Men's Issues, Men's Support, Men's Training, Men's Community

Brothers,

This “talking point update” is meant to inform and begin feedback conversations among the new board of trustees (BOT) executive director (ED), center directory (CD), center administrator (CA) and NWTA coordinator.  The new Board is asking men to become engaged in these conversations at I-groups, local councils and events.   How do we continue to build on the success of our Northwest Center?  Your ideas and input are necessary.

Fairly early on we, as newly-designated trustees, asked the key question of what MKPNW should do, for whom, at what cost. For the past few years we have been putting on trainings for an uncertain audience at a significant deficit, mostly financed by new brothers who attend the NWTA. We determined that our primary mission should be holding NWTA’s for the growth and empowerment of MKPNW men at a very slight profit. Our moral owners are MKPNW men, both at trainings and in I Groups, with secondary benefits to their families and communities. Toward this goal we seek to stop financial losses, stop expecting new initiates to fund operations, end deficit spending and return more to the past model of empowered leadership in local communities. Mature masculinity steps up to pay its own way and to support its brothers through service in the world.

1. Since MKPI holds the copyrighted material we currently use for running our NWTAs and has recently restructured their Council to reflect one vote per world wide region,  MKPUSA is now in the process of restructuring.  MKPUSA’s current plan is to have local centers across the US develop into regional centers run by them.  Much like we are already doing.  Ultimately, this will require us to decide whether to join them or stay separate.  Currently, we have the rest of 2012 and possibly into 2013 to make this decision.  Careful consideration is paramount here as consequences are big either way we decide to go.
2. Our current business model is mostly based on holding NWTAs and other licensed trainings that generate revenue which is shared with MKPUSA, with relatively little focus on personal and community development outside individual I-Groups.
3. We are currently developing a structure (as diagrammed above) that would split the traditional role of “Center Director” as described in our covenant with MKPUSA into a community-focused Executive Directer (XD) and a covenant-focused Center Director (CD) for management of our relations with MKPUSA.  The CD would be primarily responsible for running NWTAs and other MKPUSA “covenant trainings.” The XD would be responsible for regional development and growing mature masculinity at the local and center level.
4. The Community Congress (CC) is to be made up of many different constituencies and members of the center.  The CC will support the CD in helping to promote and put on NWTA-related trainings. As importantly, the XD will work with the CC to develop other leadership and competencies at more local levels, such as I-Groups and service to the world.

The Community Congress

• becomes the eyes, ears, heart and hands for support of men in I-Groups, trainings and more
• supports the volunteer BOT and paid staff
• enhances communications between local men through I-Groups for best practices
• acts as a source of men stepping up volunteering to get things done
• provides timely feedback to the CD, XD and BOT
• nominates men to serve on BOT and other roles etc…

As of mid-January 2012, our current structure proposal is to have the BOT act as XD while we develop a clearer job description and find the right person to spearhead local leadership development beyond the NWTA.

Northwest Center Business

1. The BOT is currently drafting an annual operating plan (AOP) for 2012 to reflect 4 NWTAs, and reduced paid staff.  Further discussion is needed with regards to scholarship fund and staff/MOS fees around increasing costs.  PIT leader stipends are being discussed.  Ongoing discussions center around returning to a previous, more volunteer basis.
2. As of Jan 11, the BOT has voted to reduce PIT Leader and Co-leader stipends by half for 2012, and further reduce to zero in 2013.  The intention here is to reframe paid leadership into an act of service.  Along with this the BOT is looking at how we can engage I-groups to be of service in helping to run PITs for the one or two men that come through, when there are not enough men in an area to deliver a PIT run by certified leaders.

Northwest Center Legal: Rory Bowman as Secretary and Fred Bromley as Treasurer of the BOT are on top of legal documents that need to be filed by end of year.  Robert Crowell as acting CD is dealing with getting the 2012 Covenant with MKP prepared for signature by Nelson Oostenink as President of the BOT.

Northwest Center Enrollment & Scholarship Fund

1. As the result of a long standing accounts receivable problem, the BOT is currently looking at how to deal with scholarships.  Discussions have been around moving scholarship out of the business of the enrollment coordinator and to be handled at the local level.
2. In order to ensure stability in the delivery of our first two NWTAs in 2012, the BOT has authorized use of the standard amount previously allocated per weekend ($2000 aim, up to $2500 per weekend) from existing scholarship fund, with the understanding that the fund will continue to receive funds throughout the year to replenish it.
3. BOT is holding the vision and intention to further engage leaders from each community to participate as “outreach mentors or sponsors” for potential NWTA attendees.  These mentors or sponsors would assist a new man by walking with him through the enrollment process and beyond the NWTA, making sure he gets into a PIT or I-group.   Understanding his financial needs if any and arranging for the local communities help.  Holds the new man accountable for his financial commitments to the Center and his community.  Works in concert with the Enrollment Coordinator to ensure paperwork,logistics, etc. are addressed.

Other Northwest Center Trainings

1. Current proposal is to look at having another Chataqua.  Need to find point person, date and location.  We have already checked with Sky Camp, outside of Eugene, OR and there is no time slot available in July except the 4th and this does not work.  Other possibilities might be a BLM or Forest Service camp ground that supports a large group.  Adam Cummings is currently checking on this and will report back.
2. OTHER TRAININGS proposed for delivery in 2012 by MKPNW include an advanced facilitation training (Guts 2) and LT1.  Proposed dates for Guts 2 are March 31-April 1 and June 9-10 for LT 1.  These dates are being checked on for confirmation.
3. BOT will continue to evaluate delivering other MKP trainings such as Gateway trainings, further leadership development, multicultural, etc. and is interested in hearing from membership about which trainings are of interest.
4. The BOT is discussing developing relationships with other non profit organizations.

Northwest Center IT & Communication

1. The BOT is discussing the best way to develop a communications plan within our Center.  Rory Bowman and Adam Cummings from the BOT are working along with XD,CD, CA and Weekend Coordinator to accomplish this task.
2. Current intention is to begin using the MKPNW.ORG blog (through WordPress platform) as the central forum for communicating out to the membership, and ensure that MKPNW’s Facebook and Twitter relationships are tied to that site for automatic updates.
3. BOT intends to have a schedule of topics to further educate membership on how to get more involved & take most advantage of the resources available to them through MKP and MKPNW
4. Mailman lists in the CAA will continue to be used for each community as they have been with the direction to further audit the intention, management, and use of said lists.
5. BOT will consider additional communication tools such as a community calendar and a quarterly newsletter containing highlights from the website “blog” communications.

Some Key Terms and Acronyms

• Bylaws = MKPNW’s internal “constitution” as an Oregon Nonprofit Corporation under ORS 65.
• CA = Center Administrator, the person who handles much of our local center’s paperwork.
• CC = Community Congress,  “the central democratic structure for coordination of the organization” as defined in section 8 of our new MKPNW bylaws.
• CD = Center Director, managing the MKPNW “covenant” with MKPUSA around NWTA’s and other licensed trainings.
• Covenant = The legal agreement between MKPNW and MKPUSA, as authorized by MKPI.
• BOT = Board of Trustees, the legally liable board of directors for the corporation as required by ORS 65.
• MKPI = Mankind Project International, the corporation governing and overseeing MKP worldwide.
• MKPNW = ManKind Project Northwest, an Oregon corporation organized under ORS 65.
• MKPUSA = The US corporation which provide IRS 501(c)3 status to MKPNW and with which MKPNW has an annual “covenant” allowing us to put on licensed trainings such as the NWTA.
• ORS 65 = The law under which MKPNW is organized and recognized by the State of Oregon.
• XD = Executive Director, the single employee hired and supervised by the BOT, responsible for convening  and chairing the community congress and supervision of CD and other paid staff.