Session 2 : Social Start Up Structure
‣ Preparations for the Mentor :
1 . Read this session and draft a plan so you know how to lead it . 2 . Do your own research about the idea agreed in Session 1 and share your results with the participants in this session .
3 . Review the Teamwork Personality Types from Session 1 as these will be relevant in this session too .
‣ Beginning the Session
Ask participants to share and discuss the results of their research about their idea from Session 1 , and explain that there will be time at the end of this session to finalize the idea .
‣ Structures , Roles and Responsibilities
EPGs Organisational structure : It is possible to identify three different types of organisation for EPGs as follows :
1 . The Informal : here members choose not to formalize an agreement , and use a less strict and more flexible structure of organisation . This kind of EPG adopts shared regulations / guidelinesthat detail their activities and who carries them out , without any additional cost for the product purchase . This remains the most common type of EPG , especially amongst small EPGs with a small number of members .
2 . The Collaborative : here , the EPG collaborates with other existing associations or cooperatives . To join the EPG , participants must also be members of the association , and all collective purchases are planned as goals of the association . The advantages of this type of organisation include the availability and use of the association ‟ s space and property , storage space for great quantities of goods , and the use of regular accounting services . Naturally , all these services imply additional costs , which are reflected in a markup on the products bought .
3 . The Association : here , the EPG is more formally organised than the 2 previous types , but remains a non-profit organisation . As the EPG grows its membership and size , it can choose to become independent and branded to access funds and benefits allocated for associations . For example , acquiring municipal spaces . An Association requires registration and a memorandum highlighting the regulations of the association . Associations envisage collective purchase and all their income and expenditures is registered in the Association ‟ s name . Usually , members pay a share or annual fee for their membership as this helps to cover the costs and to sustain the Association . Adding a markup on the products bought is also common practice .
Once the EPG type is determined and agreed upon by the participants , it is important to also determine the participants ‟ roles and responsibilities within the social start up . Ask participants to discuss the necessary roles and their associated responsibilities ,
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