• What roles does the mentor actually play? Describe the mentoring role.
  • A mentor is intended to provide guidance and assistance to the mentee, but is not expected to do the work or accept responsibility for it. The mentor should work as closely with the mentee as appears to be necessary, educating and encouraging the mentee to acquire the skills and knowledge to fulfil their role as treasurer. The mentor is encouraged to convey both technical financial skills and principles of good governance.
• Does our organisation qualify to take part in the Mentor the Treasurer Program?
  • To be eligible for assistance under the program, your organisation must meet the income cap – that is, be an Australian based Not for Profit organisation with an annual gross revenue from all sources, not exceeding $250,000.
• How do we apply for a mentor?
  • You can apply for a mentor through the program webpage by clicking on the “search for a mentor” button and following the prompts.
• Is any payment required?
  • No. Assistance under the Mentor the Treasurer Program is provided free of charge.
  • You may at your discretion however, offer to reimburse pre-agreed incidental expenses incurred by the Mentor and supported by evidence as required by your organisation’s operating procedures.
• Does CPA Australia vouch for and warranty the mentor?
  • Mentors provide their assistance to mentees on a personal voluntary basis, acting in their own name and not that of CPA Australia or any other entity. CPA Australia members must be of good standing during their membership and hold the required level of professional indemnity insurance.
• We have a treasurer who is not a qualified accountant. Do you provide tools and reference material?
  • Yes. A ‘Volunteer treasurer guide ” is available to assist you and if needed, a simple Microsoft Excel based book keeping package.
  • Should you already have an established accounting software package (e.g… QuickBooks, MYOB), you are advised to select a mentor who is familiar with those packages).
• We change our treasurer regularly in accordance with our constitution. Will the mentor be available to mentor successive treasurers?
  • The mentoring relationship automatically expires 1 calendar year after the date on the mentor application . You may make arrangements with your mentor to provide on-going assistance with mutual agreement. If your mentor is unable to assist, you may re-apply for a mentor via the website. It is possible however that your retiring treasurer will be in a position to mentor his/her replacement each year without additional assistance.
• After the initial training provided to our volunteer treasurer, will the mentor be available for on-going consultation and advice?
  • The mentoring relationship remains current for 1 calendar year from the date on the mentor’s application , after which the appointment is deemed to have expired. The mentor will be available for on-going consultation during this period.
  • You may make arrangements with your mentor to provide on-going assistance beyond the 12 month period, with mutual agreement. If your mentor is unable to assist, you may re-apply for a mentor via the website.
• We are a small organisation? Do we really need a qualified treasurer?
  • Each entity must make this decision based on its own research. However, to help ensure efficient management of your funds, it is wise to have someone with a good knowledge of bookkeeping as treasurer. It is also good practice to ensure your volunteer is well supported.
• How do we end the mentoring relationship if it doesn’t work out?
  • The mentoring relationship automatically expires 1 calendar year after the date on the mentor’s application. You (or your mentor) may terminate the relationship earlier by 5 days written notice. Your organisation is then free to search for a replacement mentor through the program webpage.
• As a small community club, do we need to be audited?
  • This program is not related to audits. Whether you need to be audited will depend on statutory requirements and/or your organisation’s constitution. Mentors will be provided with a guide as to what organisations are legally required to have their accounts audited.
• Would the mentor provide audit services for us?
  • NO. A mentor is not permitted to provide audit services whilst acting as a mentor under this Program.
• Can we interview the mentor before their appointment?
  • Yes. This is appropriate and should be arranged by mutual consent with your mentor.
• Will the mentor be a fully qualified accountant and up to date with their professional knowledge?
  • All CPA Australia members who apply to be a mentor must be of ‘CPA’ or ‘FCPA’ status and in good standing with CPA Australia. All CPA Australia members must comply with CPA Australia’s constitution and by-laws and requirements of continuing professional development.
• Some of our information is confidential. Does CPA Australia warrant that confidentiality will be maintained?
  • All participants in the Mentor the Treasurer Program agree to keep confidential the information they are exposed to.
  • Mentors volunteer their knowledge to mentees and as such, the mentoring relationship is personal to you and your Mentor. CPA Australia is not part of that relationship. As members of CPA Australia, mentors are bound by the professional standards set by CPA Australia and the requirements of the law.
  • If you are still concerned about matters of confidentiality, you may ask your mentor to sign a non-disclosure agreement that legally obliges the mentor to keep your information confidential.
• Will the mentor take the initiative and drive the mentoring relationship, or will they only respond to requests for information as they occur?
  • While it is expected that the mentor will initiate the first mentoring session and arrange a mutually suitable time to work through the ‘Volunteer Treasurer Guide ‘ and the bookkeeping tools provided, it is the mentee’s responsibility to drive the mentoring relationship and the mentor will rely on the mentee to ask for assistance as needed.
• I am a CPA and treasurer of a small community club, but would appreciate some guidance on where I can get up-to-date information. How can I get access to the information available to mentors?
  • Information is available to CPAs supporting not-for-profit organisations through a number of sources, including the CPA Australia website and the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission (ACNC.) If you are a CPA and a registered mentor, you will have added access to the abbreviated information in the mentor toolkit.
• Our treasurer is a CPA. Can he/she use your tools?
  • Yes, if your CPA-qualified treasurer has registered as a “mentor” with the program, he/she can access the tools.
• I have recently been elected treasurer of my local club. Can I apply personally for a mentor, or must I get my club to apply?
  • It is preferred that applications will come from the club president or secretary on behalf of the club. You may however apply for a Mentor directly on behalf of yourself. You are required to have advised your club (or other organisation) that a mentoring relationship is to be established and to provide written authorisation from your club to share its information.
• How do I resign from the Mentor the Treasurer Program?
  • Should you wish to resign from the program, you may simply go to “my profile” select ‘resign from program’ and press submit, or email via mentor.thetreasurer@cpaaustralia.com.au .