This conversation between Trinlay and Leigh was a deeper exploration of several areas of our current Bhumisparsha structure, to help us move towards a first draft organizational structure proposal in the coming weeks. (That future proposal will then move through the process outlined in the previous post.)

Note: In this post you’ll see a number of timestamps, marked (00:00:00). As we develop our process with these blog posts, we are playing around with using these timestamps as footholds to let readers make their way more easily from the sections outlined in the meeting notes to the corresponding moments of discussion in the recordings. Take a look below and check it out.

The summary notes below include discussions of:

Mapping out paid positions.
Looking at communication across the General Circle.

Anyone who wishes may watch the meeting in full (about 90 minutes) at https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/DF1OPqH5VEaSc_EsQKG7_opS9obY5S4CmVNyvztpxq00R7M5fXlYpbF9-nMx5TAp.tlQx0H1LdGlBNOY1 Passcode: #?fjK4Ef

1. Paid Positions (00:48:40)

In our last meeting we identified a need to bring together our circles model with a structure which identifies the roles of our paid personnel, allowing us to map out the specific lines of communication, fields of responsibility and structures of accountability.

Using a Google Jam Board we laid out some of the key operational roles initially identified in Ms. Brenda’s structural proposal, as well as several others, and began mapping these onto our existing circle structure. (See Jamboard slide 1) That is, our existing circle structure with the addition of a Community Ethics circle, and the relocation of the Fundraising circle from under the purview of the Mission circle to that of the Resources circle. These changes were outlined in Alex’s structural proposal. The roles we identified can be loosely divided into two groups.

1) The roles of paid coordinators, who bottom line each circle, ensuring that the work is done to accomplish the specific tasks of their respective domains. This would include Coordinators for:

-Resources Circle

-Community Ethics Circle and Conflict Resolution processes

-Student Teacher Liaison, who is presently coordinating the formation of the Practice circle

2) Essential support functions, not tasked with circle coordination but which require a certain level of task specific expertise essential to the operations of the organization. (00:35:30)

-Someone to manage grant writing in the fundraising circle

-The role of marketing and communications, whether that be held by a single staff member or a designated volunteer group.

- A programming development manager for the Practice Circle (00:57:20) (01:19:50)

- Paid administrative functions such as Payroll, bookkeeping, audits.

NOTE (pertinent but not in video): While it is clear that we do not have the means to immediately implement all these roles as paid positions, there are some ideals laid out in Bhumisparsha structure proposals That would help us move in this direction.**

This leads us into our work for the following meeting:, prioritizing and listing which positions need to be implemented first, and which can be developed as we move along.

2. Communications across the General Circle (1:00:00-- 1:05:30--1:07:30) (01:25:00--01:29:20)

This work around circle coordinators and critical functions leads us to our next question. What is the flow of communication/ coordination between these groups?

One of the main points raised in Option 1 of the Bhumisparsha structure proposals is that Members of the General circle would be “mostly be STAFF/PAID positions, and possibly a few volunteers occupying significant operations roles.” This means that the space of the General Circle would shift from its current format of volunteers “linked” from their respective circles into the General Circle, organized around a paid General Coordinator, to a smaller group of the paid Circle coordinators and essential roles each representing the domains over which they are responsible.

We brainstormed possible ideas around how this group cou.ld potentially coordinate meetings and execute tasks.

1) Opting for frequent, small, cross circle, task specific meetings and or the formation of temporary committees lead by individual circle coordinators (A.K.A Get shit done meetings)

Small agendas which then become more actionable within the time allotted for the collaborative work space of the meeting.
Avoiding the creation of an infinite “To-do lists”

2) Holding occasional “All circle meetings” of circle coordinators as the place for report backs, and big picture discussion.

Creating a distinct time and space in which to hold “meta” discussion, apart from operations meetings.

In considering this potential new arrangement, some key issues come to light.

In this model the coordinators of the various circles would no longer be primarily volunteers, but paid staff capable of holding a larger share of the logistical load, and therefore a corresponding share of the overall vision for operations. If so then what is the role of the General Coordinator, who previously served as the coordinating function of the General Circle and was responsible within that circle for carrying that load while coordinating the efforts of volunteers? 1) Would there still be a need for a General Coordinator? 2) If not, who would keep track of ongoing programing and operations needs outside of the temporary committees? We will begin our next session by returning to these questions.

See how ideas are unfolding on the Google Jam Board.

———————————————————————-

** In “Section II. Compensation and Power: Staff and Volunteers” Bhumisparsha structure proposals states:

Offering compensation and/or paid positions for unfilled roles and to volunteers in key roles.
Allowing each of the people in these roles to choose the rate at which they require compensation. This could start at $0 or low as anyone wants, or up to a particular cap. Hours could also be agreed upon.

This would make it possible to offer initial stipends towards the development of these key roles, and or ask current volunteers what they would need in terms of compensation to begin to take on aspects of these key roles with the stated aim that they are to later be developed into paid positions with commensurate responsibilities and compensation.