RNC:2006-09-05/06/07 Meeting Notes (Songaia Org Mtg)
From ICWiki
Document from the FIC Regional Networking Committee
Present: Raines, Ma'ikwe, Craig, Fred, [Geoph has another committee mtg] Note: No activity since our last face-to-face meeting
Reviewing ideas from Madison mtg: phased introduction - regional organizers, FIC recognition of formal/designated "regional coordinators" comes later as the pool evolves. A formal packet promoting FIC is what we had been working on.
Craig: is it OK for a regional organizer to be targeting a segment of communities but not all the communities in an area? OK to restrict by type vs. subject (specialization)?
Ma'ikwe: Fine to have local organizers doing whatever, but if wearing FIC hat.
Q of organizations vs. individuals (often acting as some org)
partnering vs. volunteer development
Ma'ikwe concerned about her role "fighting you guys"; "Do I belong on this cmtee?"
Fred: goal: work organically with what exists in different parts of the country. With orgs, with people. Not a Q of primary allegiance. We're all doing the same kind of thing / similar objectives. Cooperative Living.
Ma'ikwe: expressed concerns about different roles/models, inter-org networking vs. cultivating burning souls. Implied FIC relationship has to be with someone FIC has authorized. My pushing for clearness = "Re-fighting that fight."
Raines: The real issue is getting started, working on this.
Craig: These guys are key drivers
Ma'ikwe: these guys are on the FIC board. There's different levels, let's be clear about what we're talking about.
Fred: Redefine our goals to be about empowering networks. Remove anything about representation. Put energy into working with what's there, whatever's trying to bubble up.
Craig: mostly what's offered is free info that's already publicly available.
Fred: representation issues in the way.
Ma'ikwe: resistance to framing things. Not helping the process. If people are going to be distributing stuff on behalf of FIC, then having some kind of blessing from the nat'l org is important. I've had people come to events speaking as if they're representing FIC, but they have never been to a board mtg. They say off-the-wall things, plus they tend to promote one kind of org over the others.
integrity perspective, caring for the org
When I went back home I recruited 3 people to do local events. you're not representing FIC clarity, not abt hierarchical
every mtg w/RegNet, since before you were involved.
Raines: get more good info out there to outrun bad? publish list of authorized reps?
Fred: We go out, show "Visions of Utopia" video. We're just sharing resources. If we can empower that kind of local activity ... if we find a burning soul who would like to show a video this is how we found this to work
energy
I d thought that we had reached that point already.
Ma'ikwe: who's the 'we'? A: right now, RegNet folks
We have ongoing, regular presence w/support of FIC in the "southwest"... NM, AZ, CO people came from LA, TX to a regional event
s in tnerpl w/no partasking org support - esp for ppl
Raines: original mission - neighborhoods in place? Same issues w/coho/US, chapter history. How about a pilot program with org support for doing that work?
That's why Ma'ikwe moved to the southwest
Craig: NICA work w/Tony hopeful outcome: be possible to have regionname.ic.org with any region name, linking into IC. Create a homepage for that region. a combo of what you do, what the world chose to do tagged for that. gives you a home page. Tony characterized it as a paid service
Ma'ikwe: what I've been wanting for 4 years
Craig: networking/peripheral page. GET a couple working
Fred: move beyond strict definitions of regions [we discussed this a while back on this cmttee] this morning's discussion around NICA, some of its challenges, how it relates to and includes oregon
Fred: doing both tiers
Ma'ikwe: I thought coming out of Madison
Fred: a way to cultivate people for the 2d tier is by building relationship, empowering them. Not going to them and saying 'You want to be an fic regional coordinator?'
use ma'ikwe's work as a model for 2d tier
Craig: what's the need?
Ma'ikwe: want to know that the org has confidence in me. knowing that I'm trusted, that others in my role are trusted. I can't act on behalf of the org in any way. not feel trusted as someone who can speak about cmty
Ma'ikwe: this is my chosen org my energy is not helping this cmtee if you want to take it in a different direction that's fine
Craig: because its really important to some people, be careful to avoid authorization or representation as FIC, speaking for FIC ... that seems really key so: we're not talking about level 2.
Ma'ikwe: authorization is important. my region needs regional point person.
Craig: I don't see authorization, qualification, honorifics being tied to regional. if you see it as valuable for you, by all means seek it. If you want to put that in a regional context, nothing wrong with that.
Ma'ikwe: don't think I can say anything different.
Fred: if you want to withdraw, we honor that.
Raines: harder to do in abstract, model. if you do it, that will leave track for others to follow.
[Ma'ikwe leaves]
Craig: Tony gave est. Oct-Nov for NICA perhaps one of Raines'[what?] to follow
We haven't addressed type-specific regional orgs: coho is the most obvious. Fully half of the regional groups out there are region-specific. Others are coop-speciifc, more condo type legal structure than IC
propose trial after NICA's implementation. Do a trial w/another regional.
Craig: presumably you would include other types of events of interest to coho w/in that region, not just coho events since there are so few.
actively figuring out how we connect to existing grps we have a wiki record on many of them make wiki record stronger basically web-scraped info reach out to them also giving initial exposure to reg networking by FIC
making actual connections w/groups vs anonymous info
Tony has talked about db records of reg orgs a lot of work, existing 'affiliated' groups thin.
Raines: prominence for reg grp
linked logo for reg grp on directory entry for affiliated grp
better representation -> dramatic growth
Craig: do some planning w/Tony
Cmag: article on regional groups add to recurring features small 4-page article listing major regional groups set up criteria for what it takes to be major group
au
[last few minutes of meeting omitted]
strategic plan timeline: March
Directory article [print] Identifying regions.
(Fred has additional notes on the first session, covering the ending part in particular)
Second session: Raines, Fred, Craig
Next steps: 1. Article on regional networks in the printed directory and the magazine. Start with article that Fred wrote for the newsletter. 2. Add: Visions of Utopia construct - Craig and Fred 3. Revise packet to remove representational nature - Raines 4. Prepare home pages with linkages to local/regional printable portions from communities directory in a defined geography. Start w/NICA (NW) network.
- Provide disclaimer to FIC
Should we be proceeding with alternatives to Tony in developing the regionalizing - e.g. Michael McIntyre?
example: State level homepages with or without editors with more input. events OK. Seeking from developers ___ [Pen?] pages? w/FIC matching funds
Mockup homepage for NICA
State map with direct access to particular communities List upcoming events within state or selected broadcer Reachbook dynamic
Classified Ads Print buttons - state directory of basic short Footer piece ad for directory
name of community - street addresses one-liners event calendar: date, venue, topic
May be working with someone other than Tony re database updating county listings - could be rewgional person - he is loking for additional help w/web development
Articles related to state: cMag, newsletter
link list [w/reachbook?]
[Geoph - wiki notification mechanism]
part of RegNet column pool
"How to build community" poster/brainstorm build "how to network communities" poster
Geoph Finder / Laird Finder / Diana finder [i.e. integrate FIC leadership calendars (selectively) into public/cmty/regional planning calendar]
Stats - cdir by state: urban/rural counts; forming/existing; reader/subscriber
contact - media, research, help [select type of contact on form]
photos [places, people] start w/cdir for state
- Meetup for people-gathering
- Feeds
- Subscribe - email box at top. Make it easy
