Testimonials

Thanks so much for the not-for-profit leaders’ networking lunch opportunity on Thursday.

These sessions are very interesting and informative – I wish they didn’t fly by so quickly! By the time we’ve done the introductions – which are so interesting in themselves, and good that everyone keeps it brief – the two breakout room sessions go so fast.

As you say, it is indeed like speed dating!

Saying that, if it was longer than an hour many people would not be able to commit the time and it’s great that you get such a big turnout.

Well done and thank you once again.

We were very pleased to have Megan present a Governance, Networking and Hall Activation workshop to a gathering of three Indigo Shire country hall committees, as part of a Future Drought/FRRR funded project “Country Halls Connected for Farming Community Resilience”. 

Megan was very proactive in the planning stage, making valuable personal contact with representatives of each hall committee prior to the event, and the workshop ran very smoothly on the day.

Megan generously offered to follow up with any participants should they have any ongoing concerns about governance matters, and if they wanted to pursue further networking opportunities with other hall committees across the region, and participants provided very positive feedback.   

Overall, it was a very worthwhile activity which I would recommend to other rural councils.  

We had two great sessions with Megan to help Plenty Valley FM build it’s Strategic Plan for 2021-2026.  Megan was great in being able to draw on our previous experiences to help us discuss and identify our strategic priorities as we start to reconnect with the local community post-COVID.  To have an independent eye to support and mentor our committee is important as we try to engage and motivate our people internally to join our committee’s efforts to develop the organisation to be its best in governance and operations.  

Megan has been a great fit for our organisation to assist us with developing our Values and Vision as we strive to become a trusted and unique “go to” community resource. 

 We highly recommend Megan to organisations that need to develop a strategic focus as part of their governance and continuous improvement programs, especially those in the volunteer and non-profit space who need that extra push and guidance.

Thank you Megan for today’s not-for-profit leaders networking session.

It was great to talk with the others about board succession planning and board training, as this is something we are currently working on.

It’s so wonderful that everyone in the group is willing to share resources and ideas – one person is sharing her skills matrix, and someone else has asked to see our Board Governance Charter which we are more than happy to share.

Such a great community of people working together to better this world.

And then you, taking time out of your day to organise and facilitate the sessions!

Thank you.

Megan, I would like to thank you for yesterday’s governance training and strategy planning day.

I found it particularly constructive, providing a good platform for us to tackle many issues which have been a source of concern.

The group interacted well and it was such a noticeable difference to our usual focus on the agenda at meetings.

Your grip on the issues was very beneficial.

Many thanks for your effort.

Thank you Megan for putting on these networking lunches for not-for-profit leaders.

They are always well run, pertinent, constructive and supportive.

They provide a great atmosphere to work in and there’s always lots of great people to spend time with.

I am really grateful for the opportunity you extended to me to connect with new and interesting people.

Megan’s Networking Lunches for Not-for-profit Leaders have become a much anticipated and enormously valuable highlight in my diary.  

Megan’s energy, wisdom, and passion shines through in these incredibly well-run forums.  

It’s been terrific to meet other NFP leaders who are sharing similar journeys and challenges, and each time I attend I walk away with inspiration and new connections.  

Megan is also incredible at following up and introducing me to anyone I might not have connected with on the day.  

I genuinely encourage anyone in the NFP space to attend these, connect with Megan, and take advantage of a rare opportunity to grow professionally in a truly kind and supportive environment.

I have worked with Megan since the original Strategic Planning workshop, which she facilitated for the Whittlesea Men’s Shed in January 2021, and it has been a pleasure for me.

In my role as the Strategic Directions Coordinator, I was fortunate to be able to work directly with Megan throughout the year after the development of our Strategic Plan and our Year 1 Action Plan, and the knowledge and assistance Megan provided through her post-planning 12-month Mentoring Program, ensured that I was able to have the Year 1 Action Plan successfully finalised.

Now that we are moving into Year 2, and the Mentoring Program has concluded, I know that Megan will still always be there for us to offer advice should it be needed – Megan is that type of person…never lets you wonder and always willing to assist.

Thank you very much Megan and I wish you all the best for the future.  

Megan thank you so much, I really found your not-for-profit networking session quite amazing!

Usually I am a tad overwhelmed by group chats, however everyone was so interesting and approachable that in such a short time I learnt a LOT that I’ll definitely be able to put into practice.

Very much appreciated!

Yarra Valley FM has been fortunate to have Megan Buntine give the team Governance Training and support with our Strategic Planning.

We have found her expertise to be invaluable to our organisation.

We would recommend Megan for any community group, other not-for-profit organisations, or businesses, large or small, to help with their governance and development.

Megan made the long trip down to Newry to deliver her Governance Basics course for the Maffra and Districts Landcare Network. 

Megan provided a thorough and thought-provoking presentation which, as she predicted, prompted more questions than it answered – we are still looking for our Rules!

Since the training we have become more rigorous with our policies and procedures, and have worked on getting our Strategic Plan and SMART goals in place so we can move forward with confidence.

Megan’s course has given us the confidence to move on these issues knowing we are heading in the right direction.

Our Board was very fortunate to have a governance training and review day recently with Megan. 

Due to COVID restrictions we had postponed the date a number of times, hoping to be able to meet in person, but eventually we had to proceed online.
During the planning stage, and many reschedules, Megan was always accommodating and working with us for the best outcome.

A training day online is very challenging and Megan was able to keep us all engaged and produce valuable input from all who attended.

It was an intense program giving us insight into governance and resources to further our knowledge and understanding of our responsibilities. 
Megan was able to get us to identify and articulate how we see the future of the VPTA and so helping us to work together as a Board towards this future.

It was a very valuable experience – thank you Megan.

Permaculture Yarra Valley (PYV) engaged Megan in early 2021 to help develop a 5 year Strategic Plan for the group.

Megan facilitated the process commencing with getting the committee members to undertake a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) Analysis and then followed up with a workshop where the Values, Vision and Mission were developed.  This workshop was quite intensive at times and Megan expertly managed the group and steered the workshop to achieve the desired outcomes.

Megan documented the initial draft plan and the group then reviewed and updated it where appropriate.  Detailed Action Plans were identified for the next 12-24 months with specific tasks and deliverables and more general tasks for future years.

After the group had worked on the draft plan, Megan tidied it up and published the final plan.

It was a pleasure working with Megan as her expertise in managing the people, process, delivery and follow up of the Strategic Plan was very professional. 

Thank you very much Megan for the preparation for, and the conduct of, the Whittlesea Men’s Shed (WMS) Strategic Planning workshop in January of this year (2021), and for your continuing support as we develop and roll out the various modules of the Plan.  Despite COVID-19 restrictions, you have continued to hold us to account to report monthly as we work on the Plan and have provided appropriate suggestions and advice by phone and email.

Selected representatives of the WMS Management Committee have been working on the various modules for consideration by the whole Committee, for acceptance and approval, and we are on track to achieve all the work scheduled to complete the Year One Action Plan by December 2021.  This piece of work will result in a three-year Plan for the WMS and will provide a sound foundation for the future development of the WMS.

This project compliments and builds on the Governance training you ran for the WMS in 2019.  We continue to develop our Governance procedures and practices to keep pace with the evolving expectations of government, regulatory bodies, funding organisations, and other key stakeholders such as the Australian Men’s Shed Association and the Victorian Men’s Shed Association.

We always enjoy working with you as you understand what we wish to achieve, and you have a thorough understanding of Men’s Sheds.  We look forward to continuing to work with you on various projects, both for the WMS and for the wider Victorian Men’s Shed community. 

Thank you Megan, for providing your Governance Basics training sessions the Hume Mens Shed Program in Craigieburn and Sunbury.
The men can sometimes be hard to engage, however we had a great turnout for both sessions, despite the COVID requirements.
The sessions allowed the members to have better insight, and to think about how they currently manage and improve their organisations moving forward.

I received great feedback around how conversations were easily made and you were able to connect with all the participants to provide feedback through the session.

Thank you again for giving members the opportunity to participate, where they may have not been able to in the past.

Having these matters sorted takes a huge weight off our shoulders, and gives us confidence as we continue to work with our Board, and staff, in making the organisation stronger.

Thanks again for your patience and diligence. It has been an absolute pleasure working with you.

Thank you Megan, for providing the Good Governance training sessions for people from a number of our smaller community organisations in central Victoria.

This has allowed them to have better insight, and to think about how they currently manage and improve their organisation moving forward.

Thank you again for giving these smaller organisations the opportunity to participate, where they may have not been able to in the past.

Wellington Shire Council engaged Megan during 2019 to work with three different volunteer community groups who were either providing advisory services to Council or operating facilities on Council’s behalf. Our aim was to provide a deeper level of support to these volunteers than Council is presently resourced to provide. Megan worked with each group to ensure there was a shared level of basic governance understanding, and then supported each of them to develop a Strategic Plan. Each plan was in line with both the group’s goals and aims, but also met Council’s expectations in terms of the direction we were hoping each group would move. Megan provided an excellent level of communication and support back to Council around the process, and is now providing regular check-ins and support to each of the groups to help them implement their aims. We have been very pleased with the outcomes we’ve seen and would definitely use Megan’s services again in a similar capacity in future.

Megan did a fantastic job taking the Bass Coast Landcare Network Board and local Landcare group executives through her Governance Basics training program.  Her all round knowledge of the Not for Profit sector, as well as Landcare was incredible.  I would highly recommend Megan to any Not for Profit organisation to deliver governance training.

I recently attended Governance Training run by Megan Buntine at the Community Hub at Taggerty. I have been a longstanding volunteer committee member over several decades (serving Girl Guides; Taggerty Community Progress Group Inc.; Cathedral Landcare Group; and The Vine Baptist Church in Alexandra). I hoped I might refresh my knowledge.

I learnt more than I expected about: Our fiduciary responsibilities; Where to obtain assistance; Common vulnerabilities of community groups and how to mitigate them; Succession planning; Ways to enter a cycle of review and implementation.

I am grateful for the opportunity and can highly recommend Megan’s program to committee members of any volunteer organisations who are hoping to not only meet their obligations and manage risks, but also to sharpen their vision, and grow and share in the satisfaction of a job well done.

In 2016 Tourism Network Yarra Valley (TNYV) obtained a grant to use the services of Megan J Buntine Consulting Services to workshop and develop a 3 year Strategic Plan and annual Action Plan. Whilst none of the current committee were involved in the workshop, the Plans that resulted have been very valuable resources for us which we have been able to refer back to and be guided by. The Strategic Plan has helped us continue to work towards the Visions and Values of our network going forward. It has been very rewarding for us to tick off our achievements as we go, and to also create new goals and strive for better results in the future.
Late last year Megan also ran a Governance Training workshop for TNYV. With a new committee on board it was absolutely beneficial to have everyone know the Rules and other requirements, so we know how to best govern for the future. We all learnt a great deal and thank Megan for her time and knowledge. We can certainly recommend Megan’s services to other businesses and community groups.

Megan has just concluded a number of Governance training sessions for Community Sector Banking in partnership with local Community Bank Branches across Gippsland. These sessions were very professionally run and feedback from participants, who represented a cross section of not-for-profit and community groups, has consistently highlighted the depth of knowledge and experience that Megan has in this area. We are delighted with how these workshops have been delivered, and we are confident that they will result in stronger governance for many local groups.

The Hume Whittlesea Local Learning and Employment Network (HWLLEN) utilised Megan Buntine to assist us to reflect on our structures, vision and mission statements, and to review our governance.

The HWLLEN is a not-for-profit incorporated association of independent brokers supporting key stakeholders to achieve optimum outcomes for young people in the Cities of Hume and Whittlesea.  HWLLEN is one of 31 Local Learning and Employment Networks across Victoria.  LLENs are supported by the Victorian Government. The HWLLEN also delivers on additional contracts that support the mission and vision of our organisation.

Being a small not-for-profit, governance and Board management have sometimes been quite challenging for us and as one of two joint Executive Officers, we felt that working with an independent consultant with good governance knowledge would help us focus and meet our fiducial responsibilities well.

Megan has been  great to work with.  She has helped our Board to brainstorm and unpack exactly what they wanted to achieve and what steps could be taken to achieve that vision.  Megan has led us directly when required, but then has stepped back and suggested ways to progress when required.

Megan’s advice has filled us with confidence and reassured our new Board members that we are indeed on top of our governance requirements and responsibilities to our organisation.

A highlight for us was the facilitated  workshop Megan ran with our Board.  This helped us differentiate between and clarify our vision and mission statements, and helped inform our new strategic plan.  Megan has also helped us update our Rules of Association and our membership policy, as well as modernising our Board manuals and documents.

Megan has been a real pleasure to work with and we can’t thank her enough.

The Tasmanian Men’s Shed Association is the peak body for Men’s Sheds in Tasmania and earlier this year we engaged Megan to provide governance training to many of our members. Apart from being extremely knowledgeable, Megan was able to facilitate the training in a way that all attendees understood. She created an environment that was inclusive and comfortable for our men to learn new skills. The training was interactive and enjoyable and of great benefit to those that attended.  We would have no hesitation in highly recommending Megan to any organisation wishing to ensure good governance practices

Megan facilitated a workshop for Gateway LLEN’s Committee of Management to update and redesign our Statement of Purposes, ensuring it corresponded with our organisational Values, Vision and Mission.  Megan was fantastic – her methods and process for exploring and unpacking the links from Values and Vision into Mission and Purpose truly helped us develop a renewed focus for our organisation. I would highly recommend having Megan facilitate sessions that support any organisation to align its Purpose with its Vision. 

Megan from Megan J Buntine Consulting Services facilitated Governance and Strategic Planning workshops with our Board and executive team recently.  Her knowledge in this area is extensive and I would highly recommend her.  Megan is well-organised, professional and engaging.  Megan undertook a huge amount of pre-planning prior to the workshops, which set the tone for the day.  Thank you Megan.

Yarra Ranges Council contracted Megan to facilitate a Governance Workshop as part of the Yarra Ranges Skilled Workshop series.  Megan’s vast knowledge and experience in this topic we found to be of a very high calibre.  Her presentation and communication skills in delivery of the subject matter were outstanding.  Megan is certainly passionate about Governance and we have no hesitation in recommending Megan.

Thanks Megan. The Grass Roots Governance training course Wandong Netball Club recently undertook with you was hugely beneficial and we highly recommend it to other community-based sporting clubs. Your grasp of the subject matter, and your ability to explain and inform our committee members made for clear and concise understanding.

A small example of relevant helpful topics and knowledge passed on to us were:
– Understanding of responsibilities and roles
– Making sure that our guidelines and rules in place are current and relevant
– Maintain good record keeping
– Providing information on who to contact or where to look for information to help guide us in risk assessment, working and safety with children and many other issues.

We appreciate your time and knowledge.

After attending a corporate governance session undertaken by Megan I am very impressed at her ability to clearly communicate complex administrative and regulatory matters. Having done several similar workshops previously I was particularly impressed at the engaging way Megan provided the workshop.  It was also very pleasing to see the amount of time Megan had taken to understand the organisiation and its operation allowing a more personalised session.

Subsequent dealings with Megan have confirmed her high levels of professionalism and communication. I have happily recommended Megan to other colleagues and peers and will continue to do so.

Healesville Community Renewable Energy Inc (Healesville CoRE) is a relatively new organisation and in the early stages of our formation we needed support in developing our governance structures and our strategic plan. Megan Buntine’s support with this work was invaluable.

The initial workshop with our committee and other financial members proved to be very useful in sorting out our needs and our priorities as a group. Megan’s professional approach in presenting the broad governance principles and then in drawing out our needs and priorities for presentation as a strategic plan was very helpful and her follow up work has ensured our group is keeping on track and monitoring our own progress over time.

The discipline involved in this tracking work is helping us as an organisation to understand what it means to develop a strategic plan and to monitor and adjust its implementation according to our fluctuating human and financial resources. We are becoming a more professionally structured and focused voluntary group as a result of Megan’s work with us.

The Whittlesea Men’s Shed (WMS), as part of its Continuous Improvement Program, and ongoing Business Plan, attended a “Grass Roots Governance” training program, conducted by Megan Buntine of Megan J Buntine Consulting Services. Representatives of the WMS Members and the WMS Management Committee and the President of the Victorian Men’s Shed Association’s (VMSA’s) North-Western Cluster was invited by the WMS to attended the three-hour course.

The course was excellent in that, as its name suggests, covered a wide range of important fundamental governance topics, most of which were very relevant to a Men’s Shed.  The course was well presented, with very good quality notes and recommended reference material to follow up for further reading and implementation.

Megan’s presentation was well rounded, and her business experience in a number of career roles and knowledge of the subject matter shone through.  Megan illustrated the various topics with many examples of good and bad governance practices.  She made the subject matter interesting, and easy to understand.

All the WMS members who attended Megan’s Grass Roots Governance training would highly recommend any Men’s Shed, Community Organisation or small to medium business to consider attending Megan’s Grass Roots Governance training course.  It is a worthwhile investment.

“Dear Megan, The HICCI committee met today and asked me to pass on their thanks for our Governance training last month.
Someone who has done the training in various settings commented that your session was the best he had attended.”

“Thank you so much for your relevant and well delivered training on governance.
The committee were very impressed and we have taken on board the suggestions for improving our governance and meetings, etc.
We hope to get you back to help us with some organisational planning.
Again, Thank you!”

“With over half of our committee attending the Governance Training Session positive changes have already been made as a result of the training received.
I have no doubt that many future operating decisions will also be based around the governance training our committee attended.”

“I recently had the privilege of attending one of Megan Buntine’s Governance Training sessions.
She was a very knowledgeable instructor and took the time to weave the individual interests and concerns of our Society into the course.
A good introduction to an important subject that affect all of us, and that is becoming more and more important in today’s world of rules and regulations.”

“I would like to thank you and the Whittlesea Community House for the opportunity to take part in the recent Governance training session.  My colleagues and I all learnt a lot of valuable information.

As Community Development workers we work with local community groups on a daily basis.  We support community groups in many ways including the ‘general housekeeping’ and governance, new initiatives and connections with other groups.  Learning and refreshing our knowledge of governance will enable us to pass this information directly to a wide variety of community and service groups. This will be of enormous help to our local groups who often struggle with the day to day tasks of good governance.”

The Seymour Garden Club attended Grassroots Governance Training on 26th October 2015 with Megan Buntine.
Megan is a very proficient teacher and knows her subject well  .Even though some of us had been to sessions with Megan before, we still learned new things and reinforced what we have learnt before.  She doesn’t talk down to people.  We all find it difficult to remember everything and always get something out of a session.  It was disappointing for us that the Garden Club member who really wanted to attend could not come on the day.  We were pleased that someone from another group was able to join us.   The training was very useful for our group.

The advice that Megan provided on governance policies was practical, appropriate and well-directed to the community based Board we were working with.  Megan is clearly knowledgeable and highly experienced in this field.  The contribution she can make to helping community organisations to be well informed, efficient and effective through the application of her skills and tools would be invaluable.