Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Cohousing Conference-Work Participation

[Robert Heinich (robert_heinich]

Patty,

Would you be kind enough to post what your group uses to make it crystal clear 
to prospects about the expectations of work tasks.  (I am hoping it is captured 
in a document.)

- Robert Heinich
  Eno Commons
  Durham, NC

--- pattymara [at] juno.com wrote:



Thank you Becky!  
I very much enjoyed reading about the conference and your thoughts that emerged 
about work participation.  I walked into our Tierra Nueva common house a few 
days ago and saw our two common house co-managers mulling over their lists of 
tasks, wondering how to "nudge" those who aren't contributing much energy to 
the flow.  It is a real issue for all of us living in community.  

One aspect of this issue that we have learned just recently is to be crystal 
clear about the expectations of work tasks to prospective buyers and renters, 
*before* they open escrow or sign a lease. This expectation includes committee 
work, meals and maintenance tasks.   Our hope is that faced with the reality of 
how much work is expected, a prospective resident might self-select themselves 
out.  Of course, this may not happen, but at least we will be clear from the 
beginning about our agreements. 

We have been living here in Tierra Nueva for five years this summer...and the 
rhythm of participation in community work seems to be about the same now as it 
was during our development and construction phases.  There is a core group of 
folk who contribute time and energy with joy and passion.  They cycle in and 
out as life changes and other stressors come and go.  Then there is a loyal 
circle of helpers who do the work fairly regularly, with measured enjoyment, or 
maybe even some discomfort, but they do Show Up.  And you know the rest:  a 
small sample of folks who are invisible.  They rarely attend meals or meetings, 
don't serve on a committee and pretty much skate around the edges of community 
life.  We seem to have accepted this as part of the reality of group life, but 
we keep trying to find new ways to nudge, appreciate and motivate.    

To all of you who attended: how about more posts about the conference?  

Patty Mara, Tierra Nueva, central CA coast



________________________________________________________________
The best thing to hit the internet in years - Juno SpeedBand!
Surf the web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER!
Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today!
_______________________________________________
Cohousing-L mailing list
Cohousing-L [at] cohousing.org  Unsubscribe  and other info:
http://www.cohousing.org/cohousing-L

_______________________________________________
Cohousing-L mailing list
Cohousing-L [at] cohousing.org  Unsubscribe  and other info:
http://www.cohousing.org/cohousing-L