Regular meeting

Sylvia proposes that our Startup Team communicates via Loomio during the month but also holds a regular monthly meeting and also a CSA get together on the first Saturday of each month at the GoEco community room in Frankton.

THE STARTUP TEAMS monthly meeting could be held from 3 - 5.30pm

THIS could be followed by a shared pot luck meal 6.00-7.00pm by any from the meeting who can stay on, and those from the wider CSA group who can attend plus new people interested in being involved.

FROM 7 - 9.00pm we could run an informative DVD, invite a Speaker, or just use that time to get to know one another better, communicate , discuss ideas, update the wider CSA group on progress, gather feedback etc.

I like that format. I suggest we agree on an agenda before each meeting, so that we don't drift too much during the meetings.

Suggested approach. Do the last couple of years now I've been working with design-based approaches for change. One of these is Human Centered Design, which I think could be really appropriate for our project. Have a look at this video: [(Design Kit)http://www.designkit.org/human-centered-design]. I have quite a bit of material from a course I took (if you are a reader) and I may be able to get some help (free) from professional practitioners.

Hi Alvaro, I have experience using design thinking and have facilitated this process a couple of times. I could definitely help support this approach :)

Sylvia and I had a discussion today about the timing of the regular meeting. We felt a slight shift in time would consolidate the time we're together better and leave us Saturday for doing chores, outings, or gardening. (I work all week long in an office so I personally quite need a day of not sitting inside).

The suggestion is to meet from 4:30-6:30 as a Start-Up Team, to have a potluck meal from 6:30-7pm which is open to the public, then to have a capacity or team building activity from 7-9 which could be a film, game, workshop, speaker, demo, etc.--also open to the public.

Hi to our 'increasing in numbers' CSA Startup Team! Frank suggested we keep the numbers of the core organising team around 6-7 for ease of discussion/decision making etc. However, I think we can gladly welcome more on board. Im thrilled to see such a great response from such a skilled up bunch! (I tend to use harvesting terms).

Im all for abundance, and with the help of those skilled in Team/crowd facillitation, im sure it will be the more the merrier!

As an added point to the rearranged times for the First Saturday meetings and following CSA potluck and evening gathering , rather than use the words Open to the Public, i think its better to say its open to all in the CSA support group and anyone interested in being involved or finding out more about CSA's.

Sylvia :)

I see you ur point Syl, we will need lots of people on-board to really make a difference. But, I agree with Frank, we need a core team to make decision making feasible. Now, that doesn't mean that we leave the other out, as that would defeat the whole purpose. The way I see it, the purpose of the core team is to faithfully channel the energy, ideas, resources and vision of the broader group. For example, we could organize well facilitated workshops to capture the opinions of the larger group. We are lucky have @danyel in the core team, with experience in that type of things, and @samantharose1, who can organize online discussion forums, Sylvia who knows everyone, and so on. Are we more or less on the same page?

Hi Alvaro & Everyone,

Im not sure how many of us there will be at our first 'inititial official' meeting on the 2nd Sept however it seems there will be a few more core team than we had by the end of the CSA weekend in August.

Its been very encouraging to have this extra support offered and be joined by more people keen to see Waikato's CSA flourish. Im sure we can figure out a way of involving everyone that wants to contribute towards its success.

And Yes I agree Alvaro that managable core group numbers are important. I like your ideas about organising workshops to gather the viewpoints and feedback of the larger CSA group.

I had a look at the Human Centred Design site and yes looks like a good way to go about things bearing in mind that this is a venture by humans for humans, whilst being mindful of the Big Picture - earthcare, people care, fair share and from a chickens viewpoint, chicken centred design's important.

Sylvia :)

I like that @sylvia29, and I'd say is more than "being mindful" of all the other creatures in nature. My vision is to design systems that enhance nature. Human centered doesn't mean leaving all these other things out, what it means is that it is not 'money centered' or 'product centered', or self centered. It also means, all the humans (at least in principle), rather than benefiting some at the expense of others, you see?

This short video will give you a more concrete example of HCD in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejo48e7h4x8

Ok thanks Alvaro what youre saying sounds good. And as Frank conveyed , the CSA model fosters ethical regenerative local food production and grows communities as well as food! Sylvia