Focus Group Policies
How do we . . . . . . .
Beauitify Our Environment Communicate
Coordinate What We Love to Do Enjoy Ourselves
Enrich Ourselves Expand Our Community
Bring Forth Inner Wisdom Inneract With The Environment
Nourish Ourselves A Share Our Abundance
Vitalize Ourselves Reach Consensus
How Do We Beautify Our Environment?
General Purpose:
The Beautify Our Environment Focus Group is generally concerned with the following:
- Plan buildings:
- Have houses and structures make the least visible impact.
- Make houses an extension of the environment.
- Use building materials natural to the area.
- Build on the basis of need.
- Honor the environment and climate.
- Encourage the wildlife natural to the area.
- Encourage vegetation natural to the area.
- Keep landscaping in harmony and balance with nature.
- Plan recreation areas within the landscaping.
- Allow no vehicles within the community unless needed.
- Utilize no above-ground wires.
- Keep outside lighting to a minimum.
How Do We Communicate? Back to top
General Purpose:
The Communicate Focus Group is generally concerned with the following:
Provide workshops to continue to improve our communication skills through emphasizing personal growth.
- Personalities
- Financial Management – How to be a Board Member
- Personal Expression
- Public Speaking
- Ethics
- Etc.
Ensuring community information is available to all residents and is understandable by them.
Maintain Communication Technology:
- Computer systems in each home to share information and reach consensus.
- Phone / radio systems so we can talk.
- Closed circuit TV so we can share our meetings with all.
- Library of taped meetings.
Encourage atmosphere of consensus.
How Do We Coordinate What We Love To Do? Back to top
General Purpose:
The Coordinate Focus Group is generally concerned with the following:
Filling the work needs of the community by:
Surveying each Resident’s Talents:
- Training
- Work Experience
- Personal Goals
- Physical Abilities
- Desired Working Conditions
- Personality
Surveying the Village Needs:
- Job Sharing
- Seasonal Considerations
- Job Requirements
- Job Rotation
- Job Scheduling
- Training
- Outsourcing if needed
- Sets Minimum work hours per person
Matching Residents with Jobs
- Filling Positions
- Coordinating Transfers
- Coordinating Training
- Following up for Job Satisfaction & Performance
- Bidding Down Unpopular Jobs
- Incorporating production into social events
Record Keeping
Individual HUB Groups
Each individual HUB group will define their area of responsibility i.e.: Electrical focuses on things that shock you; Plumbing focuses on things that get you wet; Pets focuses on things that wet you, etc.
How Do We Enjoy Ourselves?
General Purpose:
The Enjoy Ourselves Focus Group is generally concerned with the following:
- Organize sports, playtime, plays, music events, etc.
- Ensure time and resources are available for play.
- Ensure natural opportunities for enjoyment are built into the village.
- Ensure recreational facilities are available.
How Do We Enrich Ourselves? Back to top
General Purpose:
The Enrich Focus Group is generally concerned with the following:
Balance Cash Flow with the outside world, while keeping work to a minimum, by:
A. Generating Revenue from Outside:
- Encouraging Income Producing businesses.
- Contracting with residents who wish to keep outside jobs.
- Rent and Resident Financing management.
- Securing grants and donations
- Managing Entitlements
- Resident Investment.
B. Minimizing Outside Expenses:
- Community Self-Production (farm, utilities, services, etc.)
- Eliminating unneeded jobs and purchases.
- Management of multi-use buildings and Asset Sharing
- Recycle, reduce waste and simplify
- Asset protection:
- Business Management
- Risk Management
- Legal
- Accounting
- Volume Purchasing
- Tax Management
- Keep outside financing to a minimum
How Do We Expand our Community? Back to top
General Purpose:
The Expand Focus Group is generally concerned with the following:
New Residents:
- Creating the application process for new residents.
- Screening residency applicants.
- Creating classes for prospective residents so that the residents can experience village life and the residents can experience the applicants.
- Coordinating mentors to help new residents achieve their initial goals in the village.
Current Residents:
- Maintaining the needed demographics to insure village longevity.
Marketing:
- Communicating with prospective residents about our village.
- Communicating with others about creating new villages.
- Publishing the website for the outside world to see.
- Coordinating seminars and classes on villages.
5. Receiving visitors.
How Do We Bring Forth Inner Wisdom? Back to top
General Purpose:
The Inner Wisdom Focus Group is generally concerned with the following:
Consider several education options.
Community members can explore vocational choices by participation in various aspects of community life.
Recognize that inner wisdom is brought forward through inner attunement which we will focus on.
Recognize that every situation or circumstance throughout our lives is an opportunity to learn and grow.
Facilitate bringing forth inner wisdom, both individually and collectively.
Areas of responsibility are schools, education, library, seminars.
How Do We Interact with the Environment? Back to top
General Purpose:
The Interact with the Environment Focus Group is generally concerned with the following:
- Limit the number of people in the community to that which the area can naturally and sustainably support
- Maintain as much natural surface area as possible and respect the flow of nature.
- Keep pollutants from going into the environment..
- Self-produce as much natural energy as possible by using the most efficient, non-pollutant energy systems available.
How Do We Nourish Ourselves? Back to top
General Purpose:
The Nourish Ourselves Focus Group is generally concerned with the following:
- Grow as much of our food as possible.
- Use the best and most healthful means available in organically producing our food.
- Coordinate the purchasing of food with food production and will offer communal eating.
- Encourage good nutrition through classes and individual consultation.
How Do Share Our Abundance? Back to top
General Purpose:
The Share Focus Group is generally concerned with the following:
A. Establishing Fees:
- Establish Resident Entrance Fees
- Establish One-time Cost per Resident
- Establish Buy-Back formulas for Terminating Residents.
- Contract with Residents who choose to keep their outside jobs
and tithe.
- Establish other fees as necessary
B. Determine Residency Buy-In / Financing
C. Allocate Excess Earnings
- Administer Requisitions for emergencies, training, education, etc.
- Cash-Out Leaving Residents
- Calculate Buy-Back Formula
- Administer Charity for Relocation
How Do We Vitalize Ourselves? Back to top
General Purpose:
The Vitalize Ourselves Focus Group is generally concerned with the following:
- Maintain the Health Center which coordinates the health services of the community.
- Community members have group insurance for medical costs at outside facilities.
- The Health Center treats the whole person by combining modern Western medical technology with non-traditional practices in a spiritual perspective.
- The Health Center focuses on a preventative approach to health.
4. Health services are also available to paying non-residents
- Insure that we will consume the purest, freshest and highest quality food and water that is possible.
- Recognize the importance of exercise and fun in vitalizing ourselves.
- Utilize the environment for self-nurturing.
- Recognize the importance of balancing ourselves mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
How Do We Reach Consensus? Back to top
GENERAL PURPOSE:
The “Reach Consensus” Focus Group is concerned with the following
“THE HIGHEST GOOD OF ALL”
- Determine how many persons in each hub
- Rotation of persons to and within the “Management Hubs”
- How to come to a Consensus without compromise
- Flow of the decision making process between the hubs
- Area of responsibility within each hub
3. Communication
- Monitor computer system to ensure all communiqués reach all hubs
4. Monitor Hubs
- Ensure consensus process is utilized
- Aid in resolutions (help find a Win/Win Solution)
- Watch for controlling individuals
- Other Decision Making Styles
- Implement Emergency Decision making when time is of the essence.
- Determine if another decision making style is required ie (Concevia, Majority etc)
Purpose
The idea of how we are going to govern ourselves and keep in line with the principle of “ The Highest Good for All Concerned” is the bases that we start with in reaching consensus in the community.
Scope
This policy covers the guidelines for reaching consensus in all Essence, Main, Focus, and Management Hubs within the community. It is also the responsibility of this group to help in the setup of all Hubs. The following principles and responsibilities cover this focus groups mission.
Guidelines
- By creating a positive atmosphere
- By involving everyone
- By encouraging the natural leadership of everyone
- By making participation in decision-making creative, spontaneous and fun
- By supporting and assisting individuals in reaching their personal goals
- By making decisions that support the Community affirmation
- By creating decisions where everyone wins
- By keeping the guidelines dynamic, flexible, and simple
- By listening to the truth within each other and responding with kindness, consideration, and loving honesty
- By celebration of our mutual humanity.
- By allowing creativity to grow
- By allowing the final decision to be one that serves The Highest Good of All Concerned
Training
- There has to be a commitment and consciousness with in the community to strive for The Highest Good for All.
- Training of new Village members in consensus decision making.
Monitoring
- A representative will join in on discussion for each resident hub.
- Rotation of people within focus groups.
- Determine how many people in each Hub.
Communication
- Monitor communication system.
- Helps with communication between Hubs
Definitions
Term Definition
Consensus A decision-making process that stresses the cooperative
development of a decision with people working with
each other rather than competing against each other.
Focus Hubs Decision makers derived from the Focus Groups.
Main Hub Consist of one individual from each Essence Hub.
Note: No more then 12 individuals in each Hub
Essence Hubs Group of no more 12 person/friends, making decision
on the best interest for all.
Management Forum One person from each Focus group
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Created 2007, Co-Op Village Foundation, Inc. | 1-850-623-8753
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