OVERVIEW
With support and resources from the WFNS office, Regional Coordinators will help facilitate and organize WFNS programming in the communities in which they live. Such programming includes readings, workshops, and informal gatherings of members.
Regional Coordinators will suggest programming ideas, recommend suitable venues, investigate booking requirements of venues, assist with local promotion, and provide on-site hosting. The efforts of the Regional Coordinators will be compensated via the WFNS volunteer program through which volunteers can earn discounted membership and workshop registration. Number of credits TBD. Click here for information on the WFNS Volunteer Program.
The WFNS office will handle all registration and payment for programs, provide promotional support, and provide other resources as needed.
The time commitment for Regional Coordinators will be reasonable and should be no more than 10 hours per month at the busiest periods (which should be only once or twice a year.) The average time commitment per month should be no more than 5 hours. Coordinators are welcome to put in more time if they wish, but there is no expectation that they will.
PURPOSE
Following feedback provided by our 2014 member survey, and guided by our 2015-18 Strategic Plan, the Regional Coordinator Program is a service designed to help the Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia (WFNS) fulfil our mandate of serving writers throughout the province.
The Regional Coordinator Program has several key objectives:
- Recruit WFNS members who are engaged with their communities to serve as WFNS Regional Coordinators in those communities.
- Draw on Regional Coordinators’ familiarity with their communities to help facilitate WFNS programming to serve current and prospective WFNS members.
- Facilitate more member engagement with the WFNS in communities outside of HRM, and concurrently raise the profile of the WFNS as an arts service organization for writers in those communities.
- Continue to develop grass-roots WFNS programming in communities throughout Nova Scotia.
ZONES
For the purposes of the Regional Coordinator program, the WFNS has divided Nova Scotia into zones that encompass counties. The WFNS Office acts as a ‘Regional Coordinator’ for the Halifax Regional Municipality. These zones are a guideline rather than hard boundaries, and provide us with a starting place for developing a network of Regional Coordinators throughout the province in an organic manner.
Zone 1: Digby, Yarmouth, Shelburne
Zone 2: Queens, Lunenburg
Zone 3: Annapolis, King’s, Hants
Zone 4: Cumberland, Colchester, Pictou, Antigonish
Zone 5: Inverness, Victoria, Cape Breton, Richmond
***Note: Due to low population density and the fact that it borders three zones, Guysborough County is not assigned a specific zone.
Regional Coordinators do not have to live within the boundaries of a zone in order to be a coordinator for that zone, as we recognize that several communities are close to county lines. However, we would ask that the bulk of activities take place within the coordination zone.
Members can choose to be part of any zone they wish. It may be more convenient, for instance, for a Windsor resident to attend a meet and greet in Wolfville rather than Truro.
DUTIES
Regional Coordinator duties include the following:
WFNS-SPONSORED SOCIAL EVENTS* (Coffee chats, etc.)
- Locate a venue (coffee shop, pub, etc.)
- Facilitate discussion.
- Report any concerns or suggestions from the membership to WFNS staff.
* These meet and greets would happen on an ad-hoc basis and should not represent a significant time commitment. Ideally, a WFNS staff person or Board director will attend these social events from time to time.
WFNS-FACILITATED WORKSHOPS*
- Advise the WFNS of the type, location and duration of possible workshops.
- Assist with locating a venue and pass on any booking contacts to the WFNS office.
- Assist with promoting the workshop in the local area. This can include informing the office of who best to contact for listings, putting up posters, and word of mouth.
- Attend the beginning of the first workshop (or the beginning of the day if a single-day workshop) to greet workshop participants and answer any questions, and inform them of member benefits if they are not currently part of the WFNS.
* The WFNS aims to bring at least one multi-session or day-long workshop to each zone with an active coordinator each year.
WFNS- SPONSORED READINGS*
- Advise the WFNS of a suitable space that would be available for low to no cost.
- Coordinate volunteers (if needed.)
- Assist with promotion.
- Attend the reading as a WFNS representative.
- MC if comfortable. Recommend an MC if not.
* These readings would take place 2-3 times a year at most.
OTHER DUTIES
- Put members of the RC’s local community in touch with the WFNS office for readings, workshop and event listings.
- Promote membership.
- Report any concerns or suggestions made by the local membership to the WFNS office.
- Write the occasional report for Eastword about happenings in the local community.
- Send welcome email to new members in their area.
COMPENSATION
- Regional Coordinators will be compensated under the WFNS Volunteer Program. RCs will earn credits that can be redeemed for free or discounted workshops and memberships. Number of credits TBD, but will be no less than the cost of a full year membership.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Regional coordinators will be chosen via an application process. Applications will be reviewed based on a number of factors, including experience and proximity to suitable facilities. RCs will be given training and a resource package, and will participate in occasional meetings with other coordinators. WFNS will pay for Regional Coordinators to travel to Halifax for team-building, coordination and brainstorming. We will facilitate teleconferencing as needed.