Click here if you want to see Previous Liaison Guidelines
The current document is being discussed:
Liaison Guidelines
Revised by Ann and Joe based on documents by Lara and Lois, 10/6/07
Further Revised After 10/7/07 Membership Committee Meeting
Further Revised At oct 20/07 Membership Commitee Meeting
Further Revised at 11/7/07 membership commitee meeting.
Further Revised at 11/10/14 Membership committee
Further Revised at 08/05/2015 by Bienvenidos
Liaison 101
Click Liaison 101 for the training power point on how to be a liaison.
What liaisons do:
The liaison is a primary point of contact between an applicant and the community. The liaison is available to answer the applicant’s questions. On behalf of the community, the liaison keeps informed about the interest and intention of the applicant. The liaison works with the applicant through all the steps of the process until full membership, unless either party requests a reassignment.
Confidentiality: Liaisons (and the community at large) are expected to maintain the confidentiality of comments made about the applicant. Information may be shared, but not be attributed to any individual member.
If any member of the community raises concerns during the membership process about a candidate’s acceptance, the liaison works with the community to identify a process to address the concerns.
All full LAEV members are expected to serve as liaisons. A liaison must meet the participation expectations and uphold all rental agreements.
In the interested phase, the liaison:
__ Connects with the applicant as soon as possible and explains the liaison’s role and the membership process (https://urbansoil.net/wiki.cgi?Membership_Process).
__ Invites them to announce interest at a community meeting.
__ Sends applicant a link to the calendar of events (http://urbansoil.net/wiki.cgi?calendar) and encourages them to attend as many community meetings, potlucks, work parties and other community events as possible.
__ Supports completion of tour and orientation.
__ Makes sure the applicant knows that a specific request for an apartment is not addressed until after a candidate has been accepted for provisional membership
__ Makes sure an applicant talks to the managers (ustumgrs@gmail.com) about credit check, AMI income levels, and the size range and condition of apartments available to individuals, couples and families.
__ When the applicant has completed tour, orientation, credit check and has a discussion with liaision about readiness to move forward, the liaison announces and schedules a greenlight interview (two-step process):
1. Announce the greenlight interview at a community meeting one week prior to the planned date of the interview. As long as all of the above steps have been completed, no consensus decision is needed to schedule the interview.
2. Schedule and attend greenlight interview and decision (can take place at the same meeting)
(see Membership Decision Timeframe.png)
In the candidate phase, the liaison:
__ Is in touch with their candidate frequently and continues to encourage them to attend as as many events as possible.
__ Sends the candidate a document (link forthcoming - for now, please see http://urbansoil.net/wiki.cgi?community_participation_expectations) with a list of current committees and people to contact about how to participate
__ Is encouraged to arrange one or more community events especially for their candidate, e.g., a brunch or dinner. Liaisons can coordinate with the Bienvenidos Committee to do something jointly with other applicants.
__Makes the candidate aware of USTU & BVCLT policies and bylaws and informs them that if accepted for membership, they will be expected to uphold them.
__Schedules and attends provisional membership interview and decision (three-step process):
1. Request an agenda item at community meeting to determine whether the community is ready to schedule a membership decision. Schedule the membership interview and decision on two separate weeks (with the facilitation team).
2. Provisional Membership interview
3. Provisional Membership decision
(For more details: http://urbansoil.net/wiki.cgi/Candidate_to_member_proposal and Membership Decision Timeframe.png)
In the provisional membership phase:
__Liaisons will continue to facilitate discussions between liaisees and other members with concerns
__Since this phase requires less responsibilities from the liaision, USTU members can be liaisions to a provisional member and another liaisee simultaneously
__Liaisees will now take initiative on their 3 month check-in and full membership interview, but liaisons can engage with liaisees if they neglect to do so in a timely manner.