Working Groups

Working Groups

Working groups are made up of members from all different collectives as well as individuals who are not affiliated with any collectives but want to join the collective effort of the Omni. These groups function as a way to collectivize the labor required to operate the space. Working groups are a great way to get involved, share skills, ideas, opinions and learn from each other how collective action takes place. If you'd like to be a part of one of the working groups, please join one of the mailing lists below to receive information on meetings and actions to be done.

See the Calendar for information on upcoming working group meetings, and to find past meeting notes!

Welcoming Committee

The Welcoming Committee organizes around creating a welcoming and inclusive experience for newcomers and visitors to the project. See the calendar to find out when we're meeting next!

Communications Working Group

We work on public-facing communications (messaging, outreach, press and public relations) as well as internal communications (inter-group collaboration tools, wiki, mailing list and other tools for communication and collaboration).

• See: Internal Communications for an intro to our communications resources.
• Bottom-liners: Jenny, Elaine

Mailing List

https://lists.riseup.net/www/info/omnicomms

Meeting Notes

We keep our notes on a Riseup Pad named OmniComms.

• Event:2014/05/05 Communications Committee Meeting
• Event:2014/05/12 Communications Committee Meeting
• Event:2014/05/19 Communications Committee Meeting
• Event:2014/05/26 Communications Committee Meeting
• Event:2014/06/02 Communications Working Group Meeting

Challenging Dominant Culture Working Group

Exploring bias and issues of difference and inclusion in the space. Challenging dominant cultural influences and developing projects and relationships more in line with the values of the Omni, as stated in the founding document and statement of solidarity.

• Bottom-liner: Sarah P. and Niki S.

Mailing List

https://lists.riseup.net/www/info/omni-cdc

Meeting Notes

• Event:2014/04/28_Inclusion_Task_Force_Meeting
• Event:2014/05/12_Challenging_Dominant_Culture_Meeting
• Event:2014/05/15_Challenging_Dominant_Culture_Meeting
• Event:2014/05/19_Challenging_Dominant_Culture_Meeting
• Event:2014/05/26_Challenging_Dominant_Culture_Meeting
• Event:2014/06/25_Challenging_Dominant_Culture_Meeting

"How We Organize" working group

"How We Organize" is a working group that proposes new shapes for the commons to organize its activities. It's a time and place for us to discuss the methods we use to shape ourselves, both as individuals and as collectives within a commons. We meet every Tuesday, 7:00 - 8:30pm in the Commons.

• Bottom-liners: Stephen (novotny[dot]stephen[at]gmail[dot]com)

Mailing List

https://lists.riseup.net/www/info/omnicollectivity

Meeting Notes

https://pad.riseup.net/p/facilitatingcollectivity

• Event:2014/06/19 Legal Governance Meeting
• Event:2014/06/02 Legal Governance Meeting
• Event:2014/06/01 Legal / Governance Hackathon

Finances Working Group

Ensuring the continued financial health of the Omni Oakland Commons.

• Bottom-liner: Hol

Quarterly Financial Health Questionaire

• [Financial Health Questionaire]

Mailing List

https://lists.riseup.net/www/info/omnifinance

• This is a private list. If you would like to join, please send a request to omnifinance@lists.riseup.net or attend a Finance working group meeting

Meeting Notes

• Fundraising Conversation 8/11
• 2014/08/19 Finance Meeting Minutes
• 2014/09/2 Finance Meeting Minutes
• 2014/10/14 Finance Meeting Minutes

Commons Working Group

Focusing on scheduling and coordinating use of the commons. The Commons Working Group meets on Saturdays, oscillating between 10am and 1pm. Check the Calendar!

• Bottom-liners:

Meeting Notes

• Event:2014/09/03_Ballroom_Working_Group

Building Construction and Maintenance Working Group

Focusing on physical construction, maintenance and alteration projects. Including organizing work parties, sharing skills

• Bottom-liners: Korl is willing to co-bottomline; LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO HELP, especially someone with construction skills and/or who can commit to organizing regularly scheduled working times.

Mailing List

https://groups.google.com/group/omni-building

Working Group Protocols

(NOTE: For help creating correct wiki pages and adding events to the calendar, contact Vicky (vknoxsironi at gmail dot com], Jenny [jenny at sudomesh dot org] or Matt [mattsenate at gmail dot com])

In order to make progress on many different aspects of this project, please use the following protocols. The intention is to support horizontal, consent-based, transparent, good-faith collaboration.

Start a Working Group

• The Omni encourages the establishment of new working groups as necessary to collectivize the labor of the project.
• A list of current working groups is maintained on the wiki here: http://wiki.omni-oakland.org/w/Working_Groups.
• If you see a need for a new working group, propose its purpose and scope at a delegate’s meeting.
• Once approved by the delegates, work with fellow group members to compose a vision statement and scope for the working group. Create a working group page on the wiki and post your vision there.

Bottomlining Established Working Groups

• Work with fellow group members to determine convenient meeting dates and times.
• Help to administer working group email list.
• Announce your meeting times via email to the omni-logistics list and by adding them to the Omni calendar (http://wiki.omni-oakland.org/w/Calendar).
• Publish meeting notes on the Omni calendar, and send a direct link to the notes to the omni-logistics list after every meeting.
• Help to facilitate a positive and fun working group culture by:
  • Designating a facilitator and scribe to take notes at the beginning of the meeting
  • Concluding each meeting with "action items"
• Be present for meetings as much as possible. If not able to attend a meeting, arrange in advance who will distribute notes.
• Forward any major announcements or questions for discussion from your working group to the omni-logistics list and/or to the delegates’ meeting as necessary.
• Ensure proposals that need the approval of the delegates are added to the riseup pad (https://pad.riseup.net/p/omninom). Include the date the proposal was added to the pad.
• The most basic rules for bottomlining a working group are autonomy and good judgment (i.e. common sense)!

Join a Working Group

• Check the Calendar and attend the next meeting of the working group.
• Directly contact the individual(s) bottom-lining the group.
• Show up to a meeting, or use the communication channel specified for that group to stay in touch.

Make Progress in a Working Group

• Set goals that aspire to deliver on the working group's "mission" or purpose.
• If necessary, outline tasks in order to reach each goal.
• Make progress on and seek to accomplish any tasks that contribute to the working group's goals.
• When a working group's goals require feedback, formal approval, or simply consent from the Omni delegates, create a proposal:
  • Present this proposal to the Omni delegates meeting to ensure each member-group can build consent in their respective community as necessary.
• When a working group has several divergent options or ideas and cannot come to resolution on them alone, then create proposals that represent these options and present these in some way to the whole collective:
  • Present proposals at an Omni delegates meeting for feedback
  • Ask for feedback on the omnilogistics@lists.riseup.net email list
  • Ask for feedback from other working groups, member-groups, or individuals that are not involved with your working group.
  • Rinse, repeat until you have garnered improvements to your proposal from the invaluable experiences and contributions of everyone involved with the Omni Commons, ultimately building consensus among the entire community.