Board of Directors (Volunteer)

Board of Directors

MPA Society

The Motivation, Power, and Achievement Society (MPA Society) is a not-for-profit, member-driven organization with approximately 1,500 members who have mental health challenges. For over 55 years, MPA has been inspiring hope and supporting recovery for individuals living with mental illness. As an internationally accredited, award-winning organization, MPA provides social, recreational, and housing programs that support people in their own communities.

MPA offers services in 10 B.C. Lower Mainland municipalities include a comprehensive range of housing options and outreach services. The MPA Resource Centre is a large drop-in center in Vancouver that provides over 30,000 low-cost meals annually, along with access to laundry, showers, and social and recreational activities.

Our funding partners are Vancouver Coastal Health, Fraser Health, BC Housing, BC Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction, BC Ministry of Finance, the City of Vancouver, Service Canada, and the Law Foundation of B.C. The MPA Society does not engage in any fundraising activities.

MPA Society is committed to providing a culturally safe, supportive, inclusive, respectful environment for our members, staff and other participants. As it is impossible to learn everything important about all cultures, populations or groups, MPA Society embraces and promotes a cultural humility approach. Cultural humility is the ability to maintain an other-oriented, open stance toward aspects of cultural identity that are most important to the person.

The cultural humility perspective acknowledges that the culture is complex, diverse, and dynamic and that therefore the most useful way to approach another person is with genuine curiosity, comfort with “not knowing”, openness to learning, and a willingness to reflect on what one is bringing from one’s own background into the encounter. With a cultural humility perspective, we ask questions rather than make assumptions and strive to understand rather than inform.

Additional information about our organization is available on our website: Our Impact – MPA Society

Description

The MPA Society’s 12-member Board of Directors provides oversight governance by setting strategy and overseeing MPA’s operations. The volunteer Board comprises of independent experts and Member directors who receive services from MPA.

Duties include:

• Strategic oversight of the organization to ensure that it is managed appropriately and provides services in line with MPA’s Vision, Mission, and Values.
• Consider the membership’s needs and viewpoints in decisions.
• Oversee and participate in the strategic planning process.
• Monitor the organization regularly for progress on strategic goals.
• Ensure the organization’s financial position is adequate and appropriate for the Strategic Plan.
• Oversee the organization’s finances.
• Appoint Committees, task forces and work groups as necessary to meet the needs of the Board and the organization.
• Hire the Executive Director and review their performance.

Qualifications

MPA is seeking an individual passionate about serving on a volunteer board for a not-for-profit agency and interested in overseeing and improving services for individuals living with mental health challenges.

All applications will be considered, but at this time, we will prioritize candidates with human resources, legal, real estate and/or member-led experience.

Previous experience as a director with not-for-profit organizations would be an asset. Elected members are required to attend the June AGM in Vancouver, BC.

Length of Term and Time Commitment:

The Board meets approximately 4 times (February, May, September, and November) and before the June AGM, with additional Board committee meetings held one week before each Board meeting. Directors are expected to be on at least one committee, based on their expertise and/or experience. Most Board members can expect to invest about 5 to 10 hours leading up to the Board meeting.

Directors can be appointed between AGMs, but they will be elected for a two-year term at the June 2026 AGM.

To Apply:

Interested candidates are invited to submit their resume to Jamie Lim via email jlim@mpa-society.org no later than April 7, 2026.

We acknowledge our work at MPA Society takes place on the traditional and unceded territories of the Katzie, Kwantlen, Kwikwetlem, Matsqui, Qayqayt, S’ólh Téméxw (Stó:lō) Nations of the lower mainland, sc̓əwaθən məsteyəxʷ (Tsawwassen), səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), Semyome (Semiahmoo), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), Sumas, and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) First Nations.