Scoutlink Documents Project

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Scoutlink Documents Project

SCOUTLINK DOCUMENT Proposed structure of document

1. General considerations

The last weeks on ScoutLink have seen many arguments and many one-sided actions that lead to arguments. Now apart from the fact that this happens in any organisation, let alone a virtual organisation, it does underline the need for a unambiguous set of rules governing the way ScoutLink provides a service to Scouts and Guides world-wide.

Now providing a set of unambiguous rules means we have to consider the way the document is set up, how clauses are numbered, look for consistency in formulating clauses and make sure that clauses are worded in a way that leaves no room for multiple interpretation.

Having said this we must also realise that imposing rules on any group has never worked. Even if Docteam would reach agreement, anything drafted can only be a reflection of the way we are doing things or if we do things differently, based on a consensus on how we do it in future.

In this way the ScoutLink document can remain in the bottom drawer of everyone’s desk until such a time something needs to be organised (like elections) or a conflict requires a third party to mediate based on official rules.

Users should at all times be aware of the way ScoutLink operates. This also applies to anyone new to the ScoutLink crew. But that is a question of communicating this to these groups. After the ScoutLink document has been approved by Council, due consideration should be made on how to communicate these rules and regulations to users and to existing and new crew members. A more popular version of the document could be drafted for example.

The basic idea is however that a formal ScoutLink document (formal in the sense as formulated above) is needed first before any other steps can be taken.

2. Outline of ScoutLink document

· The document starts with a introduction from the chairperson of the ScoutLink Global Council on the need of this document and its status. The introduction will also indicate when the document was discussed by Global Council and when it was accepted.

· Clause 1: this clause will deal with Global Council and will follow the various items already drafted.

· Clause 2: having installed a Global Council we should address the question of how a country or linguistic region can apply for ScoutLink membership. I’m not sure if this was covered in the existing document, I feel we do need to consider it as ScoutLink will expand in future.

· Clause 3: will deal with the specific requirements of a country co-ordinator or regional co-ordinator, , it needs to include a procedure for electing cc’s/rc’s. This was discussed previously by Docteam but the elections going on provide enough cases for drafting formal clauses on this.

· Clause 4: having established a policy and decision making framework, we now need to look at what I would call ‘network management’. This clause would look at the ircops, techteam and techteam co-ordinator.

· Clause 5: would need to look at how channels come to be and how channels are organised with their own teams, often consisting of chanops and globops.

· Clause 6: this clause will consider the specific requirements for a chanop/globop.

· Clause7: somewhere we need to define what a ScoutLink user is. Being a ‘regular’ qualifies someone to take part in elections and to be called on for ScoutLink crew duties. This needs to be laid down but as pointed out before some of the elections being held for cc/rc already tackle this issue so lets use that knowledge.

· Clause 8: this clause is needed for some final considerations. This would include the procedure to amend the rules laid down in the document and a procedure on solving disputes based on different interpretations of the rules. I know this sounds very formal indeed, but these can be vary straightforward and again some of the discussions on the team list lately show that it can be needed to have such a procedure.

· Clause 9: I’m not sure if we need this clause but I would suggest to lay down some kind of complaints procedure for anyone who isn’t happy about the way things happen or how he or she has been treated within the ScoutLink network.

Final version adopted by SL docteam

November 2002