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,
23