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MEMBERSHIP : ORGANIZATION : MEETINGS WHAT TO EXPECT AT YOUR FIRST MEETING
Simply show up. We have no official membership list or guidelines. Membership in GWSFT basically means you attend what meetings you want to and you participate in events. Some people choose to be more active then others. You determine the amount of time and effort you are willing to put into it. Our listserv is our main means of communication between members. A weekly newsletter keeps everyone up-to-date on what is going on within GWSFT and opportunities in Fair Trade and related topics both on campus and off.
We have a head-organizer (or, for those of you who prefer the traditional term – president), a second head-organizer (again, vice-president), a secretary and a treasurer. These are purely administration positions and denote no particular authority over any other member in the group.
GWSFT meets once a week – usually Wednesdays at 9pm. (Check the GWSFT Calendar for up-to-date information on time and location). We usually throw together an agenda to hand out and try to follow it during the meetings so that we can cover everything in an hour’s time. We always make sure the most important stuff gets done first. It’s OK to leave early or come late if you have other engagements. No one will eat you. I promise.
WHAT TO EXPECT AT YOUR FIRST MEETING: The chairs are set up in a circle. We start out with introducing ourselves to each other and a “whip” – or an introduction question and go around the circle. This is always a random question – like what’s your favorite comic-book character? – designed to promote conversation and get everyone talking. Depending on the size of the group this can take 5 – 10 minutes. Then we do announcements and action items. Announcements include upcoming events and opportunities, as well as any related (or just plain interesting) information anyone has to relay to the group. Action items are things for you to do. They include writing letters, calling congresspeople and signing petitions, among other things. ***ALL ACTION ITEMS ARE VOLUNTARY.*** Sufficient information is typically presented in conjunction with action items, but you are at no time obliged to sign or participate in anything you that do not want to. Planning events takes place during meetings. At any point, anyone is welcome to present ideas to the group. Our main “planning” meetings tend to be at the beginning of semesters – where we outline what we want to do. If you really want to have an impact on the direction of the group for a particular semester, come to the first meetings. Feel free to jump in at any time, however, as new ideas and able bodies are always wanted! Planning an event involves someone throwing out an idea – say – a coffeehouse. We start a discussion on it. What is the goal? Who is expected to participate/who is our audience? How big of a crowd? What are possible areas to hold it? Possible dates? Etc. etc. Once we have a clear idea of the event we want to put on, we make a list of what needs to be done to achieve it, and create committees for each task. People volunteer for duties, or upon request (i.e. “What can I do?”), are delegated a task by a head organizer. Once you sign up for a task, you are expected to do it. We all work together to make things happen and offer each other help and advice readily. Meetings end with reminders of important upcoming dates – and sometimes a few of us get together afterwards and go to the movies or to hang out – with an open invitation. |