Forest BB

So, at the artists & facilities meeting just now, and last night at the cafe/events meeting we talked about better orientation/introduction for new volunteers.

Whoa! there's so much information and so much to find out about the forest, like:
"what the hell is the cave and who can I give the key to"
"how do you transfer a call from the front desk to somewhere else"
"are the forest people really fascists"
"where is my mind"

we probably will never be able to think of everything that a volunteer would need to know, but we can make a little guide of useful stuff so that the kitchen managers don't have to get brain strain for every time someone new starts up.
Maybe: after they have a tour around the building and get shown all the relevant fire escapes and whatever they can sit down with a cup of tea and the "forest volunteer guide" or something...

Emi and I have volunteered to work on this, if you have contributions please let us know. Or if you want to help! We'll try and do this soon, so get back to us quickly...


scout

pass it by me at some point or post the rough draft up here and everyone can have a little look and make additions - cool!

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www.ryanvanwinkle.com

OK then,

so: if you are the contact person for a particular project within the Forest please think of the things you want volunteers to know and be able to tell other people about.

and tell me & Emi really soon

thanks

fyi, this is the tea bag incident i was referring to earlier this evening. there's a few good ideas that could maybe be included in a kitchen volly guide on the thread.

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hey, if you don't like it, post on the BB (so you can ask about participating for better) | MilkMiruku

thanks Milk

here's the guide so far.

We need info on lost property process, the shiny new colour coded cleaning stuff, and health & safety,
any other info that Forest needs to put in for legal reasons

at this point there is a lot of introductory info about the Forest. If people think it's unnecessary, we'll take it out. I reckon it's good to actually get people to read it though.

Also, we were thinking about making this a little booklet type thing.
whattayareckon?

s

booklet sounds cool.

Maybe some info on consensus decision making? explain the magic hand symbols with fun photos

"Join the Forest BB (Bulletin Board)" tell them the secret password

i was kind of thinking this should be more practical ..
so THE LIBRARY: tell them where new stickers are to put on books

"FILMS:.... Bookings made through the events book."
Nope .. should be made throught film ppl, which at moment is charlotte and ida. need to see how this is going

Keys needs expanding ... but I think you know this from the
Things like:
Hall key: check in the hall book they are actually booked in, give them key. you are not expected to help them in any way. they have clearly been told to organise any help they need beforehand.
Cave key: check id, write on sign in/out sheet
Darkroom: Daniel said he was going to make something for kitchen about this, check with him

lets not have a heading HEALTH & SAFETY:, it'll scare them off

pracitcal stuff like:
fire exstinguishers live in pairs, water and co2. they are not door props
fire exits must be clear at all times. this especially includes the halway outside the shop. one person doing bikes: cool. 3? tell them they must move
wash hands at all times, never put food boxes on floor (cos then your going to put them on the counter and germs travel)

BRISTO HALL: .............. To do this, people need to check the calendar on aecalendar.com

but that is just pernickity little points - its looking great

there is no secret password required for bb registration these days, just the captcha.

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hey, if you don't like it, post on the BB (so you can ask about participating for better) | MilkMiruku

thanks for the input!

so, james or others: can you give more of the information you suggested?
eg. how do you actually get in touch with the film people?
where are the library stickers?

do you really think I should put info about consensus decision making?
this guide is supposed to just be an introductory type thing, not a bible!
like, "here's a cup of tea, sit down and read this for 5 minutes" kind of thing.

The Fascist bible.

Maybe things can be broken down to incorporate lots of stuff without waffling. Bullet points, basic short paragraphs etc.

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It's like God's vagina!

Hmmm .. actually in both cases, slightly unsure as things are changing at the moment. I will chat to people and find out. we can sit down and go through the rest if you want sometime.

Hmmmm, probably right not to include concensous decision making. maybe just a comment in brackets "(If your not sure what that means, don't worry - it can be explained at the start of the meeting.)"

Hmmmmmm ... I seem to like saying hmmmmmmmmmm

lets be honest.

simple.

treat people like adults.

...

consensus decision making is part of 'how the forest works section' .. important to mention. esp, for volunteers - encouraging people to get involved. yes!?

...

give clear instructions as to how to perform specific tasks. e.g.:



Cave Money: if someone is trying to pay for cave time, they should hand you a sealed envelope containing the cash, with the date and name written on it. the envelope should be put in the till.

Cave Equipment in the Cafe:cave stuff should not be used in the cafe. stuff should only be moved to the cafe if desperately needed. it must be looked after by a 'cave user' .. it must, must, must be put back after music. please.

Cave Key: the cave key is attached to an orange paintbrush in the 'cave drawer'. Please Only give the key to registered users. a registered user will be able to show you a membership card.
ask the user to sign the key out (and in) .. thanks.*

Cave F.A.Q: The Cave is for members only. To become a 'Registered User' come to a cave meeting, Every Thurs 6-8. (or contact 'Nix' if you really can't make it) . there is a leaflet with the details on it in the 'Cave Drawer'.

there is more stuff I have for the guide.. soon...


* note to Editors: please do not publish this until I have done the Membership Cards. it will be soon.

ok so:
there's a bit missing here about what's ok in terms of behaviour and what's not ok and volunteer rights etc. insert "safer spaces policy" here. oh wait, we haven't got one yet.



s

we have an equal opertunities policy that I remixed from google;

"The Forest aims to ensure that no volunteer receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of race, colour, sex, nationality, religion, ethnic or national origin, age, gender, gender reassignment or marital status, sexual orientation or disability. All volunteers have a legal and moral obligation not to discriminate and to report incidents of discrimination against any individual or group of individuals. The Forest is committed to a programme of action to make this policy effective and will bring it to the attention of all volunteers."

finally, we can bring it to their attention! this bumf can be changed or complimented if it's felt it doesn't cover the right bases.

info on consensus decision making - defo, yes. people can be to afraid to ask or to crap at explaining all that needs explaining (especially all the hand gestures).

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hey, if you don't like it, post on the BB (so you can ask about participating for better) | MilkMiruku

There are 2 draft hardcopies now.
One in the kitchen, one in the action room.
Also this electronic version.
FEEDBACK FEEDBACK

ta
sssssss

er...please don't call it the fascist bible....

i know it's supposed to be a joke an all... but come on....

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the more you think, the more you stink

if you would like i could scribus it up a bit , once you get the final draft .

martin

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Heaven is a disaster

Lambchop , The Saturday option .

off the back of the fire inspection thread; what to do when the fire alarm goes off.

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hey, if you don't like it, post on the BB (so you can ask about participating for better) | MilkMiruku

ok so with some input from some folks here's the latest draft. If you care about it, take a look. there is a hardcopy of the draft in the action room as well as in the drawer of doom in the kitchen, or this electronic version. write on it, draw pictures whatever.

there is talk of having an insert which lists added responsibilities taken on by Kitchen Managers/Night Managers, ie. how to deal with "difficult people". More info/restrictions sure to come with liquor licence. Stay tuned.

wow you have been very busy scout, it's great, thanks

the 6 studio spaces that we provide for artists come under the artists facilities group and it would be good if they could get a mention.
also could you put total kunst gallery under the visual arts working group along with front of house, otherwise it may not be clear that that is where it is discussed....
cheers

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I saw two shooting stars last night, i wished on them, but they were only satellites.
is it wrong to wish on space hardware?
(Billy Bragg)

ok so finally the workshops (please correct mistakes):

Workshops:
At the moment there are the following Workshops which are free and open to everyone:
Tuesday, 7pm, Hall: Forest choir
Tuesday, 9.30pm, Hall: Forest Drama Group
Wednesday, 6pm, Crafty Room: Spanish Workshop (Beginners)
Thursday, 7pm, Crafty Room: Drum Station
Friday, 2pm, Crafty Room: Guitar lessons
Friday, 3pm, Crafty Room: Saxophone lessons
Friday, 4pm, Crafty Room: Spanish Workshop (Advanced)
Saturday, 1pm, Cafe: Letter Writing Workshop

To get current and detailed information about the Workshops, please have a look in the purple book in the "Workshops"-drawer in the kitchen or write to workshops@theforest.org.uk

To run a workshop, please contact the same e-mail-adress. To book the hall, please use www.aecalendar.com.

is that ok? x ida

Thursday 8pm Cave: Forest Free Jam Workshop


thanks.

ok...
I'm not sure if I'll get a chance to work on this before I leave (sunday) but if anyone wants to take it on, go for ya life. I might not be back until february. sorry 'bout that, address all complaints to UK Border Agency.

s

Where's the file for the document you've done so far?


Best,
M

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Mike

Dawnsio 'mlaen i'r gwres prynhawn a rwy'n addo erbyn yfori byddai wedi mynd, hwyl fawr i pawb, hwyl fawr i pawb...

Hey guys!

We need to get some kind of training manual together as soon as poss.....

Should we have a meeting with all the interested people who want to be a part of this process?

We can thrash out the finer details then, cos it seems like there's quite a lot of disagreement on the contents and formality of the guide......oh, and what it should be called!

Let's talk!

i think it should be short - to the point - and inspirational. it should also cover our asses. i am free on tuesdays or wednesdays most weeks.
r

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www.ryanvanwinkle.com

aftr this weekend I am happy to help with training stuff. I have written one before for my old job, plus ones for vollies I used to manage too.

ok volly guide is updated with Simone and Ida's suggestions.
I will print some off (10 maybe) and put some in the kitchen. I will save a version of th guide on the Willow computer in the Kitchen folder on the desktop. and here it is too.

A few things I noticed while reading through:

Cave money should go in the till, I think. This is what I've always been told by Nix.

The action room key is mentioned as being in the blue drawer under the sink when it is actually in the stack of drawers with the other keys.

The library is no longer in the corner of the cafe but in the Aubergine/Deathberry/ex-Red room.

It looks fantastic by the way, lots of useful info.

Cheers,
M

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Mike

Dawnsio 'mlaen i'r gwres prynhawn a rwy'n addo erbyn yfori byddai wedi mynd, hwyl fawr i pawb, hwyl fawr i pawb...

looks dead slik, nice one!
D x

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Our big brother's got no heart,
when I get my chance I'm going to punch him in the nose, in the nose, in the nose