Advisory Council Last updated: July 2024

Mission and Mandate

Our Advisory Council exists for one reason: to ensure Global Shapers are directly involved in our community’s governance and strategic initiatives. The Advisory Council aims to promote strong, sustainable and self-governing hubs within the Global Shapers Community. We do so by working to uphold our values, strengthen our mission, provide best practices on elections, and improve community engagement. 15 Advisory Council members contribute 15-20 hours of volunteer time per month to:

  • Uphold our Values and Strengthen our Mission: Advisory Council members work with Community Champions, Curatorships and Global Shapers alike to uphold our Charter.
  • Oversee Curatorship Annual Elections: Hubs hold elections to appoint new leaders each year. Our Advisory Council ensures elections are fair, transparent and effective.
  • Support Community Impact and Projects: Advisory Council members support cross-hub impact initiatives and provide hubs expertise to take our results to the next level.
  • Engage Alumni Worldwide: From onboarding to Alumni engagement, our Advisory Council supports members throughout their journey in the Global Shapers Community.
  • Develop New Resources and Tools: Our Advisory Council brings to life the ideas of our Foundation Board and identifies new resources and tools to empower our members.

Please note that Advisory Council members do not have the power to make commitments on behalf of the community. They serve in an advisory role, not a decision-making capacity.

Responsibilities

Advisory Council members leverage their skills and experiences to advance our community’s mission hand in hand with Community Champions. Regular interactions between our Advisory Council and Community Champions, allow members to identify common hub challenges and needs, as well as to identify and co-design thoughtful, innovative and collaborative solutions.

Acting in a position of trust and safeguarding the privacy of all members, our Advisory Council:

1. Upholds Our Values and Mission

  • Via our Charter: Our Advisory Council ensures all members and hubs understand and uphold our Charter, identifying new ways to build common knowledge about our global standards. Advisory Council members also intervene when our standards are not met.
  • At the Global Shapers Summit: Our Advisory Council contributes to the design and facilitation of the Shapers Summit including delivering leadership and impact workshops, guiding purpose circles, and collecting feedback from Incoming Curators and Champions.
  • During our Hub Incubator: Our Advisory Council supports Global Shapers HQ with nominating Founding Teams in priority cities as identified by Community Managers to achieve expansion targets and contributes to the design and facilitation of the programme.

2. Oversees Curatorship Annual Elections

  • Hub Elections Guidelines: In October, Advisory Council members review our Elections Guidelines to ensure our standards are fit for purpose and reflect best practices.
  • Elections Information Sessions: In November, Advisory Council members begin outreach to hub leaders to share our Guidelines and ensure leaders plan accordingly.
  • Elections Process Support: In January-February, our Advisory Council delivers Elections information sessions to answer any potential questions from hub members worldwide.

3. Supports Community Impact

  • Capacity Building for Projects: Advisory Council members identify barriers to achieving impactful projects and co-design opportunities and tools to increase capacity worldwide.
  • Highlight Leading Solutions: With Champions, Advisory Council members identify and showcase replicable projects via an annual regional campaign in November/December.
  • Minimum of One Project per Year: Work with Champions, to ensure all hubs deliver at least one project per year that is shared with HQ by June via their local Impact Officer.
  • Increase Cross-hub Initiatives: Help connect the dots between local efforts to facilitate effective collaborations and support the creation of new cross-hub impact initiatives.
  • Maximize Annual Review Responses: We rely on self-reported data to tell the story of the Global Shapers Community to our critical stakeholders and donors. Advisory Council members help promote and share the Annual Review to ensure diverse responses.

4. Engages our Alumni Network

  • By Celebrating Their Contributions: Advisory Council members welcome Global Shapers to the Alumni network and share what opportunities for continued engagement exist.
  • Through In-person Events: Advisory Council members inspire Alumni worldwide to attend regional SHAPE events and plan complementary activities wherever we convene.

All Global Shapers are invited to give feedback about Advisory Council members to the Head of the Global Shapers Community. Community Champions are also invited to share information about their experience with the Advisory Council during our Annual Review.

Meet our Advisory Council 2023/2025

The Advisory Council can be reached via email on advisory-council@globalshapers.org.

Eligibility and Term

Advisory Council members serve a one-year term and are typically active from 1 July to 30 June. They have the option to renew their mandate for an additional one-year term serving in an advisory capacity, if approved by the Head of the Global Shapers Community. *

Shapers serving as Curators, Vice-Curators or Community Champions during the same term, are not eligible to join the Advisory Council. To successfully serve its mission, each leadership role requires dedicated time and energy and should be a Shaper's central focus.

Application and Selection

Eligible candidates are invited to apply to join the Advisory Council. The application process takes place every two years and is promoted in the newsletter in February. In the application, Global Shapers are asked to share their experience in establishing good governance, projects, impact measurement, fair elections, and more. Additionally, candidates should:

  • Be role models of our values and have a proven track-record of community leadership.
  • Reflect our diversity in terms of geography, gender, expertise, experience and language.
  • Be part of the community for two or more years (or have already become an Alumni).
  • Thrive in a fast-paced role where flexibility and a self-starting attitude are must-haves.
  • Lead capacity building opportunities and confidently facilitate collaborative work.
  • Have strong interpersonal skills and experience engaging and mobilizing members.

IMPORTANT: If members should not be considered for the Advisory Council (for example, they are not active locally or do not uphold our values), Hub Curators should remove these respective members from their hub on TopLink, in accordance with our official guidelines and our Charter.

Onboarding and Communication

Our selection process is designed to be open and transparent. All Global Shapers who apply are treated equally. Once applications are submitted:

  • Applications are reviewed by Global Shapers HQ and current Advisory Council Members.
  • After deliberation, a Council is put forward that is gender-balanced and regionally diverse.
  • A final recommendation is given to the Head of the Global Shapers Community.
  • The Head of the Global Shapers Community finalizes and approves the composition.
  • New Advisory Council members are informed of their selection and begin onboarding.
  • Advisory Council members are invited to the Global Shapers Annual Summit in Geneva.

Available Support

To achieve this ambitious mandate, Advisory Council members are invited to:

  • Participate in the Global Shapers Annual Summit to connect with hub Curators, Community Champions, Global Shapers HQ and fellow Advisory Council members.
  • Regular touchpoints with Global Shapers HQ and Community Champions to learn more about the community's latest initiatives, policies, practices, tools and opportunities.

Advisory Council members also receive the following support from Global Shapers HQ:

  • Mass-communications to members and support with TopLink engagement.
  • An annual Zoom Pro License to facilitate virtual communication with hubs.
  • Access to a professional six-months Leadership Coaching programmme.

Cancellation

To fulfill the mandate above, every member of the Advisory Council is asked to support 2 out of 4 mentioned workstreams. Members will self-select their workstreams and inform HQ.

If Advisory Council Members are unable to fulfil the responsibilities listed above, they can step down by writing to Global Shapers HQ at globalshapers@weforum.org. Alternatively, Advisory Council members may receive written notice from the Head of the Global Shapers Community listing the key responsibilities that have not been fulfilled. If amends are not made, the Head of the Global Shapers Community may choose to cancel the respective member's mandate.

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