Frequently Asked Questions
The place to be for answering common questions pertaining to the L.E.A.F.
Membership
How can I join the L.E.A.F.?
Well, first of all you should contact one of our members; they can lead you to the president or vice-president, who handle new recruits. Then if you've got what it takes you can join up a demo-meeting and participate in your first activity, after that we compile what your skilled at (e.g. art, technology, writing) and decide what role would suit you best, with your input of course; if you don't agree with it, you don't get that role.
So really it's quite simple to join up. To find us go to our chatroom, email the leaders(emails provided under members list) or find us in real life at the International School Eindhoven.
Why would I want to join the L.E.A.F?
Why wouldn't you want to join the L.E.A.F? In answer to your question though there are many motivations. First and foremost and probably the most important is respect for nature and your environment, you realize it's importance and want to help to protect it. Without that you're in the wrong place.
Beyond this there are several other perks to joining the L.E.A.F. for instance you can receive Community Service hours, get to socialise and meet new people and learn many useful skills as well developing your existing ones.
What kind of C&S of CAS hours will I get from this? How will it be proven?
You will be receving local C&S or CAS hours which vary in amount depending on your input. For instance if you visit only the meeting every week you can cash in approximately one hour every week, however if you also participate in activities and events this can expand further; but is very dependent on your involvement.
In order to prove your participation we provide a form coupled with a tally table to compile all your hours, in addition to any pictures and documents you may find useful. Hence you can clearly show how many hours you have done.
Occasionaly members may be asked to do work at home, for instance making a poster, this can also give hours and will be compiled into your tally. The leaders, in communication with the supervisor, will approximate how much time it took you to make it and use that in your tally table. If you disagree with this approximation please contact them.
Are their ranks? How do I climb the rank ladder?
There are no "ranks" as we consider ourselves all to be equal in worth. Every member is vital to the workings of the organization. However, we do have 'roles' which are tailored to your skills and desires to enhance your capabilities and enjoyment. Your role won't be split into various levels, but it is possible to switch role later on or perhaps undergo multiple roles(very rare) if your extremly motivated and have proven your worth.
Roles
What is a role?
In the L.E.A.F. all members are considered equal in worth, since each member plays a crucial part in creating and maintaining the organization as a whole. Nonetheless, a role system is in place which is tailored to the skills and desires of the individual to give a more productive and enjoyable experience. In contrast to ‘jobs’ roles are more dynamic, members can possibly have multiple roles(however this is not recommended early on) and can switch roles depending on circumstances (e.g. other member is sick).
Moreover, roles are built upon an accumulative trust system, this means that members can gain faith over time in order to be trusted with more dangerous roles, such as the treasurer. The initial role is based on your skills and what you wish to do, after this multiple roles can be given, or perhaps a complete change of role, depending on whether or not you can handle it and how long you have been participating in the organization.
Overall, roles make the L.E.A.F. more effective and organized as well as streamlining our workloads to be more manageable.
What roles are available?
A whole hoist of possibilities exist in terms of roles. As new projects open up and our influence grows new types of roles will be called for. Moreover, members can easily suggest roles that fill gaps in the system at the time. Hence this is a dynamic system.
Nonetheless several roles are already clearly layed out. These include the role of leader, organizer, secretary, treasurer, artist and orator. Combinations are possible as are temporary roles, if the person in question is for instance sick.
This FAQ shall be updated routinely when new roles pop-up.
Organizer, what does that entice?
An organizer is a type of role that ties well in with leadership, since it requires minimal work on the scene it is an ideal role to have alongside another role you may have; since it can be conducted from home so it won’t interfere with your other responsibilities. Hence it is more of a sub-role, but one can of course do it full time.
Organizers set deadlines, goals, make to-do-lists, schedules and timetables as well as compiling information on members. They maintain the website calendar and contact members about upcoming meetings and events. Therefore, they need good organizational skills and should be succinct.
Leaders, what does that entice?
Leaders have a very busy role in the L.E.A.F. They take care of new recruits, stimulate discussion in meeting as well as enlightening the team on current events, they participate in events by making sure everything is done correctly and on time. Moreover, they ensure everyone is happy and productive with their role and have the less appealing task of eliminating members whom serve only to disrupt the organization with only personal interest in mind, e.g. those backseaters who go to the meeting but never say nor do anything.
As a leader members may come with their problems to you and you have the responsibility of settling these issues, e.g. personality conflicts, in a fair and unbiased manner. They keep up morale and streamline the activities. Hence they require great leadership skills, interpersonal skills, a clear vision and be competent in what they are doing.
Secretary, what does that entice?
Secretaries record and observe. They keep track of what is discussed in meetings, compile this for the rest of the members to access and easily understand, take care of the news feed and undergo interviews with both members and external contacts.
In terms of skills they should have a good observant skills, fast (but clear) handwriting, preferably be proficient in the English language also multitasking skills allows you to keep track of things more easily. Since they are also responsible for interviews, they do not need go social skills per ce, but should be prepared and attentive.
Treasurer, what does that entice?
The role of treasurer is protected to only longstanding members due to the nature of its responsibilities. Treasurers take care of the financial side of the L.E.A.F. this includes, but is not limited to: fundraisers, expenditures, budget goals and future spending’s. As a treasurer you keep track of the expenditures and earnings and determine whether there is enough excess to undertake another project, or perhaps mow one down to be more realistic as well as indicating whether a fund raiser may be necessary.
The treasurer is also responsible for safeguarding our finances in association with the supervisor, to ensure none is taken or used without prior permission. At meetings they may occasionally, but consistently, present their finances to the team in order for everyone to be aware of the state of the organization if they wish to implement a new plan. In addition their findings are presented online dynamically and discussed with the leaders when necessary.
In terms of skills you will need to be extremely proficient in mathematics, mistakes can be cataclysmic here, and be adapt in handling data. Experience in economics or business is thus a good addition to this role.
Artist, what does that entice?
Artists are the backbone of communication for the L.E.A.F. they raise awareness and convey concepts to the public at large. As an artist you appeal both to the emotional side of things and the logical side. You will be creating posters, pamphlets, logos, mascots etc. All made of recycled materials of course! Artists apply their imagination and techniques to the greatest extent. Emotionally, you can use color pallets, symbols and whatever else you fancy. Logically, statistics and text can be applied to amplify the message and appeal to a wider audience. Without artists there is barely any communication to the community about the L.E.A.F., it’s projects, fundraisers and ideas.
In terms of skills artists should have a good imagination, prior experience in art and have developed techniques such as but not limited to: computer art, painting, sketching, origami, etc. Collaborating and communicating with other artists is also essential to working effectively.
Orator, what does that entice?
An orator is the figurehead for the L.E.A.F. they are the ones whom communicate with other organizations and potential new members initially to establish potential relations. Orators host presentations and lectures to audiences(usually students) about various topics such as household efficiency and renewable energy. Aside from the presentations you will also have meetings with potential partners, e.g. the major or Eindhoven or a WNF representative.
In terms of skills this role is demanding since you require outstanding social skills, proficiency in both English and Dutch( and preferably more languages if possible), writing skills(you write your own speeches) and (obviously) oral skills. Experience in presenting and debating is a great asset as is a certain level of confidence when on stage.
Projects
What kind of projects do you have lined up?
Currently we have a plethora of ideas for projects, and we'll gradually work our way through them(and meet new ones enroute) as we gain members and funds. Some ideas include a complete rubbish recycling system for our school, hosting of Environmental-related world events such as World Water Day (March 22), a farm, renewable energy(convince companies and consumers to apply some renewable energy to their facilities) and the household sustainibility initiative.
More ideas exist and we'll be working on them as they crop up. We also wholeheartedly accept suggestions even if you are not part of the organization.
How are projects run?
When a project is decided upon in a meeting, following online communication and perhaps multiple meetings, issues such as the necessary funds and the roles needed to make it function are covered. For instance two artists may be allocated to spread the word about the project, and the treasurer will manage the fundraiser in conjunction with the organizer. Hence the roles are cut up and schedules are made as well as goals and deadlines by the organizers and leaders.
The project will then continue until it is completed, unless under extreme circumstances we make either simplify it or unfortunately terminate it(for instance if a storm breaks down the farm) until further notice. Continuous projects also exist, which involve rotating members for each quarter of the year. Moreover, holidays and abstentions are taken into account so that no project is left unattended.
A reserve of members is always left so that they can cover for sick members, this includes those who have the spare time to conduct two tasks; although this is generally avoided. Therefore new projects aren’t undertaken if not enough members are available to do it, taking into account that some members can do multiple projects at once.
For each project one organizer is assigned to ensure everything runs smoothly, who in turn can be replaced and supervised by a leader. A system of backups and reserves is in place due to prior experience with missing links, which can undermine projects. Moreover, members who do not participate properly (e.g. to gather CAS hours without doing any actual work) are transferred and perhaps even removed depending on the severity, since back standers are a great hindrance to progress in projects.
Overall projects are pretty intricate, but at an individual level it is usally quite simple to know what you have to do.
Miscellaneous
How can I keep up with the L.E.A.F.?