Leadership & participation

Participation

Giving Voice participation is open to women:

• Under fifty years of age,
• Who have officially started the stage in formation immediately preceding the novitiate,
• In a Roman Catholic, canonical institute or society of vowed women religious.

Participation is completely voluntary.

Event Participation

Sisters may participate in Giving Voice events through December 31st of the year they turn 50.

Leadership

Informal
Giving Voice is a peer network operating within a model of shared leadership; participants are encouraged to share their gifts for the good of the whole.

Formal
For the purposes of maintaining nonprofit status and effectively furthering the direction of Giving Voice, a Board of Directors and small Core Team are responsible for day-to-day management. The Board of Directors and Core Team are discerned from active participants of Giving Voice. Additional information is spelled out in the Giving Voice Bylaws.

Public Statements

Giving Voice does not make public statements or take public stands. This is because:

• Participation in Giving Voice is voluntary and informal,
• The Core Team is discerned, but not elected by the whole,
• Giving Voice does not speak for all young, women religious who fit the criteria for involvement

This does not preclude grassroots efforts by members to solicit support from other members for letters, petitions, etc.