I have noticed, on another thread, the constant reference to The Branch. The Branch is IWAI's way of communicating with members. Council reps are the designated way of sending information back to branch meetings.
Is there a problem with this method of passing on information?

Judging by the numbers attending council meetings ,there is a major problem. A lot of branches are not attending Council meetings. Info is therefore not passed on.

Branch meetings are sparsely attended.I don't know why this is. I love attending my own branch meetings.I look forward to meeting friends and having the crack.
If so few members attend meetings,then ,very few are fully informed.

Yes we have IWN.It's published four times a year.Council reports are a feature.In many cases these reports are out of date .The topic has been dealt with.

Is there another way? Anybody reading this post will already know the answer. This website ,is the answer.

Facebook and Twitter et al. are the instant comms of this age.

Why are the IWAI not using an established and proven method to communicate with members ?

It should be a simple task to set up a members only section.One's IWAI membership number would suffice as a personal code.

I ask The Executive to consider a trial period of one year.

PJ N

Hi PJ

You seem to have a good insight on the way the IWAI works.

So why use a forum for raising your question when the Execuive is not using as the main way of communicating, as it does it throught the Branch network as you hightlighted.

When perhaps the best way to change the method to communicate with members is to bring the matter at your branch meeting, then bring it forward council.

Then changes could be made to the method to communicate with members

Use the system

John D.
MY Birgos



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/04/2012 22:25 by John Dimond.

They are a way of communicating PJ....but quite a slow one. For example, the Branch's are supposed to have a decision on funding for Dunrovin for the next Council meeting in September. I'm finding I need more information to pass on to members and for myself to make this decision. If I follow the Branch/Council trail, I can only get this information at the next Council meeting in September...!! I'm sure you can see the problem this raises...??

Great idea John. If you propose, I'll second...or vice versa.

M(W&W)F

If branches need information on any subject , they can ask the Executive for input. Branches regularly correspond that way. Council is typically for bigger picture stuff.


The other concern is that in reality you would undermine the branch structure. Its difficult enough to get people to attend, even more difficult if all they do is come on here.


The other thing, is that most of the time , there is little that the "centre" of the Association has to say. It is a devolved distributed organization. Most debates are about local issues and they would get lost here.


Specifically on Dunrovin Mick, If you have a specific set of queries email me an I will answer them officially( with reference to the Executive) . I will not post on an open forum that is read by members and non members, for example I will not discuss individual branches finance positions here.

Equally I and others will attend a branch meeting for that reason to deal with any questions people have, There is no requirement to wait until a Council meeting, everyone will very and help in the meantime.


Dave



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/04/2012 01:38 by Dave McCabe.

Dave,

I've no doubt that if I picked up the phone or e-mailed you, I'd have answers to most of my questions in jig time. Problem is, that this could end up putting fuel on the "secret agenda" fire. I'm definately not suggesting any impropriety, merely the perception of same. I understand and accept your rerasons for not posting in an "open" format, but likewise you must accept mine for not using "back channels". This sort of suspicious stupidity will do more harm to the Assoc. than WI or even the 1950's Govt. ever could. It's so easily avoided by just being out in the open. It's a terrible thing to find a deliberate conspiricy, its so much more annoying to find an inadvertant one. We are not, I believe an Assoc., that needs anything more than a bit of discretion for a period, we dont HAVE secrets...!!

M(W&W)F

PS....The Branch/Council system is just too slow...but me and John (hopefully) will raise that in September.

The fact is Mick, again you seem to forget the IWAI is fundamentally a branch based organisation. Till a few years ago there wasn't any centre at all , that could even address anything.

Its not a question of secrets Mick, Its a question of respecting the source of the information. If you ask me for something that I know has not been made available on this web site, I don't believe it is up to you ( the recipient) or me ( the donor) to put such information in the public domain ( remember this isn't a IWAI only forum). That decision rest with the original supplier of the information, What I did say is that if you ( in your branch role) want clarifications that are in the power of the Executive to give, then I see no reason to not give them to you in a communication that is intended for the branch in question. This happens all the time.

So if a branch discusses something, then unless that branch decides to make it public, I certainly will not. I will communicate it privately to a person that will respect that. Or I will ( or they will) have to ask the original originators to make it public.

Of course there are no secrets, there is, of course, respect for the processes of the Association. There is no evidence of branches using this forum as a public debating area. I respect that.


This of course overlooks the great problem with fora. That rumor, unsubstantiated gossip or plain malicious behavior goes unchecked. People can be anonymous trouble makers. Humans have developed complex code of interaction that prevent that occurring face to face. But here anything goes and this makes rational debate sometimes impossible,

Then of course you have the numbers problem, 1000s may read it , but ultimately its just a debate between the 1-3 people that carry in on. Its that representative, hardly. There is no perfect solution Mick, its a compromise.

Dave



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 12/04/2012 03:19 by Dave McCabe.

Dave,

I'll respond tomorrow evening when I've got me "babies" across the Liffey to Spencer.

M(W&W)F

Mick

I don't honestly get this if a branch officer needs information for anything the just have to pick up the phone, email or call in to a Council or Executive member. I regularly get calls and emails on a variety of issues and I respond as best I can or point the enquirer in the right direction and many other Exec members do the same. The onus is then on that officer to bring the information back to his or her branch. That is not secrecy!

We went through a long process recently on our structure and the result is that the branches are the key drivers. They do all the work and the Council and Executive support them through policy generation, providing insurance and dealing with the legal stuff of running a company that is a registered charity. Individual members of Council and Executive can be seen out shovel, lock key or brush in hand, that is because of the type of individual they are and not some grand scheme of controlling the IWAI

PJ
Maybe there is a need for a virtual branch, some members recently recognised the need for two branches to operate outside of the geographical boundaries as most branches are established. These members came together and brought well thought out proposals to Council and the Cruising Club and Powerboat branches were agreed to. These in my mind have both been a success. If any group of members wishes to come together in a virtual branch I would be happy to present the proposal to Council.

Personally, I enjoy branch meetings, provided of course that they are well run and give each member the opportunity to have their say in a supporting atmosphere.

Quote:

Mick Farrell
Dave,
I've no doubt that if I picked up the phone or e-mailed you, I'd have answers to most of my questions in jig time. Problem is, that this could end up putting fuel on the "secret agenda" fire. I'm definately not suggesting any impropriety, merely the perception of same. I understand and accept your rerasons for not posting in an "open" format, but likewise you must accept mine for not using "back channels". This sort of suspicious stupidity will do more harm to the Assoc. than WI or even the 1950's Govt. ever could. It's so easily avoided by just being out in the open. It's a terrible thing to find a deliberate conspiricy, its so much more annoying to find an inadvertant one. We are not, I believe an Assoc., that needs anything more than a bit of discretion for a period, we dont HAVE secrets...!!

M(W&W)F

PS....The Branch/Council system is just too slow...but me and John (hopefully) will raise that in September.

Greg Whelan
President IWAI

Greg,

I probably did'nt make my point very clearly. I was referring to PERCEPTIONS of secrecy, how to avoid creating them and possibly help dispel any that may exist...!!

M(W&W)F

Dave,

As I understand it, you are basically saying above.....

That my branch, having sent 2 reps to Council, returned to our next branch meeting and imparted that information to our members, one of whom subsequently raised issues on the forum based on that information, must now e-mail/phone the Exec to seek clarification on any issues arising, which we shall then put to our next branch meeting, whereupon the same member will likely raise more questions and the whole process will begin all over again, and none of this information is secret...!!

This respects the processes of the Association...??

M(W&W)F

Jeepers Mick this is getting circular

Quote:

I probably did'nt make my point very clearly. I was referring to PERCEPTIONS of secrecy, how to avoid creating them and possibly help dispel any that may exist...!!

perceptions are as much in the holder of those perceptions, some simply find it convenient to say they exist, when in fact they don't. The IWAI may be slow its not secret.

Quote:

That my branch, having sent 2 reps to Council, returned to our next branch meeting and imparted that information to our members, one of whom subsequently raised issues on the forum based on that information, must now e-mail/phone the Exec to seek clarification on any issues arising, which we shall then put to our next branch meeting, whereupon the same member will likely raise more questions and the whole process will begin all over again, and none of this information is secret...!!

Mick, thats not what I said, I said that if a branch has issues and need information it can ask the Executive, its not practical for a few members of the Exectuive to deal with the whole membership, thats then branches job.

Dunrovin is a unique case as its a Association wide project looks what been done ( by volunteers)

Two articles in IWN
A display at last years AGM, the Architect was present to answer questions
Presentations at several council meetings
An offer to attend any branch meeting to help answer questions in relation to the project. ( not yet taken up)


Thats hardly keeping anything secret.


Outside of that , we do have a problem, in that people don't attend branch meetings, don't attend council meetings and don't feed the information back and forth. This forum is not the 100% solution , its not even a 50% solution to any of this

We take decisions slowly, It took close to 4 ( yes 4) years of time to decide on a Project Officier. The structures don't help us, but they are what they are. If you empower the Centre to deal with everything, you cut out the need for branches.

Dave



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/04/2012 19:58 by Dave McCabe.

Dave,

Regarding your offer to attend branches to answer any questions, I can assure you that my branch decided that they would take you up on that offer and I am sure that the relevant person from the branch is planning to make contact with you arrange that.

I am sure that you or someone from the project team would be made most welcome. We don't bite (I promise)

Regards

Kieran

Quote:

Kieran Kearns
Dave,
Regarding your offer to attend branches to answer any questions, I can assure you that my branch decided that they would take you up on that offer and I am sure that the relevant person from the branch is planning to make contact with you arrange that.

I am sure that you or someone from the project team would be made most welcome. We don't bite (I promise)

Regards

Kieran

I shall come suitably amoured and prepared.
Dave

I've often highjacked a thread or two.Now that KK and DM and MF have done it to me ,it doesn't feel so good.

Thanks to the others who stuck to the topic.Greg,a virtual branch,worth a trial.

John D,I wanted to give the idea a run ,before submitting to branch.

PJN

PJ,

I'm sorry for hijacking this thread.

The idea of a section of the IWAI froum specialy for IWAI members to discuss IWAI business is a good one.

It has to be positive.

Regards

Kieran

Yes there is a plan to overhaul the forum software and one of the things we like to do is to create a members only section that is linked to your IWAI online365 login. Like a lot of things we need warm bodies

dave

Dave,

Before you invite me to assist, I need to admit that I am "IT" Challenged.

Regards

Kieran

Quote:

Kieran Kearns
Dave,
Before you invite me to assist, I need to admit that I am "IT" Challenged.

Regards

Kieran

Jeepers Kieran, I wouldn't use "that one" as a reason to not assist, I think you have demonstrated yourself to be more than capable of using a keyboard

PJ,

My apologies for hi-jacking your thread. It was'nt intended.

M(W&W)F

Dave

We are dealing with some of the most absurdly banal information in Christendom, that is currently being discussed by my branch and my branches members and I assume by other branches and their members too. Yet it seems, it cannot be discussed on here.

And I suggested that WI were mis-managing water levels on the Royal...!!

M(W&W)F