ICA             July, 1977

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION DYNAMICS Task Force O
Global Research Assembly Chicago
 THE
 SECRETARIAT
















 
 Dealing with the Underlying Contradictions





FUNCTION



OPERATING DO'S











COMPOSITION


INITIATION



The Secretariat is a small, representational body that maintains daily coordination and monitoring of all the activities in the community, guards the community consensus as set forth by the community assembly, administers services and coordinates and oversees project implementation.

The Secretariat achieves these aims by:
-receiving requests and information from and transmitting information to the Stakes.
-calling meetings of the Assembly and preparing the agendas
-keeping and disseminating the community calendar and publications
-providing central staff and record keeping for the commissions
-strictly monitoring the main financial records of the community
-seeing that Commissions and Guilds provide adequate financial reporting
-allocating labor and resources for community maintenance
-protecting community symbols and identity
-approving expenditures and dispensing funds
-acting as liaison with critical outside agencies and organizations

The Secretariat consists of at least one representative from each Stake and Commission and one full-time person functioning in consultation with the ICA Auxiliary.

Have the steering committee which set up the Consultation continue to function as the Secretariat until the opportune time to move as a more formal organization.





ICA             July, 1977

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION DYNAMICS Task Force O
Global Research Assembly Chicago
 THE
 STAKES












 Building the Practical Proposals





FUNCTION




OPERATING DO'S







COMPOSITION

INITIATION



The Stakes are the five delimited sections of geography which together comprise the entire community. The Stakes serve to focus the care of people through re-imaging time, transforming space and intensifying engagement. This is done through workdays, engaging in concrete activities ant through Stake meetings where contexting, training and reflection take place.

The Stakes achieve these aims by:
­locating and knowing the people in the community by gridding and calling
­engaging all the people in the work of the community
­providing for local needs such as shut­in calls, etc.
­holding seminars and field trips that relate their work globally
­appointing stake leaders to oversee the care, and to coordinate the activities., of each Stake
­meeting weekly for the planning of the following week

All the people of the community are members of the stakes in which they reside.

Grid the community along the geo­social boundaries before or during the Consult. Make pre Consult visits to every home. After the Consult, use these local divisions for document distribution and study group boundaries. Call meetings to formalize the stakes and meet weekly thereafter.



ICA             July, 1977

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION DYNAMICS Task Force O
Global Research Assembly Chicago

 THE
 GUILDS














 Implementing the Tactics





FUNCTION




OPERATING DO'S








COMPOSITION

INITIATION



The Guilds are the community structures through which people with common work arenas plan and implement the programs for the economic and social development of the community.  They provide the vehicle by which individuals can combine their resources to most effectively engage in ongoing regional and national structures.

The Guilds achieve these aims by:
­identifying, bringing together and giving structure to way to operate in specific arenas
­training in specific basic skills
­celebrating their achievements
­timelining and implementing tactics
-releasing power through corporate action
-providing form and structure to the community's work forces
-meeting to plan tactical actuation

All who work in one of the six community arenas of concern:
-Agriculture  - food growing, money crops, agro­business
 ­Industry - cottage industry, processing, ancillary production 
-Commerce - merchandising, marketing, financial management 
 ­Health  - sanitation, nutrition, immunization, curative services 
­Education - early education, special skills, adult training, special ed 
­Welfare - people, space, services

Guilds begin as task forces around one or more subjects. Early contexting as to the total Guild responsibility is helpful. For instance, the Education Guild begins with the starting of the Preschool, and then expands to assume fuller responsibility for all educational subtactics in the project.


ICA             July, 1977

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION DYNAMICS Task Force O
Global Research Assembly Chicago
 THE
 COMMISSIONS














 Organizing the Actuating Programs





FUNCTION




OPERATING DO'S








COMPOSITION

INITIATION



The Commission dynamic may be said to be in action when the leadership of the various Guilds are meeting together for leadership purposes of coordination of activities across separate Guilds.  The Economic Commission monitors the activities of the Agricultural, Industry and Commerce Gu8ilds.  The Social Commission relates to the activities of the Health, Education, and Welfare Guilds.  The Commissions provide the necessary entity for legal functioning of the economic and social dimension of the community's life, and provide liaison with outside related activities.

The Commissions achieve these aims by:
­researching, attracting and catalyzing new economic activities
­coordinating the needs and resources of the Guilds
­developing and consensing on proposals upon which the Guilds act
-working with the Secretariat to allocate funds within the project
­providing overall bookkeeping services for the Guilds

The Economic and Social Commissions consist of the members of their respective Guilds as noted above.

The Commissions have come into being with the coordination of the first Guild meeting. Initially, all Guilds act out the Commission role, meeting as a plenary at the beginning of the Guild meeting, breaking into smaller Guild groups and then reconvening to report back to the whole group and to coordinate plans. Later in the project, a more formal and separate structure needs to be brought into being and be incorporated if necessary to comply with local regulations.


ICA             July, 1977

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION DYNAMICS Task Force O
Global Research Assembly Chicago
 THE
 COMMUNITY
 ASSEMBLY













 Objectifying the Operating Vision





FUNCTION




OPERATING DO'S





COMPOSITION

INITIATION



The Community Assembly is the periodic gathering of the whole community in one location at the same time, to hear and celebrate reports of progress of the project, to consense on and plan the priority directions for the future and to symbolize the dynamic of being one community engaged in human development.

The Community Assembly achieves these aims by:
­establishing priorities and guidelines
­collecting concerns and issues of the whole community.
­holding accountability for achieving goals
­celebrating past achievements

All residents of the community are members, and are encouraged to participate in the Assemblies.

The beginning Consult is an Assembly itself, including the pre­ and post­consult meetings necessary to get the "yes" of the community. The auxiliary working with community leadership catalyzes these events. The Assembly thee meets quarterly. Emphasis of the first four Assemblies would be: 

 I. CLARIFYING TRE TACTICAL THRUST
II. CELEBRATING THE SIGNAL EVENTS
III. COMMISSIONING THE VILLAGE TACTICIANS
IV. CONSTRUCTING THE NEW TACTICS


ICA             July, 1977

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION DYNAMICS Task Force
Global Research Assembly Chicago
 THE
 COMMUNITY
 ASSEMBLY













 Objectifying the Operating Vision