OCP Workshop 05/15/2013

Topic: Trial period

• What we’ve accomplished:
• Process for workshops
• Do we want to revisit the Teams concept?
• Code of behavior/motto/confirmed rules
• Membership
• Last week’s brainstorm:
• Most people liked the idea of 3 month trial period
• General agreement
• Trial member must attend 3 membership meetings
• Still being defined
• General agreement
• Idea of buddy/mentor/sponsor (already member)
• Task: define trial period
• 3 months
• 3 membership meetings
• Basic member requirements
• Brainstorm: what is the trial period?
• Membership-evaluation of person (strengths/weaknesses/how to grow stronger)
• what can they do for OCP/what can OCP do for them
• vote on whether or not person becomes member (Sigi)
• 3 months/meetings is reasonable
• 15 too much (Larry)
• Buddy system is great idea-more personal and in relationship with someone; representative of what OCP is about (Philip)
• Trial period specifically means a period of time-we are being too redundant and are confusing issues (Mark)
• Meeting attendance is confusing, having volunteer hours is fine (spirit of volunteerism)
• Buddy system-shouldn’t put themselves on person, but good idea
• Like idea of trial person putting themselves on the agenda and taking initiative when ready for membership (Ron)
• With teams-want to include outside community always, hard to give to every team and implement everyone (Philip)
• Should be on a team during trial period-find one they relate to
• Membership meetings may not even be when we’re open, just when people are most available (Ron)
• How do you become a trial member? (Ron)
• A person should have to want to-has to have interest, can’t be forced (Mark)
• Should we be concerned that people feel that they have a say in membership?
• How do you draw the line between those who have a say and just volunteers? (Ron)
• Different people have different strengths-evaluate them on what they can contribute (Sigi)
• Someone who is naturally part of OCP community may not be interested in membership
• What membership could potentially mean-can have say in whether we bring in more staff, create micro loans, turn industries into worker cooperatives
• can influence their life-may motivate them to become a member
• can propose certain movements/actions in community (Ron)
• Come to membership meetingtrial period begins
• given buddy/mentor/partner/sponsor/friend during trial period for questions/help
• friend because OCP is a Christian organization-“Jesus called us friends” (Curtis)
• “friend” from among members who will help them navigate the process
• minimum 3 months (could be more/long as they want)
• do basic membership duties-volunteer, join team, obey rules, new member orientation, attend at least 3 meetings
• Might be changed?
• Upon completing the trial period, a person can present themself for membership at a membership meeting for approval by the membership(Ron)
• ***If a person wants to be a part of the membership, he/she will announce that desire at a membership meeting. At that point, he/she will have a friend from the membership (generally of the same sex), who can help them through the trial period. The trial period will last a minimum of three months. During this time the potential member will attend at least three membership meetings and follow the basic requirements of membership. Upon completing the trial period, the person can present himself/herself to the membership for approval.***
• Proposed by Philip
• Sigi seconds it
• Unanimous decision that it passed
• Gender issue?
• Should be paired with same gender (Sadie)
• Someone with particular disability and person with background with problem who could help them may be of different gender (Ron)
• Should members be Christians? (Curtis)
• Don’t want people to have to be Christian to be a member-don’t force as part of Christian philosophy (Ron)
• It would be wise to have 30 day evaluations (3 during trial period) (Sigi)
• Trial period is the evaluation-not sure what it would accomplish (Ron/Curtis)
• Maybe just a check in? (Sigi)
• Too much evaluation/constantly checking in-too much/already covered (Philip)
• Is it too liberal? Do we want to give this much power? Experiment-everyone is welcome
• Many different personalities/conflicts
• How do we keep the spirit of OCP but also have it mean something to be a member?? (Ron)
• Reminder of current voting process-80%majority required to pass something
• What do we do when we have a member who breaks a serious rule?
• Do we eliminate them? Give them a certain amount of time to return? (Sigi)
• Ron says off topic
• See what happens after trial period
• Let membership figure that out (Philip)