Yellowfire Press

@ -- permission for use-with-acknowledgment

 CHAPTER FOUR

METHODS TO MAKE IT A SHARING CIRCLE @

. 

Networks can serve their purposes over any time spans, including brief ones. Therefore it's important to look regularly at whether your network has become obsolete. Perhaps the network's original reason for being has gone away; for example, the issue which brought you together has been successfully resolved.

The decision to continue need not be unanimous, draining energy and goodwill in the search for absolute consensus. Let those who feel the network has served its purposes for them, go with your good wishes, while the rest of you continue, perhaps with freshly interested participants.

Now suppose it's felt that there's some reason to keep going, for at least some of you, though you're not quite sure why or how. Here are some suggested guidelines.

A. Ask yourselves why the network should be ongoing. Are the original needs still being addressed or have they changed, and, if so, how?

B. Define or re-define the network purpose in such a way that it can continue to change and grow as the group's needs change and grow.

C. Brainstorm all possible methods for keeping in touch, via an ongoing communications system. A few possibilities are described below but your purpose and creativity will enable you to brainstorm appropriate methods. However, don't be so "creative" that you forget basics. We've seen intelligent, and experienced people who shared a common interest, nevertheless leave a meeting without getting each others' names, addresses, and telephone numbers or arranging times and places for a next meeting--even though they obviously did want to continue networking. Don't neglect those little details; it's usually best to handle them well before the end of your first meeting.

D. Here are some methods for keeping your network going.

1. Regular Re-Starts. If your circle of common concern is part of a regularly meeting group, you can continue your network by re-starting or at least refreshing it at each meeting. The basic agenda would be a) monitoring and discussing network transactions since the last meeting, and b) re-starting preferred network processes such as Walkabout Exchange or Trade-Up. This will also help orient new participants to the network.

Suppose the network is not part of a regularly meeting group. Re-start gatherings can be called at individual initiative based on perception of urgency of challenge arising in the networking area. A "safe house" group does this successfully. Whenever one or more of the members feels a vital, relevant concern has occurred or built to a level needing response, a meeting is called. They meet at a pleasant retreat-type setting and network resources relevant to the problem, such as mailing lists, ideas, connections to decision-makers, etc.

2. Workshops are in one sense a special case of re-start, but they have special appeal for people interested in learning, including potential new members for the network. Another special feature is the guided practice which helps network members perfect their techniques. Example: A local professional group of social services directors sponsors a monthly workshop for its members and other interested people. Their purpose is to develop managerial skills and enhance their professional growth. Rather than calling in outside "experts," they've developed a network. At each workshop, different members volunteer to facilitate some variation of the Better Together process, or they may periodically do a Walkabout Exchange (matching Glad-Gives with Needs). Creative in their variation on methods, they keep the network flowing; participants continuously learn from each other, invite new people to attend, and evaluate the group's needs at the end of each workshop. The key question in this evaluation is: What area(s) do you want to work on next? The network is easily managed by rotating a steering committee which tallies the evaluations, plans the next meeting, and locates a willing member as facilitator.

 3. Newsletters are a commonly used communications tool. Indeed, they are so popular and numerous that many never get read. For your network purposes, you may want to explore cooperating with already existing newsletters which some or all of your participants receive or are likely to read. or perhaps you could combine resources and co-publish a newsletter with another related group(s).

In either case, the basic network-in-writing is just like the usual classified column in a newspaper or advertising sheet, except that money is neither asked nor offered.

On the following page is an example of such a column, reprinted with the kind permission of the national journal in which it appeared: the EXAMINER of the National Association on Volunteers in Criminal Justice. Because the information is not needed here, the names and addresses of offerers and wanters have been omitted.

 

The Column:

This column is an attempt to facilitate networking of services. In it you will find specific services wanted as well as offered. All services offered are volunteered with no fee attached.

It is NAVCJ's hope that you will take advantage of the listings. Please, if you can help those that need service, write or call them. Likewise if you can benefit from those services offered, contact the individual.

CONTRIBUTIONS

If you would like to contribute to the "Help Wanted Offered" column, send your contributions to:
Editor, NAVCJ Examiner Box 6365, University, AL 35486.

Be sure:

1. Your contributions are specific in nature so that there is no confusion with the readership of this journal.
2. There should be no offerings or requests that have any fees attached

Wanted

MOTIVATION
VOLUNTEER INSURANCE

(1) Tips on how to motivate volunteers to attend in-service activities
(2) information on volunteer insurance.
Respond to:

CORPORATE INVOLVEMENT

Need innovative ways to involve corporations in service to a large volunteer program.
Respond to:

INSERVICE TRAINING
VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION

(1) New content and techniques for volunteer in-service training
(2) New volunteer recognition ideas
Respond to:

 

CREATIVE, RECRUITING
TECHNIQUES NEW TRENDS

(1) Creative techniques in recruiting volunteers
(2) Literature of new trends on volunteerism.
Respond to:

SWIFT PAPER WORK

Strategies for motivating volunteers to return their monthly reporting forms to their supervisor.
Respond to:

Effective and innovative public relations and recruitment strategies.
Respond to:

NUTS AND BOLTS MANUAL

(A) "Nuts and Bolts Manual" for setting up and maintaining a Community Service Order program for Adult Offenders, which is run by volunteers.
Respond to:

VOLUNTEER PLACEMENTS
PROGRAM PLANNING

(1) A listing of resources that can be developed for non-traditional volunteer placements of juveniles in Community Service Order programs.
(2) Excellent handout in basic volunteer program planning.
Respond to:

CITIZEN ADVISORY BOARDS
TRAINING TECHNIQUES

(1) information on how to start and maintain citizen advisory boards
(2) Content and techniques for volunteer orientation and training.

Mark Thornhill, Editor of the EXAMINER, tells us that the response to offers is about 35 times as frequent as the responses to help wanteds. Among other things, we take this as confirmation that offerings are far more powerful network activators than are sheer statements of need.

There are all kinds of communication media a network group might use, provided access exists: magazines, CB radio, bulletin boards, walls, telephone poles, etc. More imaginatively, some have had a sharing tree, festooned with glad-gives and needs. Not a bad idea for Christmas either. Thus, this year why not give of yourself for Christmas.

The problem with newsletters and physical centers (bulletin boards, trees, walls, etc.) is the lack of face-to-face contact in negotiating exchanges, and in monitoring the entire system for performance as promised. Participants should be clearly advised of the risks of misunderstanding or rip-off.

4. Telephone trees. One useful method is to divide the membership list into groups of five or so. When information needs to be spread, you or your committee can call one person from each group and ask that person to call the other four. By rotating the main caller within each group, the responsibility for calling won't always fall on the same shoulders. A side benefit of this process is that each group of five people get to know each other better through regular communication and perhaps develop a stronger support system among themselves. But the communication groups needn't be fixed in membership. Also effective is giving each person called, several other numbers to call--perhaps different members each time. Telephone trees get information to all participants quickly and effectively (as long as no one is forgotten). In any form they are an excellent model of communication in a fluid network--everyone is involved in receiving and giving information.

A regular use of a telephone tree is to alert networks to critical points reached in regard to some legislation for volunteers. The message conveyed is the description of the critical point plus concrete suggestions for doing something about it, e.g., address or phone number of a crucial legislator to contact.

5. Central Network Pools or Registries are perhaps, the ultimate in permanence. Central network pools usually have the following elements:

(a) A locale, usually with phone, filing equipment, etc.

(b) Provisions and a process for contributing information, ideas, skills, and things to the pool.

(c) Guidelines for withdrawing these human resources, according to need.

(d) People, usually volunteers, to plan, operate, and monitor the system.

The Lending Library Network Survey, attached, illustrates the key kinds of questions which should be asked and answered in planning a central network pool-- in this case for materials, but the same principles hold for other network ingredients. The survey was used with the Boulder, Colorado, Association of Volunteer Coordinators, and seemed useful in providing them with relevant data for decision-making.

Two samples of input forms for a central network pool also follow. Similar kinds of forms could readily be developed for Do-It-Anyhows, Trade-Ups, etc.

Input cards can serve as basic elements in your central network pool filing system with space on each form to record usage of the offering (something like a library book card). The input cards might also be grouped into categories of interest to network participants.

There should also be one file card for each network participant, recording times her/his offerings were taken by others, and times he/she took advantage of others' offerings. This card can serve as a reference in guarding against exploitation, according to a guideline such as: no one person may draw from the network pool more than once (or twice) in excess of the times her/his offerings have been used by others. *

*As this guidebook goes to the printer, we received literature describing what seems to be a versatile computer- assisted central network pool. This is the Open Network, a project of Network Research Inc., Denver, Colorado.

E. Ongoing networks need attention, initiative. We suggest that you build a living bridge by building shared leadership into the network. Because many of our models of leadership in this country are singular and charismatic, many of us fall into the same mold when developing leadership for a network. Resisting this single leader model is vitally important in a network which is based on the knowledge that everyone has something to give and to gain.

Much needs to be learned about shared leadership. Many of us have been too well trained to think of one person in charge as in the saying: "Too many cooks spoil the broth." We need to discover the right combination of leaders so that the broth is made better by more than one cook. What we're looking for is Better Together leaders whose intelligence, resources, and ability to think about the group is increased by the leaders working together. Division of responsibilities in one state office of volunteering allows the director and assistant director each to do what she/ he does best, e.g., public speaking, writing, evaluation, technical assistance, without rigid disposition of duties according to "status" or formal role descriptions.

F. Most networks require some serious planning. A complex, ambitious network may require a series of planning meetings to refine purposes, select methods and communication modes, etc. Here are some tips in planning your own customer-made network.

1. A full day or weekend "retreat" can be far more effective planning time than the same number of hours spent together during periodic meetings.

2. Designate people to be in charge. Every group needs at least one person to be thinking about the overall picture. You may have many leaders of task forces, but be sure to have overall directors.

3. Don't call more planning meetings than are truly needed, and don't keep the planning committee together any longer than needed, or wanted by that group. Tt's easier for members (especially planners) to keep their commitment to the group if they're not asked to be over-committed. "Death by Committee" is a common cause of efforts never finding completion. Helpful to planners and other leaders is a specified time commitment, e.g., "Would you be willing to be a member of the planning committee for the next six months? We'll be meeting every (date) at (time)." Then they can of course agree to stay on longer, which they probably will if it continues to be a glad-give.

Foundations driven deep and sure in the ground, assure a solid bridge. For bridges, these are called pilings, hence we think of the P.I.L.E. principle to help us remember some network fundamentals.

 

P

OWERING

Design our network to be as motivationally self-powering as possible. Use as many of the natural motivators (glad-gives, better-togethers, etc.) as you can. The network will move as long as it taps into participants' natural motivation and needs.

Also look into helping people to GROW not just to keep on doing what they know best. A network can start with glad-gives and gradually move on to finding ways to encourage members to explore new areas (Quests).

I	DENTIFICATION

Any network needs to be very clear about what it is, why it exists, and who it is for. The following areas should be explored in working towards such clarity;

--Our area of interest/purpose is…
--Eligible members are…
--Methods for outreach to potential participants are...
--The geographical territory covered by the network is...
--The needs of the individuals and the network are...
--The elements involved are (ideas things, personal support, etc.)

L

OGISTICS

Help set sensible formats and rules for your network. Areas to be covered are mentioned below and also described elsewhere in this guidebook.

--Connecting people in the network.
--Planning for a balanced network which diminishes the likelihood of exploitation.
--Organizing the network so it is simple to manage, staying clear of creating another bureaucracy.
--Coordinating coverage of the system.
--Do you need a central location for information to be stored? How will you keep track of glad-gives and needs? How can the network be maintained and by whom?.
--Re-charging or renewing the network periodically rather than allowing it to lapse towards extinction.

E

VALUATION

A bridge based on the needs and resources of its members must have built-in evaluation procedures which: (a) monitor matches made, (b) evaluate the quality of the network help given, (c) pick up both the strong and weak points of the system so it can be expanded or repaired, (d) suggest plans for bettering the system. Evaluation of strong and weak points of the network should be a regular aspect. Responsibility for assuring that evaluation is done should be rotated around the group, but all members should be involved to some extent in analyzing the data and making decision on continuation.

Return to Main Table of Contents

Ivan Scheier
Stillpoint
607 Marr
Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, 87901
Tel (505) 894-1340
Email: ivan@zianet.com

For comments and editing suggestions please contact Mary Lou McNatt mlmcnatt@indra.com