We could have a video camera aimed at a whiteboard on site. Setup a live camera feed online similar to our security cameras for automotive and metal shop. Folks at home could monitor the board for tasks that they feel capable of doing.
Camera resolution will be important and I don’t know how that works, just spitballing a cheap method.
I never even got the tour part of the equation. My significant other had joined the space to learn more about and use the PlasmaCam. He invited me go along one day when he wanted to measure something for a project is friend Bill Epps was going to help him with. He didn’t know what most of the space was for, but it looked intriguing. I was drawn like a moth to the lasers, because I had been trying to figure out how I could get some one-off templates made with acrylic for cutting shapes or quilt block piecing. I spent a month or so thinking about it, and decided to pull the trigger on my own membership.
My first class was the intro to laser class (of course!) aught by @tomthm. Because i had joined in the middle of the night on a Sunday, i didn’t have an entry key, so i borrowed Larry’sso i could get in for the class.
He talked about TALK and “The WIKI” like they were things everyone knew about.i did not. So I asked for clarification. Hmmm. Interesting… As it happened, Tommy was having a laser lab class immediately following the intro class that I stayed for During the break, I was introduced to Stan, and got my keyfob.
After class, I went home and got myself signed into TALK. And fell down this rabbit hole. Populated by several kindred spirits and some grumpyass characters, but collectively carrying a lot of passion and knowledge. So I would be on the side of “staying for the community” more than the stuff. (Note that I haven’t passed the 90 day probation period yet, so don’t even have voting privileges.)
I was raised in a family where volunteering was part of the fabric of our family. As my grandmother was the executive director of a local hairstylist for handicapped children, I was helping stuff Easter Seal mailings when I was about five. I was a “marching mother” for the March of Dimes when I was about ten. Always something. It’s pretty amazing to me what has been accomplished here with only volunteers. I’ve mentioned before my involvement with the Quilters Guild of Dallas. A few of my peeps and I had peered into storefronts and fantasized about establishing a big space where people could eat together and make stuff. In our case, mostly sewing, but we knew there are scrapbookers, polymer clay enthusiasts, knitters, stitchers, and more that liked the community aspect. But the number crunching for rent, utilities, etc combined with ongoing management questions pretty much scuttled the concept. But Y’ALL HAVE PULLED IT OFF.
“On boarding” is a challenge here, because of the very nature of the space. People are here at varying times, with various interests, etc. But, I think more established members assume a lot. I hear “that’s on the wiki” a lot. But there’s a lot of really outdated crap on the wiki as well. Not to mention, speaking for myself, wikis are kind of a geeky thing that isnt exactly the first place the average person is gonna look for info. How would a new person weed out the facts from the (now) fiction? I knew nothing of TALK until Tommy mentioned it. Yeah, there’s a link on the website, but I would not have even clicked on that. Why is the WiFi info only posted on the side of the refrigerator? That is about the LAST place I would go looking for something like that. Seems like it oughta be posted in the common room and the three classrooms, at the very least.
There’s a lot of extorting (like this thread) of the need for all members to do their small volunteer contribution of time. Cleaning is one. I have no qualms about sweeping or cleaning up or putting stuff away. But how do I know where stuff is supposed to be stored? How do I know if a mess is abandoned or simpt took a quick break? How do I clean this or that without breaking something? I’ve got a couple hours to kill between classes. I’d like to sit and do something Iike sharpen woodworking tools. But I have very little clue how to do that. And I’m smart enough to know that woodworking tools are like fabric scissors. You don’t wanna f**k them up.
Maybe we need is mass quantities of super-sticky postit notes and pencils available in a small wall mounted bins by the doors to different work areas. And begin requiring people to leave a note indicating who they are, where they’ve gone and how to contact the them. (Not unlike the device now connected to one of the lasers, but much lower-tech.) if no note, anything left that remains untouched for say 30 minutes gets put away and/or trashed.
I’d like to see version of the intro classes, that doesn’t include signoffs, but does include an overview of all the tools Including more mundane things like power drills. What is this tool? What does it do? There’s a plethora of stuff outside the wood shop that is a mystery to me. The entire machine shop is fascinating yet mysterious. Didn’t attend @jast’s “safety in the metal shop” class earlier this week, but I suspect it was very similar to what I would envision. No signoffs on anything, but building a healthy respect for not burning out your retinas or sizzling your limbs. Listing the name of a tool in the depths of a wiki doesn’t really help me out.
Another head scratcher to me is hearing “if you need help, just ask a committee member”. But how the heck would I know who is or isn’t a committee member? Despite being quite familiar with emojis and TALK handles, I wouldn’t be able to pick most people out of a crowd. I doubt that @mblatz really looks like JoJo the Dog-faced Boy. @jast probably isn’t that jaundiced.
And really, y’all need to develop a plan B for when Stan isn’t there. While work continues on 102, the sign on the door says access through 104. But… if Stan isn’t there, whaddya do?
I actually joined with Wayne about a year and a half ago. I never had a tour, but I love message boards. Talk educated me and scared the hell out of me. I was in and out of the hospital for a while so all I could do was read Talk.
Like Judy, I was raised to help, but wasn’t sure how. I travel with Wayne so I can’t always make events and I still have some physical issues. The best thing someone told me was to take classes and go to the committee meetings of my favorite area. I went to CA meetings and Nicole had tasks for me to do sitting down. Ta-da! I’m helping.
I’ve been on the boards of three non-profit groups with one bigger than DMS. There are some things I see:
Cherish the volunteers.
Praise in public and criticize in private. Little presents help a lot such as a pin/key chain/little button (that we can make) for volunteering for certain events. Or, track hours or work days attended and get a badge for attending more than half. People just want to feel appreciated
Onboarding.
The member manual should mention volunteering several times. We really need a class. Taught by enthusiastic people that really love the place. Pictures of the important people. Standardized points to be covered in all classes. Give them many ways to volunteer (a to-do list, work days, if you see a mess). What may seem obvious to old-timers is not to new people afraid of making a mistake.
Clone Nicole
Nicole has an infectious spirit. She encourages us all to help, but not overdo it and get burned out.
/ramble off
Addition: I forgot to state the obvious. Clone Stan several times. 
Careful what you wish for . 
Can the world really take THAT much frizzy hair and crazy eye?
I would have no free time if there were 2 of Nicole. But, I would also be pretty well fed.
Don’t give people ideas about us. Haha
A public good is only produced if at least one person volunteers to pay an arbitrary cost. In this game, bystanders decide independently on whether to sacrifice themselves for the benefit of the group. Because the volunteer receives no benefit, there is a greater incentive for freeriding than to sacrifice oneself for the group. If no one volunteers, everyone loses. The social phenomena of the bystander effect and diffusion of responsibility heavily relate to the volunteer’s dilemma.
DMS is predicting that its membership will substantially increase.
Solutions:
To add, the more people there are the more ‘cleaning up’ seems hopeless too. There are only so many times people are willing to clean up after others before they throw in the towel.
I don’t doubt we get volunteers from new members. I’m saying proportionaly it is a lower percentage, much like Chris Marlow points out. I would bet new members volunteering is less than 12-15% range.
When I was first a member it was greater than 90%. Like the original question, how do we encourage more volunteers?
As a new member, it would feel really awkward to me to just bust in and volunteer without sticking around and getting a feel for the place. I’m taking classes and getting to know people, like someone said before, learning the culture. Once I get my feet wet I plan on volunteering, but just some insight from a newbie as to why you might not see immediate volunteership.
It does tend to feel like you come on as a member and are dropped in the big pool to fend for yourself.
Make new friends.
Care about them.
Share your vision.
Lots of excellent points, but this is one thing I’ve been thinking a lot about since we started rebuilding the AR SIG and is on the agenda for out meeting on the 16th.
Having some kind of clear name badge helps make the committee or sig member much more approachable. Also helps people like me who have a hard time remembering new people’s names until we’ve actually had a couple of face to face conversations.
thank you. yours is the best comment so far.
Let’s talk in a PM.
I get your hesitancy and the “you don’t know what you don’t know” feeling when it comes to things like you know how you would do that task but don’t know if that’s the “acceptable” way. I joined because I was looking for a place to volunteer and all the tools were just bonus to me but I definitely felt like I was treading water in a wave pool constantly, so I just started cleaning around the space or restocking consumables where I could and it ended up snowballing into doing other things. If new members start with simple things of that nature, even if it’s every once in awhile that would still be a good step in the right direction. Not trying to say I’m a good example of a new(ish) member who volunteers, just what happened to get me more comfortable taking care of things.
ok, here are a couple of pennys worth. Let’s go back to the beginning.
WHY do we need volunteers? Sounds like a innocuous question doesn’t it? But look at it another way - WHAT do we need done? That is the first question that needs answering. Where is the list?
Ok, EVERY committee says they need more teachers. that’s a given so let’s just skip that one. outside of that - where is the list? The volunteer opportunity category is a great resource but very underutilized. The expansion category was specifically created to advertise things that need to be done. VERY underutilized. People aren’t mind readers. have a need - post it.
As I see it - there are two categories. Committees need volunteers to help with mundane tasks from maintenance to cleanup. It is the committee’s responsibility to advertise those needs on talk, and at every committee meeting. We at machine shop maintain a to-do list (thanks @TBJK) on the wiki. every committee should be doing the same. the second category is the larger DMS need. what are those needs? Where is it visible? Advertise the need. Post the need. Mandate the need!!! Right now our big priority is everything associated with suite 102. Someone from the top down should be asking/demanding that every teacher, every meeting, every gathering of 2 or more people should be asking the crowd "have you put any time in at 102? If not - what are you waiting on? But again - where is the list of what’s needed. It needs to be in people’s faces.
One item I read earlier was:
I can certainly understand it. But you can evaluate what your skill set actually is. we say that everyone has something they can show or teach. It may not be related to either a committee or dms need, but if you can show anything - please do. SO MUCH has been started with a simple interest check. whatever is in your skill set - you learned it somewhere. share it. please.
Ok, that may have been 3 pennies worth. peace out!
That’s not what volunteer means. Call it what it is. People are expected to be members and not customers. Using the word volunteer implies an entirely different set of principles.
I joined at the end of July this year. My interests are primarily related to the woodshop. I agree with the comments that have been made about inadequate onboarding … maybe no onboarding would be more accurate. I have owned my own furniture making business and made all manner of custom pieces that were individually commissioned by folks in multiple states and Canada. That said to explain I know my way around woodworking equipment. Coming to Makerspace felt like a “figure it out yourself” adventure. To date exactly one person saw me puzzling over some how/what question and came over to both ask if she could help AND introduce herself. That person turned out to be Kris Anderson. Now many other folks have offered a hand when I was involved in some awkward endeavor or loading/unloading materials. Others have patiently answered questions I have asked. Can’t remember a single one who volunteered their name and even had a few that ignored the question when asked.
I say this in particular to all the old salts who are complaining about newer folk not jumping into the pool like they did when they joined. What about your behavior has changed since those days of a smaller membership? Granted it is human nature to be more anonymous in a large group than is even acceptable in a small group. Because of that, the older members need to be willing to put out the effort and “act small” even as the membership grows. Your behavior can be a positive role model or not … your choice.
I add my voice to those above who want nametags. I severely dislike the talk handles and the avatar images associated with same. As Judy Kriehn stated above … you can’t recognize most members from their Talk images. I think every officer, board member, committee chair and co-chair should have clear headshots for their images. Give us a chance to figure out who you guys and gals are.
And finally while I’m here I’ll comment of the yellow journalism that is too much of DMS Talk: take your dadgum *itching down a few notches if you want folks to follow you. We aren’t perfect, you aren’t perfect, and being/not being elected to something doesn’t make you perfect. To illustrate what would have made sense to me I’ll give this example:
First Choice
Luke Strickland should take his questions/concerns about spending patterns and authorization to the Board for a sincere discussion. The Board should then do the hard work of making sure what’s happening is kosher and correct any wrongs. Then if policies or rules need to change, do it and monitor future compliance.
That happen? Nope.
Second choice:
Luke posts all the laundry as bait to stir things up under the guise of “transparency” and starts a keyboarding frenzy. Regrettable action, but it was done. Desired next action: a Board member or officer posts publicly on Talk: “OK guys and gals, we hear you and we don’t want to have the wrong things being done either. We will take DMS credit card usage rules and food/other expressions of gratitude expenses up as a significant Board review item and report back what we have done to correct any existing errors and establish clear rules for going forward. This topic is closed for X days until your BOD can research and act accordingly. At that point we will post our results for your review.”
In my opinion, such approaches would be representative of a orderly well run organization that has as it’s primary purpose furthering the benefits of DMS for Makers. In addition, it would douse appropriate cold water on folks who have nothing better to do than right the wrongs of the world with their keyboard. Yes, I’m old enough to periodically long for the days when people had to write a letter … the volume was way lower!
Good Night all.
Well hi there @Nick.
Hope you don’t mind if I parse through your rambling prose.
Point out some fallacies and ask for some links to what I’ve posted as proof.
What’s to understand?? Provide a link and I’ll try to break it down for you.
Have never ever made this claim. Interpretation in your own mind? Single event? Try many.
Provide a link and I’ll try to break it down for you.
Have never told anyone nor implied they can’t have any input on any topic.
Provide a link and I’ll try to break it down for you.
Maybe YOU need to stop??
YOU seemed confused. YOU seem to be rather judgemental here with your own perceptions. Is that appropriate or excellent behavior among members?
And thanks for promoting the “Us vs Them” attitude.
When you find the links for proof of your accusations, try not take any of my statements out of context.
Would you like to meet at DMS to have civil discussion about your perceived issues with me?
Maybe have in depth discussion the next Philosophy Meetup?
Not willing to do any of the above?
Then YOU owe me an apology.
cricket…cricket…cricket…cricket…cricket…