Some Board or Committee Members may need a support staff before or during meetings.
Support staff can help with physical support, understanding information, communication, or other needs.
Be Clear About Your Role
- Be clear about your role before and during meetings.
- In most cases, support staff are not Members of the group and do not share their own views on agenda items.
- The supporter should be briefed about their role by:
- Their employer
- The chairperson
- The person they support
- Other participants should also understand what the supporter’s role is.
- Support staff should commit to keeping information confidential.
- If a supporter oversteps (for example, by joining the discussion) or does not provide good support, participants should know who to speak to about the problem.
- Review the Board or Committee Mentor/Support Staff Agreement (See Resource F).
- Support the new Member to communicate any accommodation requirements (See Resource G: Accommodations Checklist).
Use a Person Directed Approach
- Tailor support to each person, based on a trusting relationship.
- Get to know:
- The person’s style and personality
- How they understand information
- How they communicate
- What technology or equipment they use
- Any other support needs
- Focus on values such as respect, dignity, choice, and person centered support.
Make Information Accessible
- Use clear communication to help the person understand what is being discussed.
- Break information into smaller parts or steps where needed.
- Support the person to think about:
- Different options or views
- Their own experiences related to the topic
- Help the person understand options and bring together the information they need to make decisions.
- Write down or draw key points the person wants to say so they can use these as prompts during the meeting.
- Quietly check in with the person or ask for a break if complex issues come up during the meeting.
Be Reliable and Engaged
- Reliability is important because good support depends on relationships and knowing the person.
- Support staff are not easily replaced; a new person may not know the person or the meeting context.
- When supporters do not show up, leave early, or skip preparation, it can lead to poor and frustrating experiences for the person they support.
- Stay engaged in the meeting and take notes so you can support the person before, during, and after meetings.
