Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom

Cape Cod Branch

Structure and Process

2003-2004

STRUCTURE:

Our WILPF branch is Capewide. The core of our branch life and work is a monthly potluck and planning meeting. Taking time to eat and socialize before the meeting has been an important factor in building a supportive and effective community. Another key element of our branch life is our annual planning cycle. In June we evaluate the work of the previous year; in July we hold a Midsummer celebration at which we envision the coming year; and in late August or early September we have a planning retreat. This cycle gives us the flexibility and mechanism adjust to changing needs and circumstances. Rather than having standing committees or officers, we have a list of functions:

· Branch Convenor(s): Liaison with national WILPF; disseminates information through branch network; coordinates branch calendar and accountability to annual goals.

· Treasurer: Receives new member dues, sends to national & gives names to membership; receives contributions & pays bills; provides monthly financial report; provides end-of-year financial statement.

· Membership Coordinator(s): Coordinates branch membership work; prepares orientation packet for new contacts/member; maintains membership list & requests labels for newsletter; receives printout from national & oversees renewal work.

· Resources Coordinator: Maintains inventory of literature & other resources; orders material from national as needed; coordinates tabling at WILPF & other events.

· Publicity Coordinators: Maintain press list & oversees branch press/publicity work; write & send press releases & coordinate production of flyers as needed; encourage letters-to-editors & opportunities for human interest stories & political statements from International, National & branch.

· Newsletter editors: Function rotates monthly, with two or more people per issue; take notes at branch meeting before newsletter, produce newsletter, & coordinate with membership coordinator(s) on timing of mailing.

· Meeting facilitator: Rotates monthly; takes down decisions the meeting before; receives agenda items & creates agenda; facilitates discussion & decisions at meetings.

· Campaign & Project Coordinators & Working Groups as needed.

Committees or working groups are primarily ad hoc, created to oversee a given project. This enables the branch to involve more of its members for a time-limited commitment based on people's skills, energy, time, and enthusiasm for a particular task, issue or program. Also, someone filling a function may call a meeting of those interested in developing a campaign, such as membership growth and renewal.

The newsletter comes out monthly, with the usual exception of December/January and July/August. It is customarily produced by two or three different editors each month -- both to share the work and to bring different voices to the newsletter. The membership coordinator collects names of new members and contacts, who receive three complementary copies. The branch does not collect dues, but after the first year of WILPF membership, there is a newsletter cost on a sliding scale of $2 to $50.

PROCESS:

All decisions are consensual, from working groups to the monthly potluck & planning -- understanding consensus to be unity, not unanimity. Meeting facilitation rotates, with the upcoming facilitator's name and contact information in the newsletter, as people are asked to send agenda items in advance so that the facilitator can design a coherent agenda. The meetings includes political discussion, and the only additions at the meeting itself are emergency situations. Standing agenda items include the convenors', treasurers' and working groups reports, and announcements. There is a notebook that goes to the facilitator of the next meeting, containing information on agenda design; facilitation techniques, including consensual discussion and decision-making; and a book in which the decisions at each meeting are written and reviewed at the next one.

Each meeting begins with a brief check-in, with name, town and whatever each persons wants to say in order to bring herself to the circle. The facilitator reviews the agenda, with suggested times, and asks for people to fill the following roles during the meeting: timekeeper, decision-taker, vibes watcher (someone who pays particular attention to the process and makes observations/suggestions as needed). If no one has signed up for the next facilitation or newsletter, people are asked to volunteer at this time. Meetings end with a check-out: this is not a continuation of discussion or ideas, but a time for each participant to say how the meeting was for her. We don't respond to or discuss people's check-out, but if strong feelings come up we may go around again and/or provide for some kind of follow-up.

We have provision for resolving conflicts, urging each member to take responsibility for not allowing unspoken feelings to damage relationships or the community itself. The branch provides periodic trainings in conflict resolution; meeting facilitation; consensus decision-making; undoing racism, classism, sexism, heterosexism/homophobia. If the need arises for a timely decision between monthly meetings, the convenor and treasurer are empowered to make it, in consultation with other branch members who are relevant to the issue. As with the newsletter, all WILPF events for which there is a charge have a wide sliding fee scale, recognizing that individual financial resources and decisions are political. In this regard, we have a commitment to fundraise for national and international WILPF congresses, in order to make them accessible to everyone. All events are wheelchair accessible and we strive to honor our commitment to providing childcare when needed.