Reflections on group structure
I'd like to first start off with my introduction. My name is Todd and I'm new to the portland peak oil group. After attending the meeting on March 8th I started to try and envision how a group could meet our goals. In this thread I'm trying to focus on what that might look like from a logistical stand point. I feel that the mechanics of this change should be strengthened as a beginning goal.
First Assumptions ( about basic structural needs ):
- A group that plans to influence and instigate this amount of change must organized financially. We should expect and plan for having donations and external support. We will need a financial management system. Perhaps there will be a symmetry between the power structure and the financial structure.
- Intuitively we know that no one solution will change the whole condition of our communities. Any hope of progress must be supported on many levels and areas of participation. Gardens are great but they work better with education, and use.
- Our goal should not just be to exclusively provide solutions to portland. Rather portland peak oil will be much more successful in producing change by providing connection and communication from other local groups. We need to enrich and to diversify alternative growth by connecting these groups to each other. Portland Peak Oil can become the soil that provides growth for all solutions that will help.
- There are several groups out there that are benefiting local communities. However some are under utilized because of social isolation, resource isolation, etc. Their solution is working but may need a lager foot print. If the PPO is trying to provide change, we can do so by helping push a moving system.
Example of one such team task:
Start a small team to examine community garden growth. Create a purpose for the immediate conditions. One example is to link community gardens with outreach programs already established (food programs for needy, etc ). If we are worried about food then we should link those programs that already provide food to those in need. We gain the distribution power of those groups while validating our own growth. We can realistically acquire city support for these projects through integration with pre-established work programs.
I propose that we spend time dividing up our goals into management groups that can be independently assigned tasks. Development group members will focus on their group task, but be free to support other tasks as well. We need a strong management system to maximize our efforts and influence.
Through a strong structure a variety of adaptive behaviors can be produced. We need this group to provide flexible and evolving methods of change as we move into a power down mode. A mix of leaders and volunteers needs to be structured.
The question becomes what does this look like? What are the small group behaviors? How do we maximize new development through available resources and maintain a push towards a realistic flexible goal?
Good ideas...
Good ideas...
Having been heavily involved with the group since last April, here's my main question after reading this: Where is this leadership and volunteer effort going to come from? In other words, how would this time and energy be inspired and generated within the group?
There have been many, many briliant ideas for a while within PPO. I'm wondering where the initiative is going to come from to implement all these ideas. Know what I mean?
Regarding finances, keep in mind PPO is not a 501(c)(3) and thus cannot fundraise and attract the kind of grants other groups can.
Atracting the masses...
The point that it is difficult to attract the masses is valid. It is not however an argument against a structured directed approach to dealing with change within our community. I would say that this is a development obstacle that must be incorporated into the organization. If we are going to be strapped for individual support then that is part of the environment that we develop in.
We need a team that can focus on attracting the masses. While they are developing new ways to reach people we need other groups to develop the methods that will take us to our goals. We need multiple approaches to dealing with peak oil.
With volunteer's being hard to acquire our progress will start slow. However I believe that as our presents grows and becomes visible it will become easier to attract different people. In the mean time wither we sit and talk or wither we try and make progress we will short handed. That's why we're concerned about peak oil isn't it? Because there isn't enough people creating change. This isn't a reason to abandon a good investment of time.
Education of the masses. Alternative methods of life and culture. The educational effort can be assumed.
Now my original question is one of organization. No matter what the population of the group is, we will do better with some method of delegating responsibilities. Too few people are doing way to much for this group and that will burn people out. If we are in it for the long haul then we need to learn to support ourselves in our efforts before we learn how to support our community.
PS: perhaps trying to qualify for 501(c)(3) status would be a good idea too.
todd
Atracting the masses...
I agree with 95% of what you're saying, however, where my frustration lies is that it's hard to delegate responsibilities when few people are stepping up to take responsibility. Your thoughts along these lines are appreciated, though, and please come to our next Business meeting (April 3rd @ 7pm - 1236 SE Pine).
It's the peak oil conundrum - now while things are relatively stable, most people don't feel enough urgency to take responsibility for projects PPO could develop. Yet now, while things are calm and resources are more plentiful than they will be in the future, is a good time to be carrying out projects.
Many of us have discussed becoming a non-profit and for now, the disdvantages outweigh the benefits. That's another thread, though.
waiting for the first hit
I agree that too few people are doing the bulk of the work, but I'm basically of the opinion (sad as it is) that large numbers of people are not going to be activated to do something until gas prices spike or there is some pain involved.
The tactic I have been following is just try to be ready for when the first hit (price spikes, shortages, ....). Getting in with the neighborhood associations seems like a low energy/effort way to branch out. The task force that we are working to create is a good start. Overall it would be crazy for PPO to try to take on any more without a _LOT_ more people ready to take on organizing their communities, their extended families.
Jeremy O'Leary, Working to suport my biology habit.
first hit
I was thinking about this too. Your right about the need. The need isn't there for most because you have to have foresight to see it. However what about tending to needs currently? Here was a random midnight thought that I had:
There are a good number of people who want to do some kind of gardening system in the community. Is there a need for this food. Well quite frankly no. This food would rot before it really gets used. So how about we create a need for this. Could we tie community garden projects in with feeding those who need support?
When the first hit comes around a large number of people will be depending on the current services to survive the wave. We could start by feeding those services now. So perhaps there are ways to get help from the city or population for this.
There are systems that aren't used by the majority that will become crucial in the future. Attach those systems to a common goal and help them grow. We can use the dramatic impact as a momentum kicker to our goals if we have them ready when the time comes.
Like sails on a boat. It's best to have them up before the wind hits.
growing-gardens.org, Oregon Food Bank, ...
For most gardening stuff I have been referring people to growing-gardens.org, Oregon Food Bank, Portland Permaculture Institute, .... My view has been to re-enforce existing structures and groups where ever possible. It seems like the above orgs are a lot better positioned (staff, funding, history, ...) the PPO. There is plenty of work that could be done with gardening, there just hasn't been enough of a critical mass to move. Hopefully a future task force will provide a push on this any many, many other topics.
examples?
Do you have a group in mind that has already implmented this structure?