ROLE OF PERMEATORS

July, 1977

Five ways in which the role of the permeator creates power for the Order:
1.      Self-support for each house creates a high degree of independence for the Order. Our mobility is enhanced as we have no long­term obligations as an institution, and we are never finally dependent upon any major patron.
2.      Self-support creates a powerful demonstration of decision by local man (us), to engage the world out of his own resources. Everyone knows we earn our own keep ­ and in the mind of the public this separates us absolutely from other social or church sponsored agencies.
3.      Self-support through permeation maintains our identity as local man, a critical identity if we are going to successfully recruit additional interns (interns historically come from college aged groups and working class families ­ mayors are "real people" but they are not candidates for internships in the Order)
4.      Self-support provides the fundamental basis for separation between Order (support) funds and Institute (program) funds, thus protecting the mission from being encroached upon by the need for physical sustenance.
5.      Permeation as self-support within the Order maintains open the option of recovery of vocation for everyman.
Five incidental advantages of the permeation system for self­support:
1.      Permeation assignments often serve to develop skills needed in the missional thrust of the Movement.
2.      Permeators create a constant bridge between the Order and the Guardians.
3.      In particular cases,` such as procurement of visas or housing, employment has provided legitimacy for our entry into a situation.
4.      A permeator always understands that he is in the Order by choice, not because he couldn't earn his living elsewhere.
5.      The story that we are able to cover our living expenses and use developed funds only for program has been and continues to be a powerful tool in developing program funding.
Two areas of current opportunity and danger in the area of Self­Support
1.      It is increasingly the practice to use Institute Methods and even formats while providing consults or teaching services on contract to institutions or individuals. These monies are treated as support monies in Order accounts. When you get 40,900 dollars for doing Town Meeting in Houston Schools, is that Self Support or Program money? Houston funds or global funds? When a HDP is isolated and sees no way to get permeators to jobs, how do you talk about the developed monies which go into stipends for that project?
2.      Mobile Teams such as Health Acceleration Team have access to considerable development opportunities and clearly ought to be self-supporting. Given that they can develop both program and support funds, how do you allow their developed income to jump the fence into Order books? How else could you finance their support costs?