The BC SEA is a non-profit association of citizens, professionals
and practitioners, committed to promoting the understanding,
development, and adoption of sustainable energy and energy
conservation and efficiency in British Columbia.
Our vision is a future in which all of BC’s energy comes
from clean, renewable, efficient sources, for electricity,
transport, and all other purposes, respecting the integrity
of nature and the needs of humans and other species and their
habitat, both now and in future generations, and in which
BC becomes a net exporter of clean, renewable energy.
The BC SEA is committed to serving the whole of B.C. To
this end, we encourage members to form local Chapters wherever
you live.
You want to start a Chapter in your community. Where to
begin? How does one go about forming a Chapter? How can the
provincial body help? Forming a Chapter may appear to be
a daunting task (or not!), and it is with this in mind that
we have developed a step-by-step "how to" for helping
you get started.
1 - If you haven’t already done so, explore the BC SEA website,
particularly the ‘About the BC SEA’ component. Here you
will find important information about the organization’s
vision, goals, Board of Directors, as well as some general
information on starting a Chapter.
2 - Pick up the phone and give the BC SEA president a call.
The current president is Guy Dauncey (250-881-1304).
Guy is very approachable and enthusiastic about helping Chapters
get started. He will send you a list of all your local
members, and can also refer you to other members who
recently
started Chapters.
3 - Spread the word in your community that a new
Chapter is forming. The more participation the better.
The
basic rule is that as soon as there are 10 members in your
community,
you are free to form a Draft Chapter (Proto-Chapter,
Chapterette, we’ve not got a final name yet). You will quickly
realize that all kinds of citizens are enthusiastic about
sustainable
energy – from engineers to educators to activists to
students.
4 - The process we are following is that a Chapter will
form in three stages:
A - In Stage One, people are meeting together
to explore what they want to do, share their interests,
and find their feet.
B - In Stage Two, you become
a formal Group. You elect a Steering Committee, and
start building the
framework you will need to become a fully functioning
local
organization.
C - In Stage Three, you sign a
formal agreement with the Board of Directors to become
a recognized Chapter.
We
are still working on this Agreement, and it maybe
several months yet. So be patient! "We" is
the BC SEA Chapters Committee, consisting of Dale Littlejohn
(Chair,
representing the Vancouver Chapter); TJ Schurr
(Secretary, from Victoria); Taylor Zeeg (representing
the Kamloops
Chapter); and Guy Dauncey (BC SEA President).
5 - One way to build local memberships is to write
an email, using a mixture of your own words and words
off the BC
SEA website (see Sample Email to Non-Members), and
send it to everyone you know, encouraging them to join.
You
could ask your friends to forward it to their lists.
6 - If you already have enough members, it may
be as simple as sending an e-mail to existing members (see
Sample
Email
to Existing Members), inviting them to an initial
planning meeting.
7 - If you want to widen your reach for the first
meeting, set a meeting time and advertise it in as many
ways as you can (local media, put up flyers, talk to friends,
use
your existing network of contacts).
8 - Develop an agenda. Agendas are important because
they keep meetings focussed and on track. Without one it
is easy to wander, and before you know it the meeting time
is over and you haven’t had time to discuss important
issues. The agenda need not be overbearing; good agendas
can be
as simple as four or five broad topics that require
discussion. The ‘Sample Agenda’ on the Chapters web
page of the BC SEA may be a useful tool. Feel free
to download
it and
modify it as you see fit.
9 - At your first meeting, stay open to a wide
range of perspectives. Give everyone the floor for a few
minutes
to introduce
themselves, and express their views on why sustainable
energy is important. Get a sense from each participant
as to what they would like to see the Chapter accomplish.
10 - A Chapter, like any new group, will succeed
if it satisfies two essential needs:
A - People’s need to get engaged with issues around
sustainable energy;
B - People’s need to enjoy
the company of others. So make sure there is time for
people to meet
each other, to
share refreshments, and to enjoy jokes
and pleasantries. Make sure you speak to everyone in
person,
and that
whenever a new person shows up, make sure
they are greeted and
welcomed into the circle.
11 - Take notes at the meeting, for two reasons:
A - First, meeting summaries help you keep track
of what is important to the members, as well
as decision items
and action items. Keep a record of what was agreed
to, and what needs following up at the next
meeting. This
will help you shape the agenda for the next meeting.
Feel free to use the ‘Sample Minutes" as
a guideline for your own meetings.
B - It is important that each Chapter communicates
its activities to the provincial organization.
Two-way communication
is essential. The provincial body is committed
to keeping you informed of what is happening
at the provincial level,
and they need to hear from the Chapters so
that they know what is important to members at the community
level.
12 - After one or two meetings, when people
are comfortable, establish a steering committee. Starting
and co-ordinating
a Chapter is a lot of work for one person, but shared
among many, the job is quite manageable. We suggest
you
establish
a five or six-person steering committee comprised
of: Chair, Co-Chair, Treasurer, Secretary, Membership/PR
officer,
and Member-at-large. It is important that the steering
committee members know their responsibilities, and
are
willing to commit to share in leading the Chapter.
13 - Develop a plan. This can be as simple
as deciding on two or three projects the Chapter wants
to
undertake.
Or,
it can be more complex and include developing programs
areas, each with their own long- and short-term objectives,
tasks and activities. Let the membership decide.
They will be the ones doing the work, so let them determine
their
own plans and structure. The key thing is that you
have
a roadmap for the future. Success always begins with
a solid plan.
Try and make every meeting fun in some way. Remember,
as the Fifth Law of Sustainability says, "If it’s
not fun, it’s not sustainable!"
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