Governance

NextSense has responsibilities and duties defined under the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children Act 1998 No 6 and the by-laws.

Our board and management ensure we achieve our objectives effectively and efficiently, and the chief executive is accountable for the performance of our organisation.

To guide our corporate governance, we have a number of formal processes, including guidelines for the appointments to the board, an integrity statement, a code of conduct and a process of performance self-appraisal by board members.

To guarantee that we offer the highest standards of support to the people who need us, NextSense has instituted a charter of Client Rights, based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006).

NextSense is a charitable human service organisation. Accordingly, its board will aim to promote appropriate values and attitudes of service, integrity, financial prudence, consideration of individuals, accountability and personal responsibility.

Criteria for board membership are determined by eligibility guidelines, largely derived from relevant clauses in the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children Act 1998 and the by-laws.

Members of the NextSense Board of Directors agree to be bound by this integrity statement. New appointees to the board will be required to agree to be bound by the integrity statement. Any member of the board finding herself/himself unable to meet or to continue to meet the requirements of the integrity statement must offer to resign from the board.

Prospective appointees to the NextSense Board of Directors must:

• Be, or be prepared to become, members of NextSense in accord with the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children Act;
• Have sympathy with, and be prepared to contribute to, NextSense's purpose and objectives;
• Have abilities and skills which would be of use to NextSense;
• Be compatible with and prepared to work harmoniously with existing members of the board;
• Have a range of personal and/or professional contacts from various fields of endeavour who would be of potential benefit to NextSense; and
• Have an understanding of the duties and responsibilities of a board member.

In order to ensure that the NextSense Board is constituted so as to properly discharge its duties to the members, staff and clients of NextSense, board members agree that periodically they will undertake a performance appraisal by self-analysis.

This requires the completion and signing of a questionnaire, signifying continued agreement to be bound by the requirements of the Integrity Statement.