Breaking up working groups

[joshred]

I intend to make several proposals regarding the structure of working groups. Specifically, I think several working groups cover too much territory to be truely productive.

I'd like the following to be put before the GA.

Facilitation and Logistics be divided into two groups.

• Facilitation would focus specifically on coordinating the GA.
• Logistics would need to be either more carefully defined or merged with the Occupation/Location working group.
  

Media & Technology be divided into at least three groups.

• One for web production & social media.
  
• One for media production focusing on video, and assisting other working groups with any a/v needs.
  
• One for PR that would be responsible for drafting press releases and assisting reporters.
  

Humane Resources should maybe be a category covering multiple groups

• Food
  
• First aid and medical necessities
  
• I think Child Care probably falls in here as well
  
• And sanitation. Always be the cleanest. It's important.
  

Please give feedback. Especially if it seems like I'm proposing too much.

[hz]

As one of the PR working group I think this makes sense.

[dylan]

I thought working groups were organized autonomously.

[joshred]

I have no idea. I'm just trying to be proactive. Maybe i should restrain myself to the comm/tech proposal?

[flashmob]

I think this should just be the decision of everyone in that particular group. Seems like too much of a micro managing issue for the GA. Some Groups could probably benefit from some crossover.

[dylan]

They're all good ideas. I think you might want to make these proposals to the groups involved instead of the GA.

[roylemons]

my thinking about humane resources was to cover all supply needs including food, first aid supplies, blankets, bedding, etc. since we already have a centralized location secured (the furnace) that many members have access to making it ideal for donation drop-offs. then we could split into other groups if the need arises.
open to all ideas though.

[scottredden]

I'm not much for meetings and a snarky ex hippie warned me of getting tied up in them in events like these so I'm just collecting donations in a jumpstart drive tommorow from 5-8 at 89 columbia street while I work on making some huge signs for the donation station to be at the park. only gotten a few people who said they might stop by to drop stuff off so it shouldn't be much of an issue. I'll be looking for volunteers at the 5pm meeting friday to help me get the supplies up the hill to the park.

[pinkoblues]

In the beginning it might be necessary to have umbrella groups( ie a larger humane resources, as food has their hands full). As we evolve we can always combine or separate groups to suit our needs. I think that Flashmob also made a particularly astute point in that crossover needs to be encouraged. There is a lot of overlap, so any sharing of ideas between groups should be encouraged. Any shared info will help us move forward.

[nhiggins]

I think the suggestions of breaking up the media/tech group and facilitation and logistics are good ideas. I give them both upward wiggly fingers.

I think food and medical definitely need their own working groups. Food is overwhelmed as it is. It split originally from humane resources for a reason. Sanitation has recently been falling under the newly-created operations/maintenance/grounds keeping. Their duties involve sweeping, raking, operating the generator, ensuring the port-a-potty maintenance schedule is met, and I'm sure more. And medical will be taking on a large enough scope that I know personally, I cannot also be involved in the groups what you had proposed to fall under humane resources. It's much too broad and all-encompassing.

[robertmagee32]

These are all outstanding ideas, but because you wouldn't need consensus to narrow the mission of or form a working group, I don't think you need to go through the consensus process to get this started. Sending an email to the working group contacts and recruiting people to form the new groups (which is something you'd have to do anyway) would be the most effective way of getting this done (in my opinion).

[flashmob]

I think the collaboration working group could be considered logistics. We are made up of really active members from all different working groups and try to get on the same page every week.

[joshred]

Yeah, this thread was made during the first week or so. Since then we've better defined what work groups and proposals are and a lot of what I put forward here emerged naturally.