New Groups Team Footnotes

Chronological Background Explanations and References

2010

14 February 2010 - GAT made permanent

Interim GAT team (IGAT) made permanent by Reps.
Announced in the Freegle Reps Report 2010-03-14.

20 February 2010

Written policy and procedures announced on Central
Temporary procedure created for dealing with objections and appeals.
Objections to a proposed new Group Owner to be passed to the Reps.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FreegleUK-Central/message/8081.

21 March 2010

Application for a specialist group covering disability aids for blind and visually impaired persons. The applicant wished to link the group to his website.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FreegleUK-Central/message/9098

19 April 2010

Specialist Festival Group
Agreed by Reps that a Glastonbury Festival Group could be affiliated on the understanding that this would not set a precedent and would test the concept of specialist groups.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FreegleUK-Central/message/10283
This group was not launched.
The reasons for this are given in http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/Freegle-Growth/message/1815

22 April 2010

Various recommendations made by Start

• It is OK for existing group owners to set up new groups outside their own area in principle, but we don't want empire building so ideally they should be short term and looking for more local help as soon as possible. New groups should come from a local requirement for them. Freegle as an organisation never sets up groups even to fill gaps. See Update 6.
• Groups who expanded their boundaries when they left Freecycle should be looked look at individually by GAT and discussed with the group owner/team if it seems to be a problem when they get new applications for groups in the expanded area.
• If there is more than one application for a new group in an area they should be dealt with in the order that the application form was received. (This is because until GAT get a completed application form, it is just an enquiry)
• We should accept a group opened by someone who also plans to keep their Freecycle group open in the same area, because if we don't allow it they may just hide it from us - but we should point out to them that TFN are likely to take a dim view of it. Of course, we would prefer them to move their FC group to Freegle.
• A group with less than 10 posts a month can be considered inactive.

http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/Freegle-Growth/message/1732
Agreed by the Reps on 22 April 2010.

7 May 2010

Position of GAT Coordinator agreed by Reps
Announced in Freegle Reps Report 2010-05-31
It was subsequently decided that Group Launch Coordinator was a better title for the post.

28 July 2010

Recommendations by Start on starting neighbouring groups

• A current owner should be allowed to apply to fill in any gaps in their neighbouring area as long as a new and separate application has not been made.
• Current owners should not be limited to the number of groups that they run but should recruit and train up local moderators with a view to handing ownership over to them.
• A current owner should be able to apply to start a new group adjacent to their current group and recruit local moderators with a view to handing the group over to them once it has become established.
• Guidelines need to be set up saying what is classed as an adjacent group, such as it has a boundary with the existing group.

Consultation on Freegle Central
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FreegleUK-Central/message/14145
Agreed by the Reps on 28 July 2010.
See also recommendation 1 in 22nd April section above.

8 September 2010

Specialist Canal Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FreegleUK-Central/message/15784
Agreed by the Reps
Freegle Reps Report 2010-09-19

19 December 2010

Recommendations by Start on unsuitable applicants If the Group Affiliation Team believe that through local knowledge, information passed on by nearby groups, or internet research that the balance of probability shows that the person applying for the group is likely to bring the name of Freegle into disrepute, they may recommend to the Reps that the application is rejected, and the Reps will make a decision.
The applicant will be advised of the decision, and the reason, and also that they have the right to use the Freegle Complaints Procedure. Examples of an applicant likely to bring Freegle into disrepute may include but are not limited to:

• Attempting to gain members by methods such as transferring or poaching members from other reuse groups without full agreement of all parties
• Has a history of spamming/ multigroup joining on a national/global level (rather than having had a hacked account).
• Has blatantly lied on an application form or in ensuing conversations
• Their internet history shows them to be intolerant e.g. making offensive comments on gender, sexuality, disability, religion etc

Consultation with the Reps and Freegle Central
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FreegleUK-Central/message/17838

16 December 2010

Formation of a Scouts Specialist Group A poll was held and it was agreed that GAT should approve a specialist Scout group for the Sheffield area as a Freegle affiliated group and allow borrowing of items and have a link to an externally held list of free services on the group.
Discussed on Start
http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/Freegle-Growth/message/1828

2011

Clarification of consultation process with local groups Consultation with local groups will include, but is not limited to:

• Whether the area is already covered by an existing Freegle, Freecycle, or other re-use group.
• Whether the applicant is considered an unsuitable applicant (see footnote 4)
• Whether the local volunteers consider the area too big, or too small, or doesn't take into account certain geographic or demograpic features.

If there is no agreement then GAT will make the final decision, but may consult on Start or Central first.
Agreed by Start and the Reps and consultation on Freegle Central in http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FreegleUK-Central/message/19207
Name change to Group Affiliation Team
The team felt they were better described at the Group Affiliation Team rather than the Group Assessment Team.
Accepted by Central
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FreegleUK-Central/message/19207

28 March 2011

Group Launch Coordinator joins the Group Affiliation Team Yahoo Group.
Agreed by the Start Working Group http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/Freegle-Growth/message/1995

4 August 2011

Pilot Noticeboard Micro Group
This proposal was discussed on Start
http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/Freegle-Growth/message/2284
After a poll Start agreed the concept, Central was consulted and the Reps gave approval
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FreegleUK-Central/message/22420
Freegle Reps Report 2011-08-15

13 December 2011

Area Guidelines
The Reps agreed the proposed policy:
http://wiki.ilovefreegle.org/Group_Affiliation_Team_Area_Guidelines#AREA_GUIDELINES
http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/Freegle-Growth/message/2873
A 7 day consultation between 2 and 9 December 2011 took place on Freegle UK Central:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FreegleUK-Central/message/24892
Concerns expressed were taken back to the Start Working Group.
Discussions ended on Start on 13 December 2011:
http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/Freegle-Growth/message/3039

2012

15th March 2012

Changes to the working group remits led to Structure taking on all Freegle organisational policies etc, so GAT now allied to Structure rather than Start.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FreegleUK-Central/message/27298

16th June 2012

GAT and the Geeks consulted about the best way to present and name new groups. The protocols in Group Affiliation Team - Naming New Groups were consequently agreed by Reps to be adopted. This was reported to Central via the Reps Report.

16th August 2012

Following a discussion, poll and recommendation on Structure, the Reps endorsed an amendment to the Membership section of the remit. This was reported to Central via the Reps Report.

2013

2nd February 2013

Following discussion, poll [1] and recommendation on Structure, the Reps endorsed an amendment to the Application Process criteria.

24th March 2013

Following discussion and polls on Growth and Structure (Task 99), the Reps endorsed an addition to the recommendations for approval (handing group to Freegle if owner no longer wishes to run it) and to introduce Group Mentors as part of New Group Support. Messages posted on Growth [2] and Structure [3] Groups.

5th May 2013

Following discussion and polls on Structure and Central [[4]], the Affiliation Policy was amended to include: 'Where there are gaps in provision, Freegle can proactively encourage new groups to be set up, in line with this policy.'.

17th August 2013

Following discussion and polls on Structure and Central [[5]] the Affiliation Policy was amended under Special Groups to include:

1. Freegle private in-house organisational groups are subject to the same procedures as other specialist group applications. If there is no response from existing groups to consultation by GAT it is acceptable to proceed with the application. If a local group, after discussion, is against affiliation, it is not acceptable to proceed.

2. All specialist groups (closed and otherwise) must allow Volunteers from the local group(s) to be members if they so wish in the interests of promoting community links.

3. Closed, private affiliated groups should have a representative for Freegleationally as a member of the group . The Group Affiliation Team will help to find a suitable volunteer to represent Freegle nationally on any closed groups. This may be a local volunteer but may also be a member of the Mentor or GAT teams if a volunteer can't be found. GAT will keep a list of who is representing Freegle on each closed group.

8th November 2013

Following discussion and poll on Structure, the Reps accepted the recommendation to amend the reasons for rejecting an applicant to include (in capitals): "If the Group Affiliation Team believe that through local knowledge, information passed on by nearby groups or internet research that the balance of probabilities shows that the person applying for the group is likely to bring the name of Freegle into disrepute , OR THROUGH THEIR INTERACTIONS WITH THEM THROUGH THE INITIAL PROCESS THAT THE APPLICANT IS UNLIKELY TO BE A CAPABLE OWNER, they may recommend..."

Message posted on Central 8th November [6]

2014

24th June 2014

Following discussion and poll on Structure, the Group Affiliation Procedures were amended to say:

Consult Neighbouring Freegle Groups: Freegle groups within a 20 mile radius of an application for a brand new Freegle group are consulted. Consultation with local groups for specialist item groups that cover a large area will be by a notice on Central with an invitation for people to contact GAT if any group volunteer has a comment or similar. The time frame and procedure for comments and approval of group owners will be in line with these procedures.

This was to provide a common sense solution for specialist group applications that covered a large area, where individual group consultation would not be practical.

Back To: Group Affiliation Team - GAT