Facilitators: Liz and IndyPresent: Trish C, Trish E, Kelly, Rats, Kevin, Izzy, Liz, Misha, Indy, Cal, Shiri, Jemika, Ru
Apologies: Vicki
Notes: Kevin
Acknowlegment of country (Indy)
Background of Belong (Trish C)
- Began in Acacia RIdge 30 years ago
- Use appreciative inquiry model for social services - look for aspirations in community as basis for service provision
- Support the aspirations of community.
- Community of Acacia Ridge: high unemployment, low esteem, culturally diverse with urban Indigenous representation
- Run community initiatives e.g. breakfast club to encourage school attendance
- Aid for financial crises - currently, homelessness is a growing problem
- Community support worker at TSS on Tuesdays (Jenny Browe - contactable through reception)
- English language and citizenship classes
- How to vote classes
- Food co-ops - some centres closing due to end of funding programme
- Governed by five-person committee (by appointment)
- Trish C - responsible for operations
- All staff have a funding delegation - other financial decisions go to committee
Relationship with kitchen and volunteers:
- Trish would like to develop a relationship with kitchen volunteers
- Would like to develop the aspiration of volunteers
- Will take risks for principles but needs to protect the space
Rooms and access
- Airkeys will be provided for all volunteers
- Action: collect names for access
Marissa Kerr
- Actress
- Running production between 13-15 May
- Looking for volunteer for usher roles
- Trish E will send reminder
- Will want to use kitchen - only overlap on Saturday matinee. Will close kitchen early.
Furniture install (Trish E)
- Funding may be possible but need to acquite complicated grant
- Council approval will be necessary
- Decision: funding too much trouble
- Decision: Trish C will find funding to employ John Coleman for the installation (Trish C)
BCC composting programme (Liz)
- Running over the month May in the gallery
- Free Shop will close for the month
- BCC will run a series of events, talks, workshops
- Ru will need some storage containers for the month
Recycling (Trish C)
- Would like to set up Container for Change depot
- People drop off tins and bottles and AR volunteers will take to the depot
- Action: Liz to talk to BCC about signage
General kitchen catch-up
- What is not working?
- Need to be better at labelling to reduce food waste (Shiri)
- Need to write up odd jobs list to be done during the week (Shiri)
- Include a freeze day to prepare reserves for busy days
- Cookbook with quick recipes (Ru)
- Rostering needs to be observed to allow volunteers to plan their lives!
- New volunteers should indicate their experience and skills to assist rostering
- Request (to Belong and event organisers) to indicate if classes or events can give indications of numbers of people coming to the kitchen
- Patrons' unreasonably high expectation of volunteers (Ru, Shiri, Liz, Indy)
- e.g. asking for too much, not engaging in a reciprocal relationship or participating in an exchange
- Need to learn to set boundaries
- Action: Indy will engage Art Green for workshops on how to manage such situations
- More ice cube trays are required (Ru)
- Freeze coffee in cubes - not as big jar
- What is working?
- Shiri: great sense of community
- Ru: energised by space, reestablished relationship with food
- Grechel: everyone is very welcoming, it is a space for developing connections and relationships
- Ru: attract a diverse collection of cultures and people
- Trish C: consistent and reliable for the community
- Trish E: self-sustaining space that
- Kelly: skill sharing
- Rats: feels cared for and feels people look out for each other
- Liz: loves everything - except the rostering
- Misha: skill sharing community, energetic, positive, very inclusive
- Indy: embodies a working non-capitalist/non-fiscal system
- Tam: great relationships and a new experience
- Shiri: Free Store
People who stand at counter, talking for long periods (Vicki)
- Solution: keep working and they will get the message
Ongoing commitment:
- Everyone is happy to keep space going
Manager:
- Proposal: paid position for 6 hours a week to manage
- Trish C: any employment needs to be done through Belong
- Shiri: paid positions create a power structure that can compromise the independence of the kitchen
- Kelly: list jobs that need to be done so people can do more
- Action: Liz will pass on list of jobs she does or needs to be done
- Ru: reimbursement will make the space more sustainable, shows appreciation for time, helps avoid burn out - don't self-sacrifice
- Trish: happy to look at alternative means of reimbursement without formal payment
- Indy: if reimbursements are not taken, it breaks the ideal of a community-sustained enterprise
How to hold the space: (Trish C)
- Trish is leaving in two years
- Need to work out how to hold on to the space and autonomy without Trish
Standards and procedures working group
- Current members: Liz, Indy,
Time-off:
- Liz taking time off in March
- Sophie travelling
- Need more volunteers to cover
- Action: Liz to prepare phone list of people who have expressed interest in doing shifts, with indication of skills
- Shiri can provide contacts
Wiki:
- Action: post link on private FB page.
Sundays:
- Lock office door on Sunday as hall group leaves rubbish when they use the office space
- Trish C will look into fixing the lock on the kitchen exterior door
How does the space functions for people with disabilities (and carers)? (Laura - not present)
- For later discussion
Hall and office bookings:
- Call Fahana for hall bookings
- Bookings for office on wiki
Finances:
- Misha managing accounting
Ideas:
- Forum programme
Volunteer registration forms:
- Everyone needs to fill one out
XR Climate Cafe
- Starting Saturday, 21st of Feb 10:00-11:30am
- Every fortnight.