Syllabus
The content for the Diploma of Governance consists of 12 units.
This unit deals with the broad roles and responsibilities of board or committee members in not-for-profit (NFP) organisations.
After completing this unit, learners will be able to:
- define governance
- summarise the roles and responsibilities of a board member
- understand the legal and ethical responsibilities of a board as an entity
- recall some of the legal obligations of different types of NFPs
- outline a healthy decision making framework
- identify key elements of an effective board meeting
- describe how governance differs from operations.
This unit looks at the boards role in ensuring that the organisation’s constitution remains relevant, legal and understood, and meets the organisation’s changing needs.
After completing this unit, learners will be able to :
- define what a constitution is
- identify parts of a constitution in relation to a specific organisation
- recognise what should and shouldn't be in a constitution
- recall why a constitution is important
- identify the process a board undertakes to make the changes to a constitution.
This unit explores some of the key elements that influence culture at both a micro and a macro level, from the board room to the national stage, from the way people speak to each other when making decisions in a board meeting to the broader systems that help establish cultural norms and parameters and inform and shape our national identity.
After completing this unit, learners will be able to:
- understand elements of Australian culture and their influence on governance
- identify the impacts of culture
- understand how First Nations culture influences participation in board and organisational culture
- identify the principles of self-determination for First Nations people
- determine the effects of cultural load
- approach intersectionality on boards with more confidence
This unit looks at the board's role in stakeholder communication and engagement.
After completing this unit, learners will be able to :
- review an engagement strategy and assess its effectiveness
- identify examples of public participation
- analyse and assess stakeholders using a matrix
- describe the board’s involvement in establishing a community engagement framework.
This unit looks at strategic planning and how it can (and should) be done in any context – within large or small organisations that have or do not have paid staff, and that have or do not have plenty of resources.
After completing this unit, learners will be able to:
- describe key parts of a strategic plan
- develop and review the organsation’s values, vision and purpose
- identify factors that could affect a strategic plan
- apply a SMART approach to strategic objectives
- identify the right questions to ask and people to approach when undertaking strategic planning
- discuss the process undertaken to conduct a strategic plan for an organisation.
This unit addresses organisational finances. It focuses on the board’s role in monitoring the organisation’s financial health.
After completing this unit, learners will be able to:
- understand the financial roles and responsibilities of board members
- follow a finance management process and system confidently
- identify the difference between cash and accrual accounting systems
- analyse board financial reports
- recall end-of-financial-year reporting obligations.
This unit explores how to create more diverse sources of income for your organisation.
After completing this unit, learners will be able to:
- confidently describe their organisation’s “why”
- understand the seven pillars of funding and the potential of each one for an organisation – including legal requirements
- understand the board's role in each pillar
- implement an ethical fundraising policy
- develop, implement and monitor a funding strategy.
This unit delves into the steps of change management, understanding the need for change, developing a strategy, and implementing it effectively.
After completing this unit, learners will be able to:
- understand change management and the board's role
- understand the types of change and their associated different management approaches
- develop a change management strategy
- implement and review a change management strategy
- understand risk management obligations.
This unit addresses the importance of good recruitment, induction and succession planning for CEOs to ensure continuity of an organisation is maintained and knowledge is not lost.
After completing this unit, learners should be able to:
- establish a succession plan for the CEO and board members
- review board effectiveness
- establish a recruitment and selection process
- identify what is needed for a CEO onboarding process, including induction
- identify the roles and responsibilities of the chair in the management of the CEO
This unit looks at the principles of communicating with stakeholders and the board’s role in a communication strategy.
After completing this unit, learners will be able to:
- outline the key principles of communicating with stakeholders
- develop a map of stakeholders
- draw from a range of communication techniques, tools and platforms
- recount the difference between communication and marketing
- outline the board's role in developing a communication strategy.
This unit looks at how to identify, understand and resolve conflicts
After completing this unit, you should be able to:
- identify existing and potential conflicts
- understand the conflict situation
- use strategies to resolve conflicts.
Within this unit, different approaches and techniques to negotiation are explored to navigate various negotiation scenarios.
After completing this unit, learners will be able to:
- understand the principles of negotiation
- identify when to negotiate
- feel more confident when conducting a negotiation
- reflect on a negotiation and the techniques, policies and processes required