Membership Process Framework Working Page
This is the working copy of the Membership Process that is being worked on by the Membership Committee. It has annotations, comments and links as we work on them. Read the following page on InlineComments to add your comments to this document.
Note: This framework below is NOT IN EFFECT until the implementation tasks are fully fleshed out by the membership committee and presented to the community. Once implemented, there will be a review at 6 months to assess the policy and to make adjustments if needed. Also, we intend to develop specifics of what might be different for mates, returning members and intentional neighbors/non-residents.
Simplified Diagram of New Member Process
Goals of the LAEV membership process:
- Develop relationships between applicant and the community.
- Broaden the points of contact for applicants
- Advance the mission of LAEV, including balancing the diversity of our community.
- Have a smooth, clear and transparent process for both applicant and community.
Summary of the LAEV Membership Process
The membership process at the Los Angeles Eco-Village is divided into three stages. The passage between stages is marked by an Event. The steps within every stage can be fulfilled in any order. During the first stage the person interested in joining gets acquainted with the LA Eco-Village, its members and surroundings: the emphasis is on her/his effort. During the second stage the person is accepted as a candidate and is encouraged to attend Eco-Village events. The Eco-Village then makes an effort to provide and host opportunities for learning and participating. During the last stage the effort is on both sides. The candidate becomes a Provisional Member (which means she/he is not granted blocking power in our consensus process). Upon the community’s decision to remove the provisional status, the member is granted full membership status.
1. INTERESTED
1.1
- Tour
- Check for Tour Information here: Tours
- Get familiar with community & LAEV
- Websites
- Personal conversations
- Interested folks can attend a couple of meetings and potlucks, but should let us know in advance that they’re coming.
- Read the LAEV membership process (available by hard copy, e-mail, or on website)
- Read RentalAgreement and Rental Agreement Addendum (available in hard copy or e-mail)
- Fill out our Questionnaire (which will include the check off list of requirements for “Interested" people)
Event: Membership Committee assigns a liaison upon the person announcing interest at a meeting after filling out the questionnaire.
1.2
- Fill out credit application and pay application fee
- The application fee is $25, it was approved on April 2, 2007. The reasons for charging an application fee are: CRSP pays to do the credit checks in the form of a membership to an association (to be investigated) - federico
- Run credit check
- Interested person announces their candidacy at a community meeting
Event: Upon checking all items above. Get Community Greenlight at a community meeting. Note that the total number of candidates greenlighted is limited per the Community Candidate Capacity Policy.
2. CANDIDATE
This status should last at least 2 months, meaning the earliest the decision can happen is in 2 months upon announcement of candidacy. LAEV will aim to make a decision around the 4 month mark. However, if the candidate does not fulfill the requirements to make a decision within 6 months after becoming a candidate, the candidate loses their status and will have to restart the process.
2.1
- Get to know community and allow community to get to know candidate
- Candidates are expected to participate enough to get to know LAEVers and for LAEVers to get to know them. Opportunities for this includes attending potlucks, volunteering, and attending meetings, which is expected from candidates. Membership candidates are expected to meet participation requirements. Just meeting minimum participation requirements will likely not be sufficient to get to know the community and for the community to get to know
candidates.
- Candidates are expected to participate enough to get to know LAEVers and for LAEVers to get to know them. Opportunities for this includes attending potlucks, volunteering, and attending meetings, which is expected from candidates. Membership candidates are expected to meet participation requirements. Just meeting minimum participation requirements will likely not be sufficient to get to know the community and for the community to get to know
- Attend orientation (includes intro to consensus and respectful
communications, etc.)
- so far we have agreed on presenting the orientation in one hour, and the contents are
- consensus decision making
- introduction to intentional communities
- respectful communication
- introduction to laev
- consensus decision making
- see LAEVorientationDRAFT.doc for what is being developed
- see LAEV Agreements for a draft page that is part of the orientation (based on the wiki page Agreements and Policies but with preamble and descriptions)
Event: Discussion at community meeting with candidate (present questionnaire,
comments on values, concerns, etc)
2.2
- Get familiar with policies (policy binder, conversations with people)
Event: Pre-decision meeting (without candidate)- Did everyone get to know the candidate?
- If ready, schedule date for decision
Event: Decision at community meeting to either approve or decline membership (liaison’s job is done)
- Some notes for the facilitator for that event:This is community decision so quorum must be reached. The candidate reintroduces her/him self and states why is she/he interested in joining the community. A brief period of questions and answers from the community members ensue and then all non-members are asked to leave the room, including the candidate. Then there is a go around, a decision is made and the candidate is asked to step in the room again. Ideally the date of this event is noted so the following events happen after 3 and 6 months. - federico
We like the idea of being able to provide the Candidate with a list of written questions that will be among the ones asked at their interview. This will allow the Candidate time to think about answers. See the beginnings of these efforts here:
Questions for Candidate Interview
- question: if the decision is positive, does the new member get to be in the listserv after this? - federico Answer = Yes Lara
3. PROVISIONAL MEMBER
This status lasts 6 months, during which the member has all but blocking privileges.
- Arrange for housing of member
Event: 3 month dialogue (to see how things are going with participation, housing arrangements, concerns, etc)
Event at 6 months to decide one of the following options:- Remove provisional status – if the fit seems good.
- Extend provisional status – if the provisional member has not met expectations (participation, etc.), but has the potential to remedy the situation.
- Decline membership – if there is a clear mismatch with the community (i.e. repeated violation of agreements such as non-payment of rent, disrespectful behavior, etc). If we implemented the process correctly, this should rarely, if ever, happen.