The Organizing Committee of the 2009 Canadian Science Policy Conference is seeking enthusiastic and committed volunteers who wish to contribute their skills, expertise and vision to the planning of this national-level conference, to be held in Toronto in October 2009.

We are seeking:
· volunteers to serve on the main Organizing Committee;
· volunteers to serve on various sub-committees; and
· a lead graphic designer.

For more information on the scope, objectives, and themes of the conference, review the 2009 Canadian Science Policy Conference Strategic Plan (PDF) at http://www.sciencepolicy.ca/

Responsibilities of each committee are as follows:

Organizing Committee (~15 members, including the chairs of the sub-committees)
· planning and coordinating the overall execution of the conference progam

Revenue Development sub-committee
· identifying potential sponsors and developing sponsorship packages
· preparing material for presentations to potential sponsors
· maintaining and nurturing sponsor relationships
· participating in final reporting to sponsors

Finance sub-committee
· managing and maintaining an up-to-date budget
· tracking and coordinating expenditures by subcommittees
· negotiating contracts and agreements

Advertisement & Communication sub-committee
· developing conference’s communication strategy
· developing posters and print/social marketing material
· identifying external stakeholders
· writing media releases and engaging in public communication
· preparing material for presentations to external stakeholder organizations

Website & IT subcommittee
· developing and maintaining conference website
· answering e-mail inquiries, and referring clients to other committees/individuals as required

Logistics subcommittee
· booking hotel & travel arrangements
· coordinating meeting room and AV requirements at the conference venue
· managing registration and delegate lists

Evaluation subcommittee
· developing evaluation plan, and coordinating with other committees to make sure the appropriate data is collected
· preparing surveys/questionnaires
· collecting and analyzing data
· preparing final evaluation reports

Volunteer responsibilities and time commitment

Volunteers responsibilities include:
· attending approximately 2-4 meetings per month for 1 year, with potential added responsibilities just before the meeting in September and October 2009;
· allocating sufficient time for reading and writing daily conference-related e-mail, which may be extensive at times;
· if chairing a subcommittee, preparing regular status reports for the Organizing Committee;
· taking the initiative and being ultimately accountable for all duties under their mandate.

Volunteer benefits and opportunities

In return, volunteers have an opportunity to:
· be instrumental in shaping and implementing the conference plan;
· network with a diverse range of science policy stakeholders in government, industry, academia, and the non-profit sector;
· enhance their professional development by working as part of an energetic, multi-talented, and committed team of volunteers;
· further develop their management skills by chairing a subcommittee.

Volunteers will be recognized by publishing their names on the:
· conference website
· conference materials and proceedings

Contact

Interested volunteers are invited to contact:

Marie Chia
Volunteer Coordinator
2009 Canadian Science Policy Conference
marie.chia@sciencepolicy.ca