2006 ACFCGN annual conference decisions
ITEM 1: Purpose of ACFCGN
The ACFCGN is a national association of city farms, community gardens and partners which:
- promotes development of community gardens, city farms, schools gardens, urban agriculture
- provides forums for strengthening ties, sharing information, and collaboration between projects
ITEM 2: Proposal for an ACFCGN Executive: 2006-2007
Role:
- provide reports back to the ACFCGN about the progress on annual tasks
- organising and facilitating the national networking sessions at the annual conference; including coordinating the agenda for national networking prior to the conference
Process:
- ACFCGN Executive includes representatives from each state who are elected annually
- the Executive is empowered to make decisions in line with direction established by the ACFCGN at its national conference
- discussions and decisions will take place by a separate list-server email – called ‘ACFCGN Executive’
Qualifiers:
- a minimum 2 weeks of discussion (via email) by the Executive is required before any decisions are ratified
- decisions are carried when 80 per cent of the Executive are in agreement
- when Executive members are silent during discussion it is assumed that there is no objection and that they are in agreement.
ITEM 3: Long-term objectives…
- Develop a coherent national organisation which informs, represents, and supports community gardens
- Provide information about community gardens and links to resources to the wider community
- Promote the benefits of Community Gardens at a national level
- Raise the profile of Community Gardens at a National Level
- Develop organizational structures that reflect the long-term vision of the ACFCGN
- Create a strong, sustainable organisation that takes care of people, relationships & internal processes
3.1. Develop a coherent national organisation which informs, represents, and supports community gardens
Strategies:
- provide infrastructure for sharing of information between projects – email, website, newsletter, etc
- maps and databases about current projects and resources
- organise conferences and other national/regional link-ups
- facilitate worker/volunteer exchange between projects
3.2. Provide information about community gardens and links to resources to the wider community
Strategies:
- providing online information – maps, databases, research, etc
- development of presentation/starter packs for new gardens, councils, etc
- links/resources for specific interest groups- eg schools.
3.3 Promote the benifits of Community Gardens at a national level
Strategies:
- develop policy framework
- promote research which measures and demonstrates the effectiveness of community gardens
- build relationship with relevant levels of government.
3.4. Raise the profile of Community Gardens at a National Level
Strategies:
- promote the existence of community gardens around Australia
- create a national award which recognises excellence in community gardening
- build relationship with relevant levels of government.
3.5. Develop organizational structures that reflect the long-term vision of the ACFCGN
Strategies:
- clear, agreed upon mission, vision and aims
- appropriate organizational structure to suit and achieve the vision and aims
- membership system.
3.6 Create a strong, sustainable organisation that takes care of people, relationships & internal processes
Strategies:
- work within available resources – ie not burn out members/contributors
- develop partnerships with other relevant organizations
- develop a range of income sources; eg: membership fees, corporate support (need to clarify what this would be), direct funding, project funding.
ITEM 4: Formation of ACFCGN Action Teams
- ACFCGN Executive
- Conference Team
- Organisational Development Team
- Strategic Planning Team
- ACFCGN Survey Team
- Grants and Funding Team
- National Community Garden Awards Team
4.1 ACFCGN Executive for ’06-’07
Role:
- provide reports back to the ACFCGN about the progress on annual tasks
- organising and facilitating the national networking sessions at the annual conference, including coordinating the agenda for national networking prior to the conference.
Process:
- ACFCGN Executive includes representatives from each state who are elected annually
- the executive is empowered to make decisions in line with direction established by the ACFCGN at its national conference
- discussions and decisions will take place by a separate list-server email – called ‘ACFCGN Executive’.
Qualifiers:
- a minimum 2 weeks of discussion (via email) by the Executive is required before any decisions are ratified
- decisions are carried when 80% of the Executive are in agreement
- when Executive members are silent during discussion – it is assumed that there is no objection + that they are in agreement.
4.2. Conference Team
Role:
- organisation of the 2007 ACFCGN Conference, April, Melbourne.
NB: Conference organising kits to assist with this processs are available from both the QLD and SA community garden networks.
4.3. Organisational Development Team
Role:
- finalise organisation description – purpose / objectives / role of the Executive – for final approval by ACFCGN Executive
- develop membership criteria
- develop process for how ACFCGN Executive is elected
- research organisational legal structures and make recommendations to the ACFCGN Executive.
NB: Needs a minimum of 2 people
4.4. Strategic Planning Team
Role:
- develop a plan for direction of the ACFCGN for the next 3-5 years
- design a process for undertaking this planning
- use organisational description (purpose, objectives, etc) from the Organisation Team
- have the process underway by the next ACFCGN Conference
NB: At least one person from each state to be in this team.
4.5 ACFCGN Survey Team
Role:
- promote the survey in each state/region through contacting gardens in each state
- support gardeners in filling out surveys
- collate the data that cannot be done on-line (eg via mail)
- develop a plan for mapping the community gardens across Australia.
NB: It may be possible to seek funding support for the mapping part of this project.
4.6 Grants and Funding Team
Role:
- create a database for funding options for community garden projects and networks
- assist with whatever capacity is available to support community garden projects with the process of grant applications.
4.7. National Community Garden Awards Team
Role:
- develop criteria for national awards
- design a nomination process
- provide the outline/time-frame of awards to Executive for approval, and then to listserver.
ITEM 5: Immediate action for 2006
| Action | Who | When |
| Fiona Campbell | Set up Executive listserver | Urgent |
| Russ Grayson | Follow-up Tasmanian involvement on ACFCGN Executive, Survey Administration and Strategic Planning | asap |
| Brad Shone | Follow-up Northern Territory involvement on ACFCGN Executive, Survey Administration, and Strategic Planning | asap |
| Person wanted for this job | Follow-up SA involvement on ACFCGN Executive, and Strategic Planning | asap |
| Person wanted for this job | Follow-up with ACFCGN through list-server to promote need for more involvement in the ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT TEAM as this team is responsible for finalising some core definitions / goals, etc | asap |