June 13 1998

 

To: Ecosig Conference Attendees

From : Anne Hempel

Re: Revised Organizational Goals

 

Revised Ecosig 1998-1999 Organizational Goals

 

General Strategy:

 

We will prioritize rebuilding our membership and national volunteer staff, building our income sources, and strategizing a defense to yearly turnover of members and leaders.

 

Our goal is to become a sustainable organization. To foster a strong movement spirit and sense of camaraderie throughout the organization.

 

  1. Our membership goal will be to maintain, strengthen, and broaden the base of members.

 

We can lay the groundwork by:

 

  1. HAVING A STRONG PRESENCE at the Kobe Renewers’ conference and Tokyo Orientations of JET. We need to ensure that we have a workshop slot at Tokyo, and then plan an effective workshop. We need to get permission to put the Tree of Life on display and have a plan to get it there. Clearly publicize that the Tree is an Ecosig campaign with information on how to become a member, other project information and Environment Action Guides (EAGs) on sale.
  2. Improving our relationship with AJET. This means keeping in regular contact with the officers and filling out the paperwork on time. (National Coordinator’s responsibilities) and following up on any and every correspondence. There is an official policy that at Kobe and Tokyo they will process and advertise for Ecosig membership only for AJET members. But we can process our own membership during the conferences and any time during the year to whomever we please. The benefits of good relations with AJET is the free advertising to 5,000 JETs and the administrational duties they perform for us at Kobe and Tokyo, for which we pay NO admin fee, and the workshop in Tokyo, and using the AJET network to publicize events etc. Also, we should develop an inter sig exchange where we can advertise through other SIG newsletters.
  3. Developing strong local chapters – for example Ecosig Gunma chapter, Yokohama chapter, Okinawa chapter (prefecture, city or island etc) . This of course doesn’t just mean JETs. A membership drive plan should be developed targeting foreign English teachers, residents and JAPANESE. We are turning the newsletter bilingual for that purpose. One way to expand our membership is allowing people to join through our website. We need someone to develop our website. Also we should set up a university internship program that will tap into a whole group of enthusiastic Japanese young people. they can help translate articles for the newsletter, and a lot of project work.
  4. Building coalitions – by contacting and working with more environmental organisations in Japan. For example, our relationship with JEE has developed into working on a global warming publications together! We can do this also by setting up and maintaining our website ensuring links to other environmental NGO’s. Also by developing more relationships with environmentally friendly businesses, health foods, healing, etc. For example, our relationship with Tengu has developed into them possibly selling the EAG’s and offering a discount on foods for Ecosig members!
  5. Developing strong projects – like BEE, Earth Day, Tree of Life to ensure that people are inspired to join ecosig because they attended or volunteered for an event.
  6. Increasing our visibility – through our website, media and publicity. For example – develop coverage techniques – news release, news conference, media event, public service announcement, letter to the editor, radio feed, editorial board meeting, talk shows, etc. getting a Japanese student intern that heads media. Publicity tabling and announcements at conferences, meetings, meetings and group presentations. Make logo buttons and wear them while passing out brochures at concerts, events, post flyers. Guerilla theatre, exhibits, displays at town halls, community centres, schools. Banners, electronic signs, door hangers, chalking on sidewalks.

 

  1. Our national volunteer staff’s goal is to recruit new leaders every year to fill our positions who are excited about ecosig and have the commitment, vision and desire to build the overall health of the organisation. This core group will take leadership in project work, contribute to the newsletter, attend and lead workshops at national conferences, help develop leadership skills in others, work to minimise conflict and maximise accomplishments.

 

We can lay the groundwork by:

  1. MAINTAINING AND DEFINING CLEAR POSITION DESCRIPTIONS – this includes any relevant background information, specific duties and responsibilities, suggestions to improve efficiency and output.
  2. ADVERTISE LEADERSHIP POSITIONS - Through various means, the newsletter, project volunteers and committees, website and at conferences and events, AJET publications etc.
  3. IDENTIFY POSSIBLE LEADERS – and ask them to take on a position.
  4. SUPPORT AND GUIDE – new national volunteer staff by supplying information and being available for questions.

 

  1. Our financial goal is to secure, expand and diversify our funding to provide us with the means to operate successfully and get more done.

 

We can lay the groundwork by:

  1. TIGHTLY MONITORING EXPENDITURES AND INCOME for the year. Develop a budget for projects, newsletter, mailings and telephone expenditures.
  2. INCREASING PUBLICATION SALES – by publicizing our EAG through bookstores, businesses, public universities and schools. Publish the Classroom companion and a Global Warming publication with JEE. Sell at the website.
  3. ORGANISING LOCAL FUNDRAISERS – develop a plan for local chapters to see EAGs on consignment with a percentage going towards their Earth Day and other events. Put some fundraising ideas in the newsletter – ‘Organic Spaghetti Dinner’ educating people about pesticides – advance tickets for sale. Raise money by making an "ad book" for your event-have businesses place an ad (not unlike AJET does in their conference guide books).
  4. DEVELOPING A CLEAR POLICY - on who to target for funds – obviously not big businesses who pollute, partisan political interests etc
  5. RESEARCHING AND APPLY FOR GRANT MONEY – a good project for a Japanese university intern.

 

I want to go home