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Calling for Nominations to the NZSL Board 2019

The Minister for Disability Issues is seeking nominations from those who would like to be considered for appointment to the New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Board.

View NZSL video: Calling for Nominations to the NZSL Board 2019

The current Board released the NZSL Strategy (2018-2023) last year and has responsibilities that extend across leadership, advice, strategy, co-ordination and monitoring of NZSL.   In addition, the work of the Board helps government meet its commitments under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability (UNCRPD) and its obligations under the New Zealand Sign Language Act (2006).

Members appointed to the NZSL Board are required to have certain skills, including fluency in NZSL, and the majority of members must be Deaf NZSL users.  The NZSL Board members appointed also need to represent the diversity of the Deaf community and NZSL users.

These appointments are for a one-year term providing time for a focus on the Board composition and size. The decision to offer one year terms provides time to look at currently challenges with operating the NZSL Board and opportunities such as having more regular meetings with a smaller number of Board members.   This process will take a year with a decision being made in 2020. 

Follow this link to view an NZSL video on YouTube with further information

Nominations will be open until  22 May 2019 at 4pm.

Instruction for nominations

For information on how to be nominated for the NZSL Board member positions, please download the following documents:

Making a nomination

Read the NZSL Board Terms of Reference (above).  This specifies the desired skills and attributes and explains what is expected of members.  It also sets out the:

  • Vision
  • Principles
  • Purpose
  • Roles and functions
  • Composition
  • Governance
  • Processes
  • Support (by way of Secretariat).

Nominees:

  • Should be able to demonstrate the desired skills and attributes of Board members
  • Should be able to understand the views of, and communicate with, the NZSL-user community
  • Cannot be an employee in the public service working on issues relating to NZSL
  • Must be available to attend the Board's first meeting in July 2019.

Each member will be paid per day and pro-rata for a half day, for each day that they undertake work arising from their membership of the NZSL Board, including attending meetings.  Remuneration will be in accordance with the Cabinet fees framework

Nomination Checklist

To complete the nomination process, please provide:

  1. A cover letter explaining your relevant skills and experience
  2. A video submission (3 mins) to introduce yourself and describe the current issues relating to the promotion and maintenance of NZSL
  3. A completed Nomination Form 2019
  4. A completed Cabinet Committee CV (CAB 50/01)

Please send the completed documents and video via:

OR

  • post to: Shona Jones, Office for Disability Issues, Ministry of Social Development, PO BOX 1556, Wellington 6040

For further information email nz_sign_language@msd.govt.nz or phone/text/video Shona Jones, the Office for Disability Issues, ph 029 770 0159.

 

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