At our first briefing weekend we did a lot of planning, asking questions and generally wrapping our heads around the fact that we were going to spend three weeks volunteering in a strange country in the summer. We will be living together and working together closely as a team and while we hope that the project will be a lot of fun, we also know that it has the potential to be stressful and hard work. To ensure things run smoothly (or as smoothly as possible!) each team drew up a charter; a set of guidelines that we all agree to live by to help each other. And to make sure we don't drive each other crazy. That's important :D
Our lovely secretary Tori turned our hapless list of disordered and fragmented ideas into a concise, 17-point plan. All the best plans are seventeen-point, as I'm sure you know. And here it is.
Group Charter
1) Project is key.
2) Remember we are always representing Girlguiding UK as a team.
3) Remember your role and associated responsibilities.
4) If you need help then ask.
5) No Drugs.
6) Alcohol: you can drink but you can’t get drunk.
7) Smoking: only at appropriate times.
8) Appropriate and safe behavior towards members of the same and opposite sex.
9) Respect the culture of the country; display common sense and sensitivity.
10) Stay together: let others know where you are going, stay in pairs.
11) Phones: no phone use when on project; respect the home contact phone system and avoid unnecessary phone use.
12) We must be open, honest, tolerant and patient with each other.
13) We must communicate well and appropriately with each other.
14) Respect each other as individuals and recognize the need for both individual and group time.
15) Everyone must look after themselves; let people know if you are feeling unwell.
16) Must strive for Group Consensus; Group money is for necessities and everyone must be in agreement.
17) Be rational.
xxx
P.S. I'll be back soon with the first installment of the Team Armenia 2012 Scrapbook. Or Reason Number One in Kirsty's list of why she was desperate to be the documenter.
