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Green Issues Working Group

Just do the work!

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Goals/Statement of Purpose

Statement of Purpose

Green Issues Working Group is charged by the state party with the task of making sure the Green Party is aware of and, where possible, initiating action on various issues.

In addition, this group attempts to serve as a sort of "think tank" to examine, and inform upon, varying issues based on how they relate to the Ten Key Values of the Party, and to give Greens (and everyone else) a resource for further study and learning on the issues that face all of us

Goals

The primary goal is to establish, on an issue-by-issue basis, various subgroups (a.k.a. "projects") that will perform and publish research, publish links, write blogs, recommend readings, form "watchdog" or action groups, and other issue-specific activities.

  1. For those issues on which the GPCA has a current position, assure that the party position is fully articulated, current, and well published
  2. For those issues on which GPCA has no current position, or has an ambiguous position, articulate Green thinking on the issue, reconcile this thinking with the Platform and the Ten Key Values, sponsor resolutions, and generally articulate and publish suggested party position(s)
  3. Interface with the General Assenbly, Platform Committee, and all the other committees and working groups to gain better insight into party positions
  4. Sponsor and facilitate active issue-based interaction with Counties, Locals, and the rank-and-file of the party. Establish and maintain, within each of the 58 counties, some person or persons whose responsibility will be to communicate localized issues to GIWG.
  5. Sponsor, facilitate, and encourage active debate of issues
  6. Supply committees, candidates, and rank-and-file with quotes and quoteable material on various issues
  7. Sponsor and facilitate, both for the party and the public-at-large, active services and/or "watchdog" groups that monitor activity on issues - especially within State and Local government
  8. Build coalitions with other organizations and otherwise facilitate Green Party involvement with, especially as the political arm of, broader issue-based "movements"

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Green Issues Working Group Structure and Organization

Owing to the fluid nature of working group membership and because there are so many possible issues of significance, GIWG is organized (or has been re-organized) into a very simple system: a small group "at the top of the org chart" (see Administrative Core) and a series of projects, each revolving around some specific issue and having a very modest organizational requirement (see Projects).

Administrative Core

The central administrative core ("CAC") consists of:

  • Co-Coordinators. To co-ordinate the overall workings of the group and handle adminstrative details such as workplans, budgeting, calling meetings, cheerleading, distributing resources, assisting with blocked projects, and reporting progress (twice yearly) to the General Assembly
  • Liaisons. Specifically designated person(s) whose role is to provide an interface (and facilitate communications) between GIWG and the other state-level working groups and committees.
  • County/locals liaison(s): To co-ordinate and facilitate communication between the state-level GIWG and the various counties/locals on Green Issues projects

Note that "people wearing many hats" is expected but not a requirement (or even encouraged).

Green Issues Projects

The second aspect of GIWG's organization is the concept of "Project". This allows co-operative efforts in the distributed environment that is our modern Green Party, and to allow counties, locals, and the rank-and-file a better opportunity to "come up with an idea and run with it".

Each GIWG project has:

  • A Goal (or a purpose). A simple statement of what the project is trying to accomplish to help maintain focus. A project goal can be simple or multi-faceted. There are no real rules about the goal of a project - just that the project must have one
  • A Project Activator ("PA"). The primary function of the PA is to keep communications open for project. This person is the main contact for the project and should facilitate communications, provide subject matter expertise for candidates and media (through the CAC liaisons). The PA should also be able to report status of the project and to request resources as needed.
  • An Issues Page on the state website (see below).

Please note the "spirit" of a GIWG project is get some goal accomplished - not to do paperwork or spend hours updating web pages.

Step-By-Step: Definining A GIWG Project

Go through the following procedure to define a GIWG project

  1. Work out the statement of the project goal. Remember, a couple of sentences will normally suffice.
  2. Decide who the activator (or activators) will be for the project. The rest of these steps assume that you are the activator, but there may be others. Make sure to re-read the definition and spirit of the project activator's role (above). If you cannot handle the responsibility, then find someone who can or wait until you are ready.
  3. Write up a paragraph or two stating how the goal will be accomplished and/or any other information. Be concise but try to communicate your thoughts and ideas of "how we are going to get where we want to be".
  4. Think about how you would like to "manage" information and efforts on the project. If there is a group of people involved already, then use this step to note who and what each person will be responsible for. Keep in mind the spirit of this step: it means no more than taking a moment to think how people will help you, how they will know what they need to know, how you will measure the progress you are making, and so forth. Make sure to keep it simple. Remember the GIWG motto is Just do the work!.
  5. As part of the above step, locate any recommended readings, web pages, etc that give background information you think is relevant. It is important to remember that, right now, you are the "expert" on this project; make sure others have an easy way to get up to speed.
  6. Create an email message containing the goal, the activator information, the descriptive paragraphs, and anything else you think belongs on the web and send it to the GIWG co-coordinators). Someone will contact you for any needed discussion.
  7. Once your project has an entry in the Issues List, take a look at the project page to make sure it says what you want it to say. Contact the with any changes
  8. Go Do It!
  9. Periodically GIWG administration will contact you for progress information. We need to make sure that projects are going forward and that projects that need help get help. Remember that we're an activist party and that activism implies active. Of course, you should also expect to hear from would-be helpers, Green candidates, or anyone else who wants to know more

Projects and Issues On The State Web Site

The primary medium for displaying and maintaining GIWG projects is the state website (you are looking at it now)

Aside from the usual group web page (you are looking at it now), the GIWG presence on the state web site consists of the Issues List (a.k.a. Project List), and all of the individual Project Pages

Issues List

The Issues List page is a collection of links to GIWG (and possibly other working group) project pages.

There is a table of contents listing the projects and a pool of would-be projects (taken from the ideas presented on the GIWG listserv and elsewhere)

Project Pages

A Project Page (a.k.a. Issue Page) page for each project functions as an information center and contact point about the project for rest of the party and to the public at large.

At minimum, this page must state the project goal(s), must contain the name/contact info for the Project Activator(s), and must have at least a few additional words explaining how the goal is to be (or is being) accomplished.

Other than the three requirements about, anything else is optional and there are no rules.

There is a simple template used for each project page. This is so that anyone "surfing" through the project list can get details "at a glance". Part of the process of initiating or defining a GIWG project is to contact the GIWG and have him/her create a project page (and add that page to the Issues List.

Remember, the purpose of the page, and indeed a core rationale for the GIWG project concept is to allow others to find information and to get involved. With that in mind, suggested content for a project page is:

  • Web site links, recommended readings, or other background information about the project
  • Details and possibly contact information, for additional people/organizations involved in the project
  • A link to some manner of "project diary" or blog containing significant events or other "dynamic" details

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Listserv Details

The GIWG listserv is here. Sign up and receive the latest information on any and all GIWG projects - current or planned. However, signing up comes with a warning: Green Issues Working Group is exactly that: a working group. So, if you sign up, don't be surprised if you are asked to get involved and to lend a hand!

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Workplans

The workplans and budgets for GIWG, filed with Finance Committee every January, can be found under the following links (password is required):

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Last updated: 01/03/2010 (BH)