Testimonials
What people say about usWhat people are saying
Testimonials
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.
Being a small not-for-profit, governance and Board management
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
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
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
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
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
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.”
I took so much more than expected from the class, you are a great trainer.
I really admired the way you were positive with everyone’s answers. I felt you really made us feel comfortable and inclusive to the training. So much information in such a short time, great class.
I now have the confidence to be involved in committee work with valuable resources and information for whatever I do.
Positive feedback was overwhelmingly received regarding the training from all in attendance. I am also aware that you tailored the training to suit GDAI’s individual model of advocacy support and constitution which enabled a blueprint copy of the training to be instantly and effectively implement into GDAI operations immediately.
The training has resulting in an improved knowledge and overall holistic understanding and importance of quality and diligent governance which in turn has increased our efficiency and effectiveness of the organisation. GDAI goes forward now with a greater knowledge of our legal and legislative requirements. Once again, thank you.
Further feedback from KD, Boronia, Victoria
I needed to let you know that I’ve been revitalised and inspired again, after re-reading the session handouts and the notes I took. So much wonderful content in your Workshop – exactly what I needed. I can’t remember giving myself permission to go into my goals and vision in such depth, and definitely not guided. Probably why I found it confronting at some points, it brought up beliefs and habits that I can now continue to examine in more depth. Your workshop has helped me to ‘Feel Good’, and I’m becoming aware that moving towards good feelings is the best way I can move forward! 🙂
6 month update from KD, Boronia, Victoria
I find it hard to put into written form the important changes that have taken place since the ‘Dare to Dream’ Workshop. When I look back at my Plan for Action, although there are still things that I have not yet accomplished, there are many more that I have achieved! I had been striving for a specific outcome that has not yet eventuated, but when I look at my Vision Board, I can see that I have actually achieved many of the things highlighted there. Specifically, a new job; creating networks with other health professionals, business owners and local producers; connecting with nature and self; and taking the time to explore myself, my relationships, and my life. All things that give me great joy.
My path will involve the provision and promotion of healing food and lifestyle, the specifics of which are still unfolding. And that’s OK! I feel that attending ‘Dare to Dream’ taught me to relax into this natural life process, instead of kicking myself for “not getting it right”, which was my previous way of relating to myself. I took decisive action (applied for relevant jobs), based on what I had learnt about myself during and since ‘Dare to Dream’, instead of being stuck on the merry-go-round of “I need to…”, “…but what if..” and “I can’t”, or “It’s too hard”. When I relax into it, good things start to come to be. The relationships I formed (and strengthened) whilst on the workshop, have also been incredibly supportive. Travelling a road together is a far more practical means for me, of achieving goals. A lesson to remember for the future. Thanks for your company on the journey Megan.
The training was very clear and Megan was able to assess our needs and deliver the training in a way that was appropriate for our fledgeling group. We actually decided not to go ahead with incorporation at this stage which was a decision we had been struggling to make. But Megan’s session clarified the reasons for incorporating and allowed us to confidently postpone the process. It is highly likely that we will incorporate at some point in the next couple of years and we are much more aware of the process now.
Megan was punctual, organised, professional, flexible, and very good at making a complicated process understandable. We are very grateful to MCRAG for their funding and to Megan for this opportunity.
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.
“Fantastic, Megan is one of the best presenters I’ve seen – she really cares, and you can tell she really cares. We all felt incredibly comfortable with her and were constantly asking questions. We’ve even been in contact with her after the program to ask a host more questions and she’s so helpful and enthusiastic. She has made us feel that we can do this and for us not to feel overwhelmed. She’s awesome!” and,
“She really knew her stuff and is so open. We couldn’t be happier – we’ll be using Megan again! She’s so passionate about community”.
I was very impressed with the way Megan delivered the information and interacted with us during the session, and then leaving a copy of the notes for us to review in our own time.
application of her skills and tools would be invaluable.
her people skills make her highly sought after. She is constantly involved in the professional development of her skill set to ensure she maintains the highest standard possible. I have no hesitation in recommending Megan on any project she undertakes.
Get In Touch
53 South Cathedral lane, Buxton
0421 525 048
info@mjbconsulting.net.au