Question 9: Time & Commitment

[Maple Leaf]

With the committee members being spread out wide across the UK, the committee meetings are held online (normally works out at about 8- 9 meetings per year) and allow the commitee to keep a written record (in previous years the minutes were created from the text based dialogue of the meeting - but I'm sure if the committee meetings held last year were written or voice).

However, there are limited things that can be discussed online in 1.5 to 2 hours and therefore the meetings should be used to make final decisions with the initial discussion happening in the committee forums or within sub-committees.

One of my personal frustrations when I was on the committee was that not all members were connecting between meetings. There was periods of weeks and sometime months between a committee member participating in the committe forums or even logging in! (From my observations over the past year, I believe this is still the case)

I know this is a voluntary job, but I don't see how the committee can do all the things they should be doing with only 2 hrs of discussion every 4-6wks. These days with most people having smart phones and access to the Internet, it isn't difficult to set up alerts for posts and interact and communicate with the rest of the team.

Naturally, there are some job roles that will require more time than others (or at specific times of the month/year) but the most important thing is that the committee works as a team to get things progressed.


Therefore, my question is:

How much time do you think you need to commit to the GAGB in a week?

How much time do you actually have to give?

[Griff Grof]

I completely agree with you. I can think of several ideas which have rolled over from one meeting to the next, with no progress simply as there hasn’t been discussion in between!

I think the issue is that most people don’t like forums. I am not one of those people, but the times have changed. This year, we have had a committee group chat on Facebook. I think the plan is to copy and paste that chat into a forum thread for the record. This group chat has helped ideas progress a little bit, but not much. I haven’t noticed a huge difference.

Obviously, we’re volunteers and life gets in the way. I think that’s the main reason behind tasks not getting completed. I’ve been busy at times as well.

If re-elected, my time commitment would vary. I am a student, which means that I could perhaps only contribute an hour or so a week. In the holidays (December - Jan, March - April, June - October) I would have a lot more time to commit. In the past, I have spent whole days working on a task. So I reckon that I could commit at least a whole morning/afternoon, and up to a day or two, a week. It would ultimately depend on the tasks I have to complete, so it could be more or less. The important thing for me would be to ensure everything is completed, no matter how long it takes.

[geocaching womble]

That's a good question.

If elected I believe that I should be a devoting at least minimum of 8 hours a week to the committee and I currently have a lot of time on my hands at the moment to ensure actions are relevantly completed
(I may not be online all the time, but I will be working to improve and enhance the community at all times whether it is running events, completing tasks, editing Seeker, running the GLAD or whatever role I may get. I promise I will do the job to the best of my ability and make sure any problems are immediately rectified as soon as I become aware of them. I will be logging in daily and I will be actively encouraging existing members to engage with the organisation as well as new ones. (Even if this requires a change to the constitution to enable this) I will also be regularly attending events as far as reasonably possible to make people feel heard by the committee.

[Leonards193]

I agree, yet again, with Arthur. Time available does vary depending on what else you have going on in your life.

I am not really a forum user, as it's simply not a form of communication I am used to using, but that does not stop me getting done those things I agree to do in the meetings.

I have found our communication via Facebook group chats and email pretty efficient, and will carry on that way.

Yes, it's frustrating to roll something over from one meeting to the next, but that's sometimes the way it is.

We are all volounteers doing our best

[UKCACHEMAG]

I hope to make much more time available should I be elected.

I am very conscious I need to step to this time.

[Antreid]

I'd like to spend a bit less time doing the admin things this year, if I can. I did a lot of other people's jobs and spent a lot of time raising money on Mega stands, despite Sharon and I having kids to whom we have a responsibility (I do enjoy their company too!), and me having a job (like many of us). It'd be nice to share, and to be able to rely on the committee.

Sometimes we've been helped by friends. As I said in a previous answer, please let's see if there are a dozen or so friends of gagb who'd like to be involved in coin designs, roving events, Seeker articles, and other specific, small, contained tasks. That's going to mean that the committee are more effective, and we can each do our assigned role well. And even have time left for caching!

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[Grahamthegray]

Over the past year my circumstances have changed but in regards i normally check the website mailbox every other day to deal with user requests, and have regularly attended the monthly meetings, also helped man the stand at the Dearnford lake event and attended the Gnome Games. Couldn't do attend the Megas this year due to my work situation but if i had been available i would have been there, and hoping to be at next years Mega. Also chipped in time with writing seeker articles and helping to put together issues and combing through my photo archives. The website requires some constant monitoring looking for errors and changes with what is going on around the geocaching world.

[GCHarribo]

I will do my best to answer questions on social media and try and spend quite a lot of time on the social media and if you want me to post about a cool cache I will. And I’ll try and get on social media at school as well.


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[Maple Leaf]

Today I have printed and re-read all the minutes from the last year and it has been a bit of an eye opener.

When reading the minutes as they are published, I hadn't really realised how many items had just rolled on from meeting to meeting to meeting without any progress (and by the sound of it, not discussed between times).

This just confirms my thought that not all members of the committee are communicating with their sub teams or full committee between the meetings (as has happened in previous years with other committee members) or take their roles seriously.

I've picked out a few key examples and summarised the minutes from the 8 meetings.

AGM

Dec 2016 - AGM event first proposed by Adam R
Jan 2017 - Discussed
Mar 2017 - Dates proposed for a weekend in Oct 2017
Apr 2017 - Adam R not present and no update given
May 2017 - Adam R not present, but rest of committee said getting late too organise for Oct, so suggested April, which would coincide well with EOY accounts etc
July 2017 - Discussed, but no decisions made except will have to be April now. Adam to propose location
Sept 2017 - Adam has a couple of ideas for venues
Oct 2017 - Adam to find a venue & propose costs before next meeting

I hope that this gets sorted out ASAP as I feel it is a great opportunity for the GAGB to have a big weekend event (The 2012/13 committee had discussed a similar thing for 10yr anniversary in 2013, but then decided to have the annual CITO weekends instead to be able to interact with more people around the country).

Does it really take nearly a year to find a suitable venue and fix a date?



Romer/Business cards

This had also been discussed by the 2015/16 committee as the current cards were running low.

Dec 2016 - Adam R to take the lead on this, look at designs and discuss in committee forums.
Jan 2017 - Initial findings presented. Further research to be completed and a decision made between meetings.
Mar 2017 - No progress has been made. Carried over.
Apr 2017 - Adam R not present and no update given
May 2017 - Adam R not present and no update given
July 2017 - Adam is still looking at costs & alternatives.
Sept 2017 - Adam has another idea, but no designs/costs.
Oct 2017 - Discussion but no progress


GAGB tags/trackables

These had also been discussed by the 2015/16 committee (tags design based on GAGB logo)

Dec 2016 - Given to sub committee (Promotional team) to discuss.
Jan 2017 - No progress has been made, due to spending time on the coin. Sharon to get quotes for tags with GAGB logo
Mar 2017 - Tags in general (not the design) not approved by 2 members of committee. Put on hold and to be discussed futher
Apr 2017 - Carried forward until funds improved (as coin order needs to be placed)
May 2017 - Discussed alternative designs & 200 tags approved. Carried forward to committee forum
July 2017 - Agreed to confirm design by Sept, make in Oct/Nov and sell at Xmas events. Sub committee (Promotional) to confirm designs
Sept 2017 - Still no advance in designs.
Oct 2017 - No progress


Seeker

Background information: GAGB Seeker was launched in February 2011 (initially as an expansion of the GAGB newsletter) as a central resource for useful and information articles (as nothing else similar existed in the UK at that time).

It remained as a bi-monthly digital magazine publication until Countrymatters (editor & designer) left the committee in Dec 2014. The publication dates were then reduced to seasonal. I know it is hard to keep writing articles, but the job of the editor isn't to necessarily write articles, but to research and gather information/articles and keep to timeline.


Dec 2016 - Abi takes on the role as Editor of Seeker. Deadline for articles is 31st Dec, with publication in mid January
Jan 2017 - Seeker almost ready (Edition #31 was emailed to members on 3rd Feb)
Mar 2017 - Abi is on track for April publication
Apr 2017 - Still need more content
May 2017 - Abi requested help, but with help the aim is to get it finished soon (The 'Spring edition' became the 'Summer edition' and was eventually emailed to members on 4th July)
July 2017 - Abi not present. Last edition was late, so rolled into summer edition. Next edition due October (with annual reports)
Sept 2017 - Abi not present.
Oct 2017 - Abi not present, but has said that she can't be Editor for Autum edition (due this month) and Jamie has apologised as can't help with design. Ant to stand in as editor and Sharon/Graham to share publisher role. (was emailed to members on 23rd Oct)


The committee need someone motivated to act as Editor to keep on track to the planned quarterly dates (or even better have an interim regular newsletter, to keep your members informed about GAGB news/events etc)


Committee members holding GAGB funds

In the October minutes it states that some funds collected on behalf of GAGB many months ago still haven't (as of 18th Oct) been paid into the GAGB bank.

Surely this should have been done ASAP and certainly not still outstanding 5 and 11 months later. I hope that they have since been paid in, or at least will be before the end of committee year.


Roving events

Reading the new Q&A, candidates say they want to engage with new members / promote GAGB etc. The Roving events (proposed by Griff Grof two years ago) seemed an ideal opportunity. It is just a shame that not that many events have been held since they were first introduced - doesn't have to be anything fancy/large - a simple pub/cafe would be adequate (sometime the small ones are better as you have a chance to talk to people).


It would be great to see things being progressed next year which should free up time to discuss new things.

So, not really asking for any feedback/answers - just felt I would summarise my findings as it is relevant to my intial question.

[richlay]

Today I have printed and re-read all the minutes from the last year and it has been a bit of an eye opener.

When reading the minutes as they are published, I hadn't really realised how many items had just rolled on from meeting to meeting to meeting without any progress (and by the sound of it, not discussed between times).

This just confirms my thought that not all members of the committee are communicating with their sub teams or full committee between the meetings (as has happened in previous years with other committee members) or take their roles seriously.

I've picked out a few key examples and summarised the minutes from the 8 meetings.

AGM

Dec 2016 - AGM event first proposed by Adam R
Jan 2017 - Discussed
Mar 2017 - Dates proposed for a weekend in Oct 2017
Apr 2017 - Adam R not present and no update given
May 2017 - Adam R not present, but rest of committee said getting late too organise for Oct, so suggested April, which would coincide well with EOY accounts etc
July 2017 - Discussed, but no decisions made except will have to be April now. Adam to propose location
Sept 2017 - Adam has a couple of ideas for venues
Oct 2017 - Adam to find a venue & propose costs before next meeting

I hope that this gets sorted out ASAP as I feel it is a great opportunity for the GAGB to have a big weekend event (The 2012/13 committee had discussed a similar thing for 10yr anniversary in 2013, but then decided to have the annual CITO weekends instead to be able to interact with more people around the country).

Does it really take nearly a year to find a suitable venue and fix a date?



Romer/Business cards

This had also been discussed by the 2015/16 committee as the current cards were running low.

Dec 2016 - Adam R to take the lead on this, look at designs and discuss in committee forums.
Jan 2017 - Initial findings presented. Further research to be completed and a decision made between meetings.
Mar 2017 - No progress has been made. Carried over.
Apr 2017 - Adam R not present and no update given
May 2017 - Adam R not present and no update given
July 2017 - Adam is still looking at costs & alternatives.
Sept 2017 - Adam has another idea, but no designs/costs.
Oct 2017 - Discussion but no progress


GAGB tags/trackables

These had also been discussed by the 2015/16 committee (tags design based on GAGB logo)

Dec 2016 - Given to sub committee (Promotional team) to discuss.
Jan 2017 - No progress has been made, due to spending time on the coin. Sharon to get quotes for tags with GAGB logo
Mar 2017 - Tags in general (not the design) not approved by 2 members of committee. Put on hold and to be discussed futher
Apr 2017 - Carried forward until funds improved (as coin order needs to be placed)
May 2017 - Discussed alternative designs & 200 tags approved. Carried forward to committee forum
July 2017 - Agreed to confirm design by Sept, make in Oct/Nov and sell at Xmas events. Sub committee (Promotional) to confirm designs
Sept 2017 - Still no advance in designs.
Oct 2017 - No progress


Seeker

Background information: GAGB Seeker was launched in February 2011 (initially as an expansion of the GAGB newsletter) as a central resource for useful and information articles (as nothing else similar existed in the UK at that time).

It remained as a bi-monthly digital magazine publication until Countrymatters (editor & designer) left the committee in Dec 2014. The publication dates were then reduced to seasonal. I know it is hard to keep writing articles, but the job of the editor isn't to necessarily write articles, but to research and gather information/articles and keep to timeline.


Dec 2016 - Abi takes on the role as Editor of Seeker. Deadline for articles is 31st Dec, with publication in mid January
Jan 2017 - Seeker almost ready (Edition #31 was emailed to members on 3rd Feb)
Mar 2017 - Abi is on track for April publication
Apr 2017 - Still need more content
May 2017 - Abi requested help, but with help the aim is to get it finished soon (The 'Spring edition' became the 'Summer edition' and was eventually emailed to members on 4th July)
July 2017 - Abi not present. Last edition was late, so rolled into summer edition. Next edition due October (with annual reports)
Sept 2017 - Abi not present.
Oct 2017 - Abi not present, but has said that she can't be Editor for Autum edition (due this month) and Jamie has apologised as can't help with design. Ant to stand in as editor and Sharon/Graham to share publisher role. (was emailed to members on 23rd Oct)


The committee need someone motivated to act as Editor to keep on track to the planned quarterly dates (or even better have an interim regular newsletter, to keep your members informed about GAGB news/events etc)


Committee members holding GAGB funds

In the October minutes it states that some funds collected on behalf of GAGB many months ago still haven't (as of 18th Oct) been paid into the GAGB bank.

Surely this should have been done ASAP and certainly not still outstanding 5 and 11 months later. I hope that they have since been paid in, or at least will be before the end of committee year.


Roving events

Reading the new Q&A, candidates say they want to engage with new members / promote GAGB etc. The Roving events (proposed by Griff Grof two years ago) seemed an ideal opportunity. It is just a shame that not that many events have been held since they were first introduced - doesn't have to be anything fancy/large - a simple pub/cafe would be adequate (sometime the small ones are better as you have a chance to talk to people).


It would be great to see things being progressed next year which should free up time to discuss new things.

So, not really asking for any feedback/answers - just felt I would summarise my findings as it is relevant to my intial question.This is great detail and worthy of a wider audience than is likely to read on here. I note there are candidates that have not engaged with Q&A yet. In order for people to vote on worth rather than name, surely this needs higher prominence?

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[border caz]

Committee members holding GAGB funds

In the October minutes it states that some funds collected on behalf of GAGB many months ago still haven't (as of 18th Oct) been paid into the GAGB bank.

Surely this should have been done ASAP and certainly not still outstanding 5 and 11 months later. I hope that they have since been paid in, or at least will be before the end of committee year.



A slight misunderstanding in the minutes, some funds had been paid into the bank account but I was awaiting details, which I now have. The other matter is under investigation and will be resolved shortly, I hope. Certainly I expect all to be resolved before the new Committee takes over - note that one of these does actually relate to the previous year.

[abiherts]

Now that my children are all secondary school I am able to dedicate more time to GAGB should I be re-elected. The role of editor is quite a considerable one and I didn't realise how hard it is to obtain articles for the magazine with most people preferring to write for Cachemag or getting confused between the two.

[HouseofDragons]

I note there are candidates that have not engaged with Q&A yet. In order for people to vote on worth rather than name, surely this needs higher prominence?

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I certainly find it telling that some have not found the time or commitment to reply to a question about time and commitment.

I'm not sure if I am eligible to vote this year but the replies, or lack of them, across these Q&As would certainly help form my choice of who to vote for.

[Paperballpark]

I'm going to pop my head over the top here (and risk being shot down).

I do want to make clear that this is in no way a go at Abi, who has posted an explanation above. I do want to clear up something which could be misconstrued from the minutes summary posted by Maple Leaf.

As the person designing and laying out Seeker for issues 30, 31 and 32 (with a small input for 33), I just wanted to say that the person who I was dealing with most was Ant - he was the one who (it seemed to me) was getting most of the content and passing it to me.

I would also say that when designing it, I occasionally requested photos for stories from people (mostly via Facebook). At no point do I remember there ever being any confusion between Seeker and UK Cache Mag. It is very easy to refer to it as 'the GAGB's Seeker magazine', and easy to link to them should there be even the slightest hint of confusion.

For each of the three magazines that I designed, I also contributed an article, although I didn't have to and had no formal committee role. Whilst the Editor shouldn't have to contribute anything, I personally believe in leading by example (especially if content is a bit sparse).

[UKCACHEMAG]

Sorry it has taken a short while to respond top this. I only have a pc in office and find forums to small to read clearly on a phone.

I have had some health issues for a number of months. Hopefully the surgery I have had recently and a a small bit of follow up work in December will be the end of this. That give me much more time, energy and emotional capacity to take on a role, to complete what I have started and to try and get even more done.