Your organization should create onboarding procedures for new YAB members to orient them to the YAB and ensure that they are set up in the appropriate systems before their first meeting.

On-boarding includes sharing relevant YAB documents such as the mission statement, YAB policies (e.g., attendance, confidentiality), and member roles and responsibilities. It is beneficial to store these onboarding documents, and YAB materials such as meeting notes and YAB-created products, in a shared online space where members can refer to them when needed.

Consider what other information might be beneficial for new members, such as videos about your agency’s services or trainings on how to conduct research. YAB members should also be encouraged to request additional training and information as needed throughout the course of their membership.

 To determine other onboarding steps:

• Consult with IT staff about policies for creating emails or other accounts for YAB members, as well as granting them access to relevant documents and folders.
• Consult with finance staff about policies for setting up payments for new YAB members and determine if there are any forms you or YAB members will need to complete in addition to a scope of work

It is the job of YAB facilitators to provide clear onboarding procedures. Facilitators should also assist members with questions or challenges they encounter during onboarding and track members’ progress by completing all necessary trainings and forms prior to the first YAB meeting. You may need to remind members to complete onboarding steps, as well as communicate with IT and finance contacts on their behalf. By establishing clear onboarding procedures, you are preparing your YAB members to effectively participate as advisory board members for your organization.