Proposal 4: Common Duties of Trusted Servants
Add text of common duties as (shown at the end of this proposal) to the “New Trusted Servant Letter.”
Rationale
There is no mention anywhere of the common duties that have developed from time and issues arising. Further, not all job descriptions contain a reference or link to the Common Duties. The welcome letter informs the new TS where they can find the job description, but unless they are curious and investigate the site, the common duties can be overlooked. I for one have found answers to many questions and a tried and true guideline in that piece of literature and would like to see it brought up to the awareness of the incoming Trusted Servant. It is as simple as adding it to the bottom of the letter already being sent out to new trusted servants.
New Trusted Servant Letter as amended (see bottom for new language shown in red):
Dear [ Name of New Trusted Servant ],
Thank you for volunteering for the position of [ Trusted Servant Position ].
You are replacing [name of past trusted servant] in this position. She will send you any up-to-date lists and/or letter templates you will need to fulfill your duties. She will also mentor you as you transition into your new job. Her email address is [email address of past trusted servant]. If you have not heard from her, we encourage you to contact her now.
Please review your job description immediately. Each job description has been established by group conscience. If your job requires making periodic announcements to the group, please do so as outlined in your job description. Letters/announcements are also a matter of group conscience, developed to ensure a consistent message to all GROW members. Other than including your own name and contact information where appropriate, please do not change the text of the message.
If you have not yet received information from the outgoing [ Trusted Servant Position ], you can access your job description and any letter templates needed for your job on the GROW website.
Trusted Servant job descriptions are described here.
List of Trusted Servant letter templates are here.
Sometimes a job can feel a little scary. If you have *any* questions, please ask. Along with your mentor, the Steering Committee is here to answer questions and support you in your service to GROW. As GROW Secretary, I am the primary contact for trusted servants. You are also welcome to email any one of the Steering Committee members listed at the end of this email.
If you find yourself unable to fulfill your obligations, temporarily or otherwise, please let me or another Steering Committee member know immediately. We will ensure that your tasks are carried out in your absence.
Again, thank you for your service to GROW. Service work is important to individual recovery, and it is essential to the well-being of our group. We hope you find serving GROW to be a rewarding experience.
Trusted Servant Common Duties
The following describes duties that are common expectations for all Trusted Servants.
- Must be a member of Business List
- Smooth and uninterrupted volunteer service to GROW depends upon your ability to carry out your commitments. If a Trusted Servant finds that she cannot meet all the duties listed in her Job Description, she will inform the Secretary and/or Business Meeting Chair that she is unable to fulfill her responsibilities. Working with the Trusted Servant and the Steering Committee, the Secretary and/or Business Chair will then seek alternatives for assuring all duties are covered (including securing a temporary back-up or advertising the position on the main list). If a member of the Steering Committee is concerned that not all items in a job description are being met, she may bring her concern to Secretary and/or Business Meeting Chair, who will work with the Trusted Servant to assure their duties are covered.
- Must be able to reply to business and steering committee email within 48 hours. If unable to do so, should inform the steering committee in advance, or in the case of a computer related problem, make every effort to telephone another group member who can let the Steering Committee know.
- Lack of response to business, steering committee, or direct personal email by another trusted servant for a period of seven consecutive days will be reason for a temporary replacement chosen by the steering committee.
- Lack of response to business, steering committee, or direct personal email by another trusted servant for a period of fourteen consecutive days will be reason for temporary replacement by steering committee until a permanent replacement can be chosen by the next business meeting.
- Provide successor with all necessary information, including job guidelines and letter templates, and serve as a mentor for a period of time to ensure continuity of service.
- Be able to cut, copy, paste, and save to a folder.
Summary of Discussions (Trusted Servant Common Duties)
Six (6) participants made substantive comments on the proposal to include the text of “Trusted Servant Common Duties” in the New Trusted Servant Letter. All of the comments supported the proposal without modification or edits.
Voting Results
Fourteen (14) participants voted on Proposal 4.3 which would add the Trusted Servant Common Duties to the end of the existing “New Trusted Servant Letter.”
The vote was unanimous in support of the proposal. Therefore, it is approved and adopted as a Group Conscience decision.
Group Conscience Decision:
Add the Common Duties of Trusted Servants to the bottom of the “New Trusted Servant Letter.”
New Trusted Servant Letter as amended:
Dear [ Name of New Trusted Servant ],
Thank you for volunteering for the position of [ Trusted Servant Position ].
You are replacing [name of past trusted servant] in this position. She will send you any up-to-date lists and/or letter templates you will need to fulfill your duties. She will also mentor you as you transition into your new job. Her email address is [email address of past trusted servant]. If you have not heard from her, we encourage you to contact her now.
Please review your job description immediately. Each job description has been established by group conscience. If your job requires making periodic announcements to the group, please do so as outlined in your job description. Letters/announcements are also a matter of group conscience, developed to ensure a consistent message to all GROW members. Other than including your own name and contact information where appropriate, please do not change the text of the message.
If you have not yet received information from the outgoing [ Trusted Servant Position ], you can access your job description and any letter templates needed for your job on the GROW website.
Trusted Servant job descriptions are described here. (Link to relevant job description)
List of Trusted Servant letter templates are here. (Link to relevant job description)
Sometimes a job can feel a little scary. If you have *any* questions, please ask. Along with your mentor, the Steering Committee is here to answer questions and support you in your service to GROW. As GROW Secretary, I am the primary contact for trusted servants. You are also welcome to email any one of the Steering Committee members listed at the end of this email.
If you find yourself unable to fulfill your obligations, temporarily or otherwise, please let me or another Steering Committee member know immediately. We will ensure that your tasks are carried out in your absence.
Again, thank you for your service to GROW. Service work is important to individual recovery, and it is essential to the well-being of our group. We hope you find serving GROW to be a rewarding experience.
Trusted Servant Common Duties
The following describes duties that are common expectations for all Trusted Servants:
- Must be a member of Business List
- Smooth and uninterrupted volunteer service to GROW depends upon your ability to carry out your commitments. If a Trusted Servant finds that she cannot meet all the duties listed in her Job Description, she will inform the Secretary and/or Business Meeting Chair that she is unable to fulfill her responsibilities. Working with the Trusted Servant and the Steering Committee, the Secretary and/or Business Chair will then seek alternatives for assuring all duties are covered (including securing a temporary back-up or advertising the position on the main list). If a member of the Steering Committee is concerned that not all items in a job description are being met, she may bring her concern to Secretary and/or Business Meeting Chair, who will work with the Trusted Servant to assure their duties are covered.
- Must be able to reply to business and steering committee email within 48 hours. If unable to do so, should inform the steering committee in advance, or in the case of a computer related problem, make every effort to telephone another group member who can let the Steering Committee know.
- Lack of response to business, steering committee, or direct personal email by another trusted servant for a period of seven consecutive days will be reason for a temporary replacement chosen by the steering committee.
- Lack of response to business, steering committee, or direct personal email by another trusted servant for a period of fourteen consecutive days will be reason for temporary replacement by steering committee until a permanent replacement can be chosen by the next business meeting.
- Provide successor with all necessary information, including job guidelines and letter templates, and serve as a mentor for a period of time to ensure continuity of service.
- Be able to cut, copy, paste, and save to a folder.