HOW IT WORKS:

COMMITTEES & Their Functions

The following are various committees that have functioned from time to time in Womanshare.  Some are ongoing, others, according to need and the interest of members, have functioned intermittently or for a short period of time.  Some of the work requires only one person and other tasks are better done with several members sharing ideas and work.

(All functioning committees are expected to interact as necessary with other committees and provide at least one representative a month to the Council meeting.)

• Provide brokering services (i.e. find members to provide services ) to members as requested.
• Recommend and implement solutions to brokering issues.

• Maintain a current list of Womanshare committees and publish as needed.
• Recommend and implement solutions to committee issues.

• Maintain the credit accounting system: Produce and distribute credit postcards, receive postcards and post credits, issue quarterly credit reports, maintain the computer systems required, maintain paper files and archives.
• Respond to members inquiries or complaints regarding the credit reports or guidelines.
• Update the Credit Guidelines as required.
• Train new committee members in the use of the accounting system.
• Recommend and implement solutions to credit related issues such as time dues, delinquency, increasing time dues, and credit inflation.

• Provide services or broker services for members in crisis.
• Develop processes for facilitating members in crisis.
• Recommend and implement solutions to crisis related issues.

• The Council & the former Coordinating Committee -- see the above link.

Education and Outreach

(The mission of this group is as follows:  To share the principles, experiences and tools developed by Womanshare, an alternative economic model, with people who seek to strengthen their communities by creating service exchange systems.)

• Liaison to the community at large
• Prepare and send materials to groups or individuals.
• Interface with the media.
• Attend meetings and conferences relevant to alternative economics.
• Recommend and implement solutions to education and outreach issues.

• Maintain financial records and prepare reports.
• Handle financial transactions:  Receive and pay Womanshare  bills, track petty cash, deposit dues and other income, reconcile bank statement, maintain paper files.
• Prepare and facilitate adherence to the annual budget.
• Send out dues notices
• Recommend and implement solutions to financial issues such as uniform calendar-year membership and delinquency in dues payments.

• Receive materials, make copies, and mail to members once a month.
• Generate Labels
• Recommend and implement solutions to mailing issues such as scheduling and frequency of mailings.

• Maintain membership information: Receive and enter member data, issue semi-annual membership lists.
• Update and publish the Skills Directory semi-annually.
• Recommend and implement solutions to member-data related issues.

• Bring in new members as needed:  Maintain a waiting list and correspond with potential members, organize and conduct orientation sessions, provide materials about Womanshare to new members.
• Mentoring:  Support members with special needs in participating as fully as possible
• Recommend and implement solutions to membership related issues such as time dues delinquency, regional sub-groups, and diversification of membership.

• Survey the membership on various issues, correlate the results, and issue a report.

• Publish the Womanshare newsletter on a regular basis:  Solicit articles, information, graphics and other submissions from the membership, write articles, plan and implement the layout.
• Recommend and implement solutions to newletter issues such as establishing a publishing schedule.

• Plan and implement the monthly "Pot Luck" gatherings:  Arrange venues, food, setup and cleanup; plan an agenda and facilitator for meetings.
• Recommend and implement solutions to monthly gathering issues such as and soliciting agenda suggestions.

• At the gatherings, receive and arrange food and cleanup after the meeting.
• Recommend and implement solutions to setup and cleanup issues.

• Design a proposal for a decision making process
• Propose a structure to facilitate the process
• Continue to monitor the process and suggest changes if needed

Vision

(This committee was especially active in the first years of Womanshare. The committee drafted the principles that guide the actions of the community.)

• To envision future options for growth and development
• To identify issues and needs
• To identify various options for solving problems

• Receive members' and committee announcements and record a new greeting twice a month.
• Access messages and direct responses.
• Maintain the voice mail system
• Recommend and implement solutions to voice mail related issues.

• Solicit workshop suggestions and coordinate workshop scheduling.
• Support workshop presenters.
• Recommend and implement solutions to workshop issues.