Board Update on the Renewal Initiative
LLLI Board
of Directors
From: LEAVEN, Vol. 39 No. 5, October-November 2003, p. 98.
In the March
2003 Board Actions, we stated our intention to create a temporary voluntary
learning framework. The aim is to provide a "place" where
Leaders can try new activities or new ways to carry out traditional
LLL activities, in accord with LLL philosophy, purpose, and draft organizational
principles, without putting the organization at risk. At the same time,
our aim is to foster learning among Leaders, administrators, and others
to discover advantages and disadvantages of working in this way. We
can now provide more information on this voluntary learning framework.
Core Agreement
and Policies-The "Framework"
In addition
to acting in accord with current LLLI/Affiliate/Division policies and
bylaws, when Leaders organize voluntarily to pursue La Leche League
activities, the Board will ask for agreements with and among the Leaders
participating. These agreements will include (among other elements),
references to:
- A focus on LLL philosophy;
- A focus on purpose;
- Organizational principles;
- Respectful interaction;
- Connection and communication
with each other and LLL;
- Recognition of LLLI Board
and Executive Director authority and responsibility for areas such
as philosophy, Leader accreditation, protection of the LLLI name and
logo;
- Adherence to specific
policies that affect LLL as a whole, for instance, policies concerning
availability of LLL services (mixing causes); speaking or making agreements
on behalf of LLL; funding; cooperative and collaborative action with
other organizations;
- Evaluation.
We anticipate
that this framework-or experimenting stage-will continue for about two
years. It is intended to help us learn as individuals, groups, and as
an organization as a whole about different ways we can work and learn.
Because of this, ongoing communication and evaluation will be one of
the expectations.
Non-Traditional
Area
As a starting
place for new activities or traditional activities done in an innovative
way the Executive Director of LLLI will establish a new and non-traditional
Area.
Why "Area"?
As we look at the LLLI Bylaws, we see that we don't need to add new
structures to the parts defined in the LLLI Bylaws. Membership is open;
an LLL Leader is a "mother who has fulfilled LLLI requirements
for leadership and has been accredited by LLLI. A Leader shall be a
member of LLLI"; an LLL Group is "one or more persons meeting
in accordance with the purpose of LLLI under the guidance of one or
more Leaders"; an Area is "one or more Groups within the boundaries
established by the Executive Director with approval of the Board of
Directors."
Areas (and other
arrangements) will take shape as Leaders experiment with new ways to
achieve our shared purpose. While they will still include the basic
elements of LLL philosophy, policies, and agreements, the specifics
of the "frameworks" will change as we learn together.
Questions
and Answers
We have developed
a question and answer document in an effort to help you find answers
to questions about these additional ways of working and learning together.
You may also want to add to the questions, submit new ones, and/or write
responses. There may be many right answers to some questions. A copy
will follow in a separate message, for those who are interested. It
will also be on the web site at: www.lalecheleague.org/BOD/questions
.html.
If you would like to write further questions or answers, please email
to Trudy Hartt, THartt at llli.org (email), and Rachel O'Leary, roleary at llli.org
(email).
Task Force-Image
of LLLI
At the same
time, the LLLI Board will establish a task force to focus on the image
of LLLI. It may be helpful to borrow the word "brand," a word
used in the corporate world to cover a logo and all that it means. It
will ask and begin to answer the question, "What do we want the
image of LLLI and our overall brand to signify in the world?" Our
"brand" is our total set of values, the experiences that make
LLL and working with LLL what it is. It would include (but not be limited
to) our philosophy of mothering through breastfeeding; the way we work
and learn through mother-to-mother/peer support. Many Leaders are concerned
about mixing causes. A clear understanding about the intended meaning
of the brand "La Leche League" will help Leaders protect the
image of La Leche League and minimize potential conflict as we go about
our work in different ways.
The Board welcomes
your comments and questions. Please write to LLLIBOD at llli.org (email)
or Trudy Hartt, Board Secretary, 302 Acadia Drive, Beaconsfield, Quebec
Canada H9W 2K2.
Page last edited Sun Oct 14 09:31:04 UTC 2007.
