Community Group FAQ
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The following information provides answers to commonly asked questions about The Institute of Noetic Sciences policies and procedures related to community groups.
WHAT IS AN IONS COMMUNITY GROUP?
IONS Community Groups are self-organizing, self-directing, voluntary associations of members and their friends. The philosophy that guides our support for groups is based upon our commitment both to encouraging diversity and to local control of local activities. We trust that our groups will operate with integrity and guide their gatherings with good intentions, and we here at “hubquarters�? hope to foster an open and communicative relationship with them. While we support and assist groups in a variety of ways, each local community group operates independently of IONS and is legally and financially responsible for its own activities. Community groups are not "chapters" and we ask that they not refer to themselves as such.
CAN COMMUNITY GROUPS USE IONS’ NONPROFIT MAILING PERMIT OR LOGO?
Because local groups are legally and financially independent of IONS, they are not sheltered by our nonprofit status and are not eligible to use our nonprofit mailing permit or logo.
WHAT SHOULD WE CALL OUR GROUP?
While many groups operate without a formal name, you may choose to come up with a creative name for your group that incorporates your area and affiliation with IONS. For example, the Sacramento group calls itself "SacIONS". You might also like to use a more generic title such as "The Nashville IONS Community Group." Some groups refer to themselves as "study" or "discussion" groups, depending on their specific focus. Please do not refer to your group as a "chapter" of the Institute.
CAN LOCAL GROUPS USE IONS’ NAME FOR ADVERTISING PURPOSES?
We ask that you use your individual group name, not the Institute’s name, when advertising or sponsoring special events. For example, "The Little Rock IONS Community Group invites you to its first meeting", not "The Institute of Noetic Sciences invites you to a local meeting in Little Rock". This is especially important when advertising public events.
WE ASK THAT YOU USE THE FOLLOWING PHRASES WHEN PUBLISHING INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR GROUP:
"[Your Group Name] serves members and friends of the Institute of Noetic Sciences, a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to research and education on consciousness, human potential, and personal and social transformation. [Your Group Name] is wholly independent of the Institute and is legally and financially responsible for its own activities."
The second sentence is the more important of the two and we ask that you try to incorporate it into all your written materials.
CAN ANYONE COORDINATE A COMMUNITY GROUP?
Any $10-a-month (or higher) member of IONS can register with us to start a group. If this is a challenge for you, some groups in this situation pass the hat at each meeting and are able to easily raise the $10 a month needed. We expect Coordinators to be familiar with our guidelines and the materials we provide on how to establish and facilitate a group. We do reserve the right to remove a Coordinator’s name from the official IONS Community Group website listing at http://shiftinaction.com/meet/groups, if we feel that doing so is in the best interest of our members or IONS in general.
WHY DO COORDINATORS HAVE TO BE $10-A-MONTH MEMBERS?
The Community Group website, http://www.shiftinaction.com is an incredible asset to Community Group Coordinators. They can post and host events, find local members in their area, and participate in teleseminars with today’s Noetic Luminaries. We find it is essential to stay connected to the larger Community Group Network by being a Shift in Action Partner.
CAN ANYONE PARTICIPATE IN MY GROUP?
We expect groups to be formed by IONS members to foster inquiry, dialogue, networking, and community building among IONS members and other interested individuals. We encourage individuals who are not members of IONS to visit your community group, and we ask for your help in building membership by encouraging such participants to become IONS members. We can provide back-issues of Shift magazine as well as other marketing materials to help you spread the word about IONS and bring more people to your group meetings.
DO THE PEOPLE WHO COME TO MY GROUP HAVE TO BE MEMBERS OF IONS?
After three visits to your community group, non-members are expected to join IONS in order to participate in your meetings and group activities. As a Coordinator, you are not required to open up your group to everyone that shows interest. We encourage you to screen potential participants to clarify common interests and compatibility. You should also feel free to restrict participation temporarily if the group reaches a maximum capacity. Many areas have more than one group, or a large, central group and several smaller discussion groups, to accommodate the many individuals who want to participate. We invite you to help to build membership by encouraging such participants to become IONS members. It is the responsibility of each group to decide whether or not to open the group to non-members. In general, we believe that participating in a local community group is an excellent way for non-members to learn about The Institute of Noetic Sciences and to have an opportunity to join the organization.
WHAT IF MY CONTACT INFORMATION CHANGES, SOMEONE NEW BEGINS COORDINATING THE GROUP OR THE GROUP DISCONTINUES?
Please contact your regional representative here.It is extremely important that we keep our records up to date. If you neglect to keep your regional coordinator informed, you will miss out on very important information updates, supply mailings and access to potential new members for your group.
It is also very important to keep our website as current as possible.
IS THERE A FEE INVOLVED IN STARTING A COMMUNITY GROUP?
At this time, there is no fee except for the leader of the group being a $10/month member.
COMMUNITY GROUP PURPOSE AND PRINCIPLES
Purpose: To form a "learning community�? focused on living consciously and connecting our inner and outer lives.
Principles:
- Commitment to developing your personal path and spiritual growth.
- Sharing your chosen path with others.
- Supporting others on their paths.
- Sharing broadly with the global network.
- Commitment to openly learn and share with others.
- Commitment to building a bridge between science and spirituality.
- Commitment to encourage membership to IONS and connecting your local group members.
