tory paez

Background: We were warned during our Pre-Service Training (PST) that community members will express a ton of interest in project work when you first arrive to site and it will dwindle as projects begin to get more difficult (please see the last photo at the bottom of this page :] ). As we looked at the amazing members of the Tourism Collective, we knew it would be important to develop a working agreement, not only between us and them, but also between each other. Because of the small size of the community, there was historical animosity amongst some of the members, including hesitations to trust and work alongside them on major initiatives. Though many volunteers first step to an assembled group is to obtain official recognized status ("cedula juridica"), we wanted to try a different route! The process to obtain a cedula juridica is long (6-12 months) and requires many administrative documentation and fees (which we don't have the capacity nor funds to complete at this point). Instead we hoped to focus on tangible project work. We aim to tackle ideas that can be accomplished with the assembled group to determine their level of commitment, establish trust amongst one another, and actually make a difference in the community. 

 

Purpose: To develop a common understanding of how a team will work together, including collective goals, shared attendance and attitude expectations, and communication preferences 

 

Audience: Isla de Chira community members (tourism-related organizations)

 

Materials:

• Working agreement

• Pen

 

Lesson Learned: As the group became larger, I wish we would have re-visited our initial agreement to make tweaks, add to it, or perhaps remove less relevant items. It would have given more buy-in to the new members and feel less like a contract that they didn't help construct. 

 

Our Success Agreement:

• Respond to text messages, phone calls, and/or Facebook messages in 24 hours

• Attend confirmed meetings

• Inform my team if I am unable to attend at least four hours before the meeting

• Have a positive attitude and an open mind 

• Express my ideas, suggestions, and doubts openly with my team

• Work together with other businesses and community members on the island