canada’s 50 – 30 Challenge criteria to increase diversity in our workplace, and we have signed on to the challenge to demonstrate our commitment. Companies, organizations and not-for-profits across the country have joined the Government of Canada’s initiative to increase the representation and inclusion of under-represented groups in leadership positions.

The challenge is rooted in two aspirational commitments:

Gender parity (50%)
Significant representation (30%) on boards and senior management

Illustrated image depicting people of diverse background and ability. Text reads "The 50 30 challenge, your diversity advantage. We're In!

If you’re ready to take on the challenge, get started by visiting Canada.ca/50-30-challenge and on Twitter @CanadaBusiness