Membership Process Overview - EGFS

Membership Process Overview

Hi! We're glad you're are interested in us! First, a little background. While taking in new members is exciting, it can also be challenging to balance both the needs of the house and the needs of the individual interested in us. We at Emma's tend to prefer a longer membership process (figure 3 months or so) because we really value a lot of face-to-face time to get to know each other.
From our past experiences, we also feel its important that any prospective member is both interested in us as a community and in Seattle as a place to live. Because we are a small collective with no business of our own, people seeking membership should be locally employed (at least part time) as well have a social life for themselves outside our community. That said, we're excited to engage with folks who might want to join our project!

Phase One: Introduction
In Phase One, the onus is on you to move the process forward. Don't be afraid to be persistent, ask questions, and call or e-mail often.

Read the website.

 

Read the “Quick and Dirty” document (#2).

 

Fill out the “get to know you” questionaire, so we all can start getting to know you!

 

Attend an open house (or schedule a dinner if you can't make the open house).

 

Meet the majority of the house members.

 

Attend one more event, such as an open house, dinner, work party, etc.

If you have completed all the above and you are still interested, let us know by shouting "I am interested!" and proceed to Phase Two.

Phase Two: Information dump
In Phase Two, the responsibility of moving the process forward shifts to the house. We will hook you up with a house “buddy” who will be your liason with the house. We will do our best to schedule meetings, but your persistence will help! :)

Come to at least one house meeting, where we will have time to talk with you about you and your interest in Emma's.

 

Review these house documents: Politics Overview (#3), History (#4), Economic Overview (#5).

 

Have a one-on-one talk about the political purpose and foundation of the house (Politics Overview).

 

Have a one-on-one talk regarding the house economics (Economic Overview).

If you have completed all the above and you are still interested, let us know by shouting "Green light go!" and proceed to Phase Three.

Phase Three: Getting to know you
Up to this point, the membership process consists mostly of an avalanche of information coming at you. In Phase Three, the house learns about you and you learn more about the individuals in the community.

Attend at least two more house meetings and/or work parties.

 

Hang out one-on-one with everyone in the house.

 

Get detailed specifics about how your situation would fit with our economic system. We will experiment with exactly what our budgets and your labor expectations would look like if you were a house member.

 

Schedule a Membership Interview and get the page of “Membership Interview Questions.” (#7). We need to schedule far in advance because everyone needs to be there, and it is hard for us to find a date when everyone can make it.

 

Attend a Membership Interview, where we and you can ask any questions that haven't been answered yet, and where we will give you a definitive Yes :) or No :(

 

Move in! You are welcome to move in anytime after your membership interview as a “prospective member”. As a “prospective member” you will participate and function in the house in almost every way as a full member, except 1. you do not have blocking power in our consensus decision-making process 2. you can be exempt from some agreements like our spending cap and owning your own car 3. we don't figure you into our catastrophic health care budget item.

After completing all the above, you shout “I”m moving in!” and move in.

Phase Four: Full Membership
After living with us for 3 months, we will have a membership check-in, where you will have a chance to say what's been good/hard for you at Emma's, and we also can give you feedback. All together we can discuss any concerns or issues that have come up. At this point you tell the group if you are ready to become a full member (and make a 2+ year commitment). If you or we want more time to feel things out, we j continue checking in every 3 months or so for up to a year. Usually by then it will be clear to everyone if Emma's is a good fit for you and vice versa.

P.S. Well, you made it through that document! Congrats. While this is the process we try to follow, some adjustments can be made around particular circumstances. Feel free to ask any questions to your contact person.