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10. Keeping People

People join community groups to meet people, to have fun, to learn new skills, to pursue an interest, and to link their lives to some higher purpose. They leave if they don't find what they are looking for. Citizens groups need to ask themselves more often: 

• What benefits do we provide?
• At what cost to members?
• How can we increase the benefits and decrease the costs? 

Here are a some ideas on where to begin.

Stay in touch with one another.
Regular contact is vital. Face to face is best. If you have to meet, getting together in someone's house is better than meeting in a hall.

Welcome newcomers.
Introduce them to members of your group. Consider appointing greeters for large meetings and events. Call new contacts to invite them to events, or to pass on information.
Help people find a place in the organization. The most appealing approach is to say, "Tell us the things you like to do and do well and we will find a way to use those talents." The next most appealing is to say: "Here are the jobs we have, but how you get them done is up to you."
Invite newcomers to assume leadership roles. If the same people run everything, newcomers feel excluded.

Pay attention to group process
Most volunteer groups do not give adequate attention to how they work together. Decision-making methods are not determined explicitly nor are roles, or healthy behaviours. Some groups make process a topic of discussion by appointing a process watcher.

Discuss the group contract
Set aside occasions when members describe what they expect of the group and what the group can expect of them in terms of time and responsibilities. Inviting the members to discuss their ambitions for the group gets a lot of, what could be, hidden agenda out in the open. This information should become part of your membership lists.

Act more, meet less
The great majority of people detest meetings; too many are the Black Death of community groups. By comparison, activities like tree-planting draw large numbers of people of all ages.

Keep time demands modest
Most people lead busy lives. Don't ask them to come to meetings if they don't need to be there. Keep expanding the number of active members to ensure everyone does a little, and no one does too much. Work out realistic time commitments for projects.

Do it in twos
Following a practice from Holland, we suggest working in pairs. It improves the quality of communication, makes work less lonely, and ensures tasks get done. Ethnically mixed pairs (such as English and Chinese) can maintain links to different cultures. Gender mixed pairs can take advantage of differences in ways of relating to men and women.

Provide social time and activities
Endless work drives people away. Schedule social time at the beginning and end of meetings. Turn routine tasks into social events; for example, stuff envelopes while sharing pizza. Some groups form a social committee to plan parties, dinners, and trips.

Provide skills training
Provide skill-building workshops and on-the-job training. Simply pairing experienced and inexperienced people will improve the skills of new members. Training in leadership, group facilitating and conflict resolution are important enough to warrant special weekend workshops.

11. Leading

Good leaders are the key to community organizing. They do not tell other people what to do, but help others to take charge. They do not grab the limelight, but nudge others into the limelight. They are not interested in being 'The Leader', but are interested in creating more leaders. They recognize that only by creating more leaders can an organizing effort expand.

Model the effective leader:

• Set realistic expectations
  Nothing buoys a group more than tangible success. The smart leader will steer the group toward things it can easily accomplish to give the members confidence that they can-make-a-difference.Divide-up & delegate work
  Divide-up tasks into bite-sized chunks, then discuss who will do each chunk. Make sure everyone has the ability to carry out their task, then let them carry it out in their own way. Have someone check on progress. People do not feel good about doing a job, if nobody cares whether it gets done.
• Show appreciation for work well done
  Recognize people's efforts in conversations, at meetings, in newsletters. Give thank you notes and other tokens of appreciation. Give certificates and awards for special efforts. Respect all contributions no matter how small.
• Welcome criticism
  Accepting criticism may be difficult for some leaders, but members need to feel they can be critical without being attacked.
• Help people to believe in themselves
  A leader builds people's confidence that they can accomplish what they have never accomplished before. The unflagging optimism of a good leader energizes everyone.
• Inspire trust
  People will not follow those they do not trust. Always maintain the highest standards of honesty. Good leaders air doubts about their own potential conflicts of interest, and about their own personal limitations.
• Herald a higher purpose
  People often volunteer to serve some higher purpose. A leader should be able to articulate this purpose, to hold it up as a glowing beacon whenever the occasion demands. A good leader will celebrate every grassroots victory as an example of what can happen when people work together for a common good.
• Convince others they can lead
  Make the practice of leading transparent. Invite others to lead. Don't try to run the whole show, or do most of the work. Others will become less involved. And you will burn out.

12. Meeting

Meetings are necessary for planning, and decision making. How well they work influences whether people remain in a group. All meetings should be as lively and as much fun as possible.

The basics of meeting
Fix a convenient time, date and place to meet. You can find free meeting places in libraries, community centres, some churches, neighbourhood houses, and schools. Some groups meet in a favourite restaurant or cafe. To keep a group together, decide on a regular monthly meeting time, or think of another way of staying in touch. Agree on an agenda beforehand. A good agenda states meeting place; starting time, time for each item, ending time; objectives of the meeting; and items to be discussed.
Start the meeting by choosing a facilitator, a recorder, and a timekeeper. Begin with a round of introductions if necessary. Next, review the agreements of the previous meeting. Ask for amendments or additions to the agenda, then begin working through the agenda. If you have trouble reaching agreement, refer to "Decision Making" below. Record actions required, who will carry them out, and how much will be accomplished before the next meeting. Finally, set a time, place and an agenda for the next meeting.

Display everyone's contribution
Consider using a flip chart, overhead projector or a blackboard.

Follow a set of discussion guidelines
Regular meetings work better if everyone agrees on a set of discussion guidelines. Some groups post their guidelines as a large sign:

• Listen to others
• Do not interrupt
• Ask clarifying questions
• Welcome new ideas
• Do not allow personal attacks
• Treat every contribution as valuable

Develop a friendly culture
Encourage humour. Provide food and drink, or meet in a restaurant. Allow for social time.

13. Decision Making
Your group should discuss, agree on, then post guidelines for reaching decisions.

Meetings/issues/proposals 
All potential voting issues should be posted 7 days prior to the meeting so that people have time to think about the issue/s, the meetings function should be to define the exact nature of the issue and get individuals organised on a committee to find common ground between the 'agree' and 'disagree' factions by setting controls/limitations/restrictions on the scope of the proposal together with a reasonable estimate of cost and how it intends to raise the money before presenting it for voting.

Consensus 
A consensus process aims at bringing the group to mutual agreement by addressing all concerns. It does not require unanimity. Consensus can take longer than other processes, but fosters creativity, cooperation and commitment to final decisions. Here is a sample outline:

1. A presenter states the proposal to a meeting. A written draft has been distributed seven days prior to the meeting.
2. The group discusses and clarifies the proposal. No one presents concerns until clarification is complete.
3. The facilitator asks for legitimate concerns. If there are none the facilitator asks the group if it has reached consensus. If there are concerns:
4. The recorder lists concerns where everyone can see them. The group then  tries to resolve the concerns. The presenter has first option to:
   Clarify the proposal.
   Change the proposal.
   Explain why it is not in conflict with the group's values.
   Ask those with concerns to stand aside.
   By "standing aside" a person indicates a willingness to live with a proposal. By "crossing off a concern" a person indicates satisfaction with clarifications or changes.
5. If concerns remain unresolved and concerned members are unwilling to stand aside, the facilitator asks everyone to examine these concerns in relation to the group's purpose and values. The group then gets volunteers for sitting on a committee which will try to examine/indentify its purpose or resolve value conflicts.

At the next meeting, the facilitator states the outcome clearly. For consensus to work properly everyone must understand the meaning of "legitimate concerns". They are possible consequences of the proposal that might adversely affect the organization or the common good, or that are in conflict with the purpose or values of the group. Consensus will not work properly if concerns come from ego or vested interests, or derive from unstated tensions around authority, rights, personality conflicts, competition or lack of trust. Trust is a prerequisite for consensus.
If your group adopts consensus as a decision making method you do not have to use consensus of the whole group to decide everything. You can, and should, empower individuals, committees, or task forces to make certain decisions which have been specifically documented as to the extent of their power.

Voting
Voting should only be done through the whole membership, not just the ones who are available to go to a meeting. This requires a structure to disseminate and collect votes without involving a large amount of money which could be put to better use. The votes counted on the basis of 'for', 'against' and 'abstain'. Normally a 2/3 majority would be required to pass a vote, but if the vote is a close result, it should be put back to the committee for re-evaluation.

Straw polls/surveys
Are a good way of assessing the members, and the publics, views without committing the group to a vote.

Live with disagreements
Get agreement on the big picture, then turn to action. Don't exhaust yourself trying to achieve consensus on details. On a contentious issue, embracing a variety of positions will make you more difficult to attack.

14. Facilitating

The facilitator's role is to help a group make progress. Good facilitating keeps a meeting on track and moving forward. The more people who learn to facilitate the better. If you accept the role of facilitator you must be neutral. You should also try to:

Watch group vibes
If people seem bored or inattentive, you may have to speed up the pace of the meeting. If people seem tense because of unvoiced disagreements, you may have to bring concerns out into the open.

Ask open ended questions
For instance, "We seem to be having trouble resolving the matter. What do you think we should do?"

Summarize what others say
For instance, you might begin, "It seems we agree that . . . "

Make sure everyone gets a chance to speak
One way of ensuring quiet people get a chance to speak is to initiate a round. In a round you move around the table with everyone getting a few minutes to present their views.

Inject humour
There a few better ways of overcoming cranky, niggling or petty behaviour.

Learn to deal with difficult behaviour

• Flare-ups
  When two members get into a heated discussion summarize the points made by each, then turn the discussion back to the group.
• Grand standing
  Interrupt the one-man show with a statement that gives him credit for his contribution, but ask him to reserve his other points for later. Alternatively, interrupt with, "You have brought up a great many points. Would anyone like to take up one of these points?"
• Broken recording
  When someone keeps repeating the same point, assure them their point has been heard. If necessary ask the group if they want to allow the person to finish making their point.
• Interrupting
  Step in immediately with, "Hold on, let X finish what they have to say." If necessary, ask the person who tends to interrupt to act as the recorder for the meeting.
• Continual criticizing
  Legitimize negative feelings on difficult issues. You might say, "Yes, it will be tough to reduce traffic congestion on Margate, but there are successful models we can look at." If necessary, ask the critical person to take on an achievable task.

Suggest options when time runs out
Identify areas of partial consensus, suggest tabling the question, or create a small subcommittee to deal with the matter at a time of their choosing.

Consider a round at the end of the meeting
Going quickly around the whole group gives people a chance to bring up matters not on the agenda. You can also use a round to evaluate the meeting.

15. Fundraising

You do not need to fundraise to begin organizing your neighbourhood. However, you will need money to organize large numbers of people, or launch a large action program. If you decide to fundraise, be careful. You can lose money, and divert time and resources away from your objectives. If you must raise money, the money raising should be for a specific purpose or it will create a 'we have money so spend it' psychology, here are some suggestions.

Individual contributions
Asking for contributions from local people turns fundraising into community building. People become more attached to groups, projects, and places they feel they own. Money can come from memberships, voluntary subscriptions to newsletters, collections at meetings, door-to-door canvassing, planned giving, memorial giving and direct mail. Lots of books cover these approaches. Some groups make donations tax deductible by registering as a charity with the  government.

In-kind donations
Seek in-kind or non-monetary contributions. This includes donations of printing, equipment, furniture, space, services, food, and time. Local businesses respond well to requests for in-kind donations.

Auctions
Consider a dream auction. Neighbours can donate overnight babysitting for two children, a local landmark embroidered on your jacket, cheese cake for eight, four hours of house repairs. At a big community party your auctioneer sells every treasure to the highest bidder.

Grants from governments & foundations
With so many potential sources of assistance, half the battle is figuring out who supports what. After identifying a possibility, find out about application procedures. Getting a grant usually requires writing up a good proposal. Look for matching grants. In many cases governments will contribute a one for every one raised by citizens.

Charging fees
Consider the possibility of charging fees for services, or products.

Time tithing
Some dislike the time and energy spent on grant writing and big fundraising events. Instead, they recommend time tithing as a way of producing a steady flow of cash. It is a system that relies on supporters contributing high quality services. A group might advertise such services as conducting a workshop, painting signs, or providing professional assistance. When a supporter performs a service, they do not keep the money they are paid; but have the amount, minus expenses, sent directly to their group.

16. Grassroots Structure

Citizens groups should have as little bureaucratic structure as possible. The right amount is just enough to address their goals. In an attempt to become legitimate, many small groups decide they need more structure. Unfortunately, this can lead to spending more time on the needs of the organization than on the reason for getting together.

Networks, Cooperatives, Collectives
Grassroots organizations seem to work better with a flat structure as free as possible of boards, directors, and chairs. Flatness, or the absence of an organizational hierarchy, does not mean the elimination of individual roles or responsibilities. It does mean the end of people with over-riding authority over other people's work. Citizen's groups must avoid the common mistake of involving small numbers of people heavily. They should strive to involve large numbers of people lightly. Flat organizations, which emphasize horizontal connections, seem to be the best bet for involving large numbers of people lightly.

Traditional structure
Traditional organizational structure seems to dry out the grassroots. Nevertheless it continues to be recommended by many citizens umbrella groups. The most successful traditional organizations have:

• An elected leadership
  Some groups elect a set of officers - a chairperson, one or two vice chairpersons, a secretary and a treasurer. In order to include people doing important work, some expand the leadership group into a steering committee that includes the chairperson of each committee. The main criteria being that they do not act in an executive manner and run the organisation without membership approval. Leaders should be elected on a regular basis at well-publicized membership meetings. One or two people should not try to run the organization. When that happens others become less involved.
• Regular meetings
• A newsletter
• A means of delegating tasks and responsibilities
• Training for new members
• Social time together
• A planning process
• Working relationships with power players and resource organizations. Power players are people with the ability to make things happen: politicians, owners of key businesses, media people, heads of key government departments, heads of agencies, major landlords.

Provincial non-profit societies
Traditional organizations frequently wind up as registered non-profit societies. The advantages of non-profit status are few, beyond less circuitous access to certain sources of funds. On the other hand, non-profit status means having to follow the rules and organizational structure required by the Societies Act. It is for each group to choose what it's requirements are, too heavy at the expense of more money will/can consume 'more money', it is a fine line to be drawn, objectives? or money?.

Committees & Task Forces
Committees and task forces are the main way jobs are shared. They make it possible to get a lot done without anyone getting worn out. Standing committees look after a continuing group function; task forces carry out a specific task, then disband. Both provide members with a way of getting involved in projects that interest them. A large, action-oriented group might have the following standing committees: coordinating, publicity, membership, outreach, newsletter, fundraising, and research. Many people prefer the short-term projects of task forces, to the work of committees. Ideally, members of committees and task forces are made up of people selected by the whole group rather than by people who are self-selected. If the whole group is confident in a task force or committee it should empower the subgroup to make most decisions on its own. To keep everyone working together, committees and task forces should regularly report back to the whole group.

Coalitions
If you intend to tackle a large issue you will need allies. Approach other organizations by asking to speak on a matter of community importance at their next executive or general meeting. After you have presented, distribute material outlining your objectives, program and budget. A good way of getting agreement is to ask someone from the group you are approaching to help prepare your presentation. A coalition requires that all participants have a clear set of expectations and get together regularly to develop a friendly working relationship. A coalition works best when established for a specific project, and then allowed to lapse when the project ends.

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