Working Groups

Introduction

Working groups are how we divide the job of running a co-operative housing association amongst ourselves.

Working groups vary in size and composition depending on the work that they are designed to undertake but features common to all groups are defined in our working groups blueprint.

Most working groups have co-ordinators to support working group organisation and ensure that the work is done. Working group co-ordinators are voted into the role and have a separate responsiblity of being a member of co-op's executive committee.

Following is a list of working groups. We divide this list into three sections: Vital working groups, secondary working groups and finally a list of other co-ordinator positions which don't necessariy have a working group associated with them but which are need to undertake specific areas of work.

Vital Working Groups

These are groups that are vital to the running of ASH Co-op, without which we wouldn't be able to function as an organisation

Secretarial

The secretarial group is a core group in the governance of the co-op and within it the roles of secretary and vice-secretary are required by law.

The secretarial group has the following responsibilities ...

• meetings agendas and minutes
• ensuring there is a meeting facilitator and minute taker
• record keeping and filing
• working group and Annual reports
• communications (magazines, newsletters etc)
• governance and supervision of policies
• co-ordination of the website
• GDPR

You can read the secrerarial policy here

Finance

The finance group is the other working group legally required of us and the treasurer and vice treasurer are positions we are obliged to have.

The finance group's primary focus is to look after the budget which is set before the beginning of each financial year.

All members have the right to contribute to the financial planning of the co-op, in fact it is one of the gifts of living in a co-operative to be able to enjoy this right.

We have a number of policies to do with ASH Co-op finance including rent but our financial regulations and procedures detail the procedures of the finance group.

Allocations

The allocations group manages all things relating to filling vacant rooms in the co-op to ensure income from rent. Usually this is by helping to maintain a healthy shortlist of applicants and the application process that this is part of.

Shortlist interviewing is popular among new members as interviews are generally a fresh experince for them and a job within the co-op that can be immediately undertaken without much in the way of induction.

• interviewing new applicants
• presenting the information sessions (formerly known as Open Evenings)
• being a point of contact for applicants
• being part of the buddy system welcoming new members to the co-op
• maintaining records, for example;
• lists of interviewers
• list of voids
• lists of applicants
• Group co-ordination - ensure that the above jobs are done

Maintenance

As a registered housing provider, we have duty to ensure an infratructure to manage maintenance and repairs of our housing stock.

We elect maintenance co-ordinators who support members to get their broken stuff fixed by approving spending detailed in our maintenance policy.

The maintenance group also keeps an eye on wider maintenance issues, such as cyclic maintenance and long term maintenance planning such as replacement of appliances and assets such as boilers and solar panels.

Support and Wellbeing

The Support and Welbeing group is a group of members specially trained to support members to transform conflict that may arise with other members.

To become involved with the support and welbeing group you will first need to complete some training in mediation, non-violent communication and other core skills. Training is free as this adheres to the fifth principle of co-operative organisation which promotes the personal development of members. Training is co-ordinated via the education working group and the support and welbeing group

Other tasks within support and wellbeing revolve around group admin which do not require members to undertake training.

The support and wellbeing group can also approve spending on member welfare issues such as counselling

For more information, see the policy

Other working groups

No less important in terms of ways to get involved in the co-op, we have a number of other working groups.

Meeting Facilitation

The meeting facilitation group is a subset of the secretarial group but deserves a discussion of its own. Since the core decision making body in the ASH Co-op is the General Meeting it is important that it is kept on task efficiently. which is kept in order by the facilitator. Used to be called the meeting chair.

The group organises itself and new members are trained by knowledge cascaded from experienced members.

Development

Every member of ASH Co-op has a voice in how we develop as a community. Ideas and discussion on co-op development are ideally co-ordinated and curated by development co-ordinators.

Grounds and Gardens

The grounds and gardens group comprises all members who particpate in the development and maintenance of the co-op's grounds and gardens. Additionally, our tenancy agreements stipulate: <--tenancy agreement bumpf-->

Areas of work in grounds and gardens include:

• Personal gardening projects including growing veg
• keeping the communal garden spaces tidy
• ensuring that walkways are cleared of vegetation and safe to use
• clearing
• ensuring we have tools in good condition to do the jobs
• maintenance and upkeep of tools etc

The group is co-ordinated by members elected to the committee as grounds co-ordinators. They keep an eye on co-ordinate grounds and gardens related things by okaying spending on plants, garden tools and, well, you get the idea ...

... And, of course, random acts of green fingered kindness are always welcomed.

We have a policy for the gardens too ...

Sustainability

Members contribute to the Sustainability group in a number of ways:

• organising and undertaking trips to recycling centres
• participating in discussions on different ways that we can meet the requirements of our sustainabilty policy and ensure that the policy is up to date and fit for purpose
• other one
• other two
• other three
• other four

Tech

Members can contribute to the tech infrastructure of ASH Co-op in as many ways that there is a tech solution to any given problem.

• Web presence
• maintenance of communication infrastructure
  • mail server etc
• investigating tech solutions to
• maintenance of hardware

Wildlife

The Wildlife group is for members who have a care to safegaurding the welbeing of the wildlife in our garden areas and beyond. The group came into existence following some community training on animal first aid organised by members which was very enthusiastically attended. The wildlife group co-ordinators agree spending on initiatives that promote the protection and wellbeing of our local wildlife.

Workshop

We have a fairly well equiped workshop for DIY, maintenance and creative projects.

The workshop group is not so much a working group as a group of members that use the workshop who to keep the area safe and tidy.

Workshop co-ordinators are workshop users with special respsonsiblities, such as approving spending on new equipment. Co-ordinator responsibies are detailed in the workshop policy

Other co-ordinator positions

These are co-ordinator positions for which a specific working group is not appropriate, such rent collection, of for which particpation is otherwise limited for whatever reason

Rent

The rent co-ordinators enact the rent collection and arrears policy. The actual job of handling the rent book spreadsheet, collecting the rent in effect, is the co-op's paid office staff. The office staff address all issues concerning members and their rent payment to the rent co-ordinators.

Data privacy and confidentiality requires that access to sensitive data be limited to as few people as possible. Presently their are two rent co-ordinators whose chief roles are to ensure that the rent collection policy is being adhered to. Members may also approach the rent co-ordinators if they are having problems paying their rent or have developed payment arrears.

Complaints co-ordinator

There is no complaints working group but there are members that are elected to the position of complaints co-ordinator with the job of enacting policy when the co-op receives notification of a complaint against it.

The co-op has a very robust complaints policy and the more co-ordinators there are to enact it, the better placed we are to addressing complaints quickly and effectively.

Education co-ordinator

The most clearly defined role of the education co-ordinators is to approve spending on education and training courses. Whether it is also their specific duty to research potential training for members is left deliberately vague as every member is encouraged to identify their own training needs and undertake whatever research for training providers. The education co-ordinators may support members with this.

Requests for spending on training courses are approved up with respect to the Education policy.

Employment co-ordinator

The employment co-ordinators are the point of connexion between the membership and the co-op's paid office workers. As such, the group is limited in size generally on the grounds of what might reasonably be considered effective for a small group meeting.