The NEIGHBORHOODS NETWORK

1. The NEIGHBORHOODS NETWORK WORK GROUPS 1

2. tNN WORK GROUPS OVERVIEW Work Groups do the detailed work needed and specified by the neighborhood. They are responsible only to the neighborhood. Are given a “charter,” the task to be performed. Composed of volunteers. WG members choose a lead and co-lead. Use “6 Hats” technique. Report progress to the GM. Results are archived (in the NU and in the NIN). 2

3. tNN WORK GROUPS DO THE DETAILED WORK They do the detailed detective, planning, and implementation work specified by the neighborhood General Meetings are good for discovering neighbor-hood concerns and priorities – not for doing detailed work! Work Groups are needed to carry out the investigative missions and the action mandates of the neighborhood. WGs are kept under control of the neighborhoods. But neighborhoods can collaborate using shared work groups to accomplish difficult tasks. 3

4. tNN WORK GROUPS LIKELY TASKS Polling the neighborhood for issues and consensus. Creating and Maintaining the NIN. Investigating the purpose, budgets and performance of departments of government. Identifying local issues and investigating them in detail. Characterizing the offices of government. Generating mandates for legislatures and executives. Identifying potential candidates for office and getting them elected. 4

5. tNN WORK GROUPS RESPONSIBLE to the NU Responsible only to the neighborhood (or collaborating cluster of them). No authority over the neighborhood is to be given to task forces. Task forces have scope and duration determined by the neighborhood or collaborating cluster of neighborhoods. Neighborhoods monitor their task forces. Work Groups are terminated by the general meeting whenever the neighborhoods so decide. 5

6. tNN TASK FORCES CHARTERS Produced by the general meeting prior to creating the task force. ‘Temporary” WG may formulate a charter for a task force. The general meeting must approve. Specifies why the work group is being created. States what is expected – both generally and via a list of anticipated results. Gives an expected time-frame for the results. Indicates the resources to be used. 6

7. tNN WORK GROUPS VOLUNTEERS Work Groups are composed of volunteers Interest in the topic is the principle requirement. Experts teach novices Most neighborhood members will occasionally volunteer for one or more WGs Participants gain detective and organizing ability Additional plus - participants learn the ‘real facts’ and connect with ‘reality.’ We become free of propaganda 7

8. tNN WORK GROUPS CHOOSE LEAD & CO-LEAD WG members choose a lead and co-lead. Team members can rotate these as they please. These leads co-ordinate the work of the team. They conduct and moderate the periodic meeting of the work group. They present the group’s reports to the general assembly. 8

9. tNN WORK GROUPS USE “6 HATS” Use “Six Thinking Hats” technique. This is described in Ed De Bono’s book. (Also we have a slide presentation adopting Ed’s ideas for our use.) Uses colored hats (white, red, black, yellow, green, blue) to symbolize modes of thinking/discussion useful in producing results. A team shifts hats to work more effectively. 9

10. tNN WORK GROUPS REPORT PROGRESS Progress, problems, and results posted to the NIN. Lead or co-lead normally reports to the general meeting. Reports must be ‘real facts,’ not fluff. Teams must expect their results to be compared to that of other, similar, teams chartered by other neighborhoods. 10

11. tNN WORK GROUPS GET APPROVAL Results submitted to the general meeting. Assembly can request modifications, further investigation, etc. When the assembly is satisfied, the work group’s product is approved and archived. 11

12. tNN WORK GROUPS ARCHIVING Results are archived into the NIN. Results may lead to further activity – which will be chartered and handed to (possibly) other task forces. Archived investigative results are publicly available. Other NUs use these to check against similarly chartered work groups for accuracy and completeness – and to avoid unwanted duplication. Techniques for investigation, and experience gained, become available to improve future efforts. 12

13. tNN TASK FORCES IMPORTANT FURTHER RESULTS Since the effort is sponsored and monitored by the neighborhood it is more likely to be trusted. Work may be cross-checked through similar work in other neighborhoods. Supporting evidence is included. Lack of special interest bias. Work Groups can be chartered to examine the work of collections of Work Groups. 13

14. tNN WORK GROUPS END of PRESENTATION 14