Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: workshare -age/household

[patjavcc (patjavcc]

Hi!
 
At Jamaica Plain Cohousing (Boston) we require 4 hours per month per adult.  We 
define this as age 16 or older.  We expect the parents of younger kids to 
decide what work the kids should do.  What ends up happening is that the kids 
pretty much just pick up after themselves (cleaning the kids room for example.) 
 The teens don't do anything (one exception) on a regular basis. But we've been 
very successful in catching a teen as they walk by and saying, 'can you lend a 
hand' and they always do.  (One time we got one of our teens and his 3 
'buddies' to help plant some very heavy trees.  The friends were like, "gee, 
thanks for inviting us over Bill".  Cute.)
 
So, we don't base it on household, we base it on adult.  We're a new community 
(moved in last June) and we're working out the problems.  One problem is that 
some of us work 10-15 hours a month and others don't work at all.  But we are 
addressing this.
 
Good luck! 
 
Patti Lautner
JPCohousing Boston
 
-----Original Message-----
From: JSutcliffe2005 [at] comcast.net
To: cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org
Sent: Fri, 10 Mar 2006 18:30:07 +0000
Subject: [C-L]_ workshare -age/household


Hello -
Our community has been investigating the number of hours due in workshare.

How does your community set workshare hour requirements?  By household, period? 
 
By number of adults in the household?  By number of persons over 12yo?

Originally, the workshare agreement set forth by the founders required 4 hours 
of workshare per person 12 yo or older.

Our community is considering a proposal that says 8 hours of workshare per 
household per month.  
An exception is  any household that has only 1 person over 12yo.  That 
household 
is responsible for 4 hours.  All households that have 2 people over 12 yo do 8 
hours per month.  

I am asking how other communities have defined workshare requirements: by age 
or 
by adult or by household.  If so, how has that worked for you?   

I am especially interested in comments regarding the age cut off.

The workshare requirements were re-visited in order to help make the community 
more attractive to potential buyers.

Some info about our community.... lot model.... 150+ acres.... 2 families moved 
in; 3 families actively building; 1 family designing, and 2 other families.  7 
- 
2 adult households; 1 single adult household....18 lots total.... (it's a 
beautiful place!  Check out our website!)

Thank you,
Jane
Catoctin Creek Village
Loudoun County, VA
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