Conference Call - 7/8/09

Present:

Will
Eric
Mimi
Angel, Annie (in office)
Molly

Agenda items

- Check ins
- Mimi's Job Description
- Summer blog post
- 20/20 check-in

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Agenda Item: Check-Ins

Angel: doing well - nothing from workgroup pressing for this meeting, but moving along with timeline for summer goals

Annie: excited about conference in November, personally doing better, life is picking up, getting going with new job as counselor for pregnant teenage girls

Mimi: a little freaked out about moving, doing final project - raising $500 for catalyst project 

Molly: gonna donate to Mimi awesome, in a good mood, would like to touch base about 20/20 and recent tensions, mad pride

Eric - doing well, traveling, visting partner, just had birthday - web stuff, feeling a little disoriented stepping into coordinator role, what are next steps? (Molly: perhaps check in with Mimi -- re:database, fundraising, etc)

Will - interviewed Brad Lewis for madness radio, really exciting discussion that got into high-level discussions about strategy and communication, going to be up on madness radio - getting ready for Peru trip - found a few people interested in helping out with summer blog post, like to get it out within a few weeks (Molly: other thoughts about blog posts - introduce Eric, maybe also including Madigan and Will updates, and highlight Mimi (Sascha and Ashley highlighted last time), also maybe mention Michael leaving)

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Agenda Item: Summer Blog Post

Molly: general questions about what gets posted on front page blogs, what is the process of getting stuff on the front page re: local groups, etc.

Will: thinks of front-page as "Icarus speaking to broader world", forums as "Icaristas talking to each other" 

Molly: working on getting together a list of primary contacts for each local group; also excited to check in around each blog post (each quarter) check into where local groups are at - which ones emerging, which ones shifting, etc

Mimi: Would also like to see local groups highlighted on front page

Will: this goes back to idea of website editor/content producer

Molly: Noticeable pattern in local groups -- often the more active/solid a local group, the less active they are on the website, so information doesn't always flow back to the broader collective -- difference between local groups that are starting with organic groups and longer standing groups where it would be difficult to shift -- Also include human rights tour

 Action items for summer blog post:
-include some collective bios
-include human rights tour and NASCO conference
-possibly highlight Mimi's job opening
-perhaps pop culture round up of how mental health in the spotlight --> connect to internal discussions about messaging (who will right up?)

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Agenda item: Mimi's Job

Going to write up a job description and email it, and then start publicizing it
Questions: What do the deadlines look like? What does a hiring committee look like?

Molly:  Wonders if Mimi has given any thought to a job share or staying on in some capacity 

Mimi: Willing to job share, someone needs to take on distro/office functions, willing to stay on as a backup for finances, fundraising, marketing, etc (things that can be done telecommuting) for a few months --> Molly: what would it look like for recruiting job share position? Concerns about job transition taking place at same time as possible 20'20 piece.

Annie: Willing to step up in a support capacity if necessary and Angel feels okay about stepping up, also some talk about drafting form emails and templates and autoresponder for immediate replies.

Mimi: would like to think more about job share vs whole position since essentially two different jobs --> will think about it and check in within a few days (Angel could announce position at monday meeting if available)

Will: reiterate: we are flexible regarding what Mimi's roles might be in terms of different projects, responsibilities, etc

Action item: 
-Mimi will send out thoughts and proposal within the next few days
-Broader coordinating collective: Think about transitions, how do we integrate people into the collective, support each other, make sure there is clarity around responsibiltiies, accountability, etc.

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 added to agenda: working group structure consultant

 -Madigan and Molly talked about bringing Karen back in an advisory capacity to look at working group structure, etc

Action item:
Collective: Think about timeline for what that would look like, consent to consultant stipend, goals for process

(concerns - do we have money? whose budget would it come out of - support network?)

broader discussion about fundraising, clarity around budget, what working groups actual spending is, fundraising for things outside of budget, what do we do if fundraising falls short of budget, etc.

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added to agenda: Angel talking about New York group --> transition to 20/20 conversation. We stepped back as a collective, but there is still some involvement Madigan doing interview, Molly involved in discussion with NY folks, Angel involved in organizing, so people are still involved - confusion around that -

Molly: NY issue is a local group issue and there is lots of support in NYC just a communication breakdown

Broader issue: Forum thread leaves impression that we aren't participating in this, but people are participating - what is difference betwen individual participation and "icarus" participation - What do we need to do to prepare for this happening because it is happening

Will: Branding issue is also an issue about autonomous groups - what does that autonomy mean, what about when it is in conflict with "larger icarus goals", what are "larger icarus goals" etc, Will on the fence about participating 

Molly: talked to Madigan is taking significant control over context, Ashley going to be with her, also talked with Jonah and got more clarity, thinks a lot of conflict is about communication and trust, not bad intentions

Action item: 
-Preparing for 20/20 aftermath on next conference call, 
-Talk to Madigan about what her involvement might look like (??)
-Molly/Will will talk with Angel

Other notes:

Will in Peru -- July 18th to August 8th --  (will get Mimi budget stuff before he goes)