Not qualified to be an elected representative? Maybe you are.

‘I’m not qualified,’ was my first thought when I seriously contemplated standing for election to my local council.

Then someone told me there aren’t any formal qualification for the role of councillor. They’re community representatives. I’d assumed I’d need to be a lawyer, accountants or board executive.

So, there went that excuse!

I wrote “Thank goodness you’re here!” to reassure you that you’re probably qualified exactly the way you are now for most elected and voluntary roles in your community.

While you can certainly learn on the job in most cases, these might be useful things to start learning about before you jump into an election campaign or volunteer for a committee or apply to be on a board:

• how meetings are run – go and watch meetings to see what their rules are. Groups like Rostrum or Toastmasters can help you to develop your public speaking skills in a structured and supportive way

• the basics of budgeting and accounting – money in, money out, where it comes from, where it goes, whether it’s doing what the organisation needs it to do …

• the importance of strategic thinking – what it is, how to avoid drowning in details

• the role of a board or committee – what an organisation’s constitution says about what it does and how it runs, and any legal implications of you being involved

• risks and how they can be handled.

If you want to take up a decision-making role that doesn’t require formal qualifications, jump in.

Being scared is 100% normal.

What the world needs now is more decision-makers with sound values, a focus on the common good and logical and fair ways of making decisions. We need you.