NGO Governance Platform Project
Background
Board members of NGOs have contributed their time, knowledge and experience voluntarily and assumed the extremely important role of driving the development of not only their respective organisations, but also the social welfare sector. As the social problems and challenges NGOs encountered become continuously more complex, the demand for NGOs providing services of high quality and being more transparent and accountable increases as well.
In order to fulfil the expectations and foster the trust and support from the public, the Hong Kong Council of Social Service introduced a four-year pilot programme in April 2016 with the support of Lotteries Fund to build an NGO governance platform. In April 2023, the Learning Platform on NGO Governance and Management was introduced with funding support from the Social Welfare Department, continuing the efforts in encouraging board members and senior management of NGOs to interact, share and learn from each other.
Objectives
• Facilitate the sharing of experience and best practices on the governance of NGO amongst the governing bodies and senior management of NGOs to encourage mutual learning
• Empower the governing bodies and senior management of NGOs through the provision of updated information and necessary resources
• Develop and maintain a knowledge portal on NGO governance and management to promote continuous professional development
Main Activities
Orientation and Training
Orientations, thematic seminars and trainings tailored for board members and senior management were conducted to empower them and encourage their continuous professional development
Networking
Events in the form of sharing sessions, informal meetings, social gatherings and board visitations were organised to connect board members and senior management and facilitate the exchange of perspectives and thoughts
Research
Studies on NGO governance in Hong Kong were conducted in collaboration with scholars and research institutes
Knowledge Portal
An online knowledge portal was established to serve as a repository of literatures and materials on governance for reference and self-learning purposes
