How are Patrons elected, and what executive powers, if any, do they hold?
Article 22 of the Constitution prescribes the following for the Board of Patrons.
- The members of The House may elect a Patron of The House at an Annual General Meeting, provided that the nomination has been previously approved by the Board of Patrons.
- Such an election shall be for three years in the first instance and may be renewed for a further period of up to five years as determined by the Annual General Meeting on the advice of the Board of Patrons.
- Neither the Board of Patrons nor any Patron shall have executive powers or responsibilities. Patrons are selected on the basis of their being eminent individuals who support the activities of The House but do not assume responsibility for its affairs as executives; the title Patron is therefore an honorary title.
- Patrons are persons who have a primary responsibility to the community as a whole, that is, they will be selected in consequence of their holding or having held some public office or special position in the community such as a very high ranking personality outside the arena of The House, who has shown a great interest in the Cause or who has persistently enhanced the Cause by his or her personal prestige.
- The Board of Patrons act in favour of The House and its Cause in whichever way, time and place, feasible to the individual members.
- The Board of Patrons shall elect a Secretary from its membership to keep the Minutes of meetings of the Board of Patrons and to assist the President with communications.
What do Patrons do?
Members of the BofP act as ambassadors of the organisation, and advance the Cause and awareness of the organisation within their sphere of influence.
How are Patrons chosen?
Patrons may be invited by members but in the end, patrons choose the organisation, and not the other way around. It is a serious step for an influential person, always under public scriutiny, to risk to commit to an organisation that utilizes public money, and shelters destitute and abused children. A potential patron investigates the organisation's acountability and reporting structures, the ethic of its membership base and of course, the abilities of its Board of Directors and CEO.
The BofD are ethically responsible to the BofP to be transparant in their day-to-day management of affairs, and undertake to keep the BofP informed at all times.
In turn, patrons advise their friends and associates to take a closer look at the organisation - hoping that their efforts will positively affect the organisation's public image, finances, standing and awareness in influential financial, government and academic circles.