Roles

Note: This explanation of roles was initially created by User:Thedishbench who organized the London and United Kingdom rides in 2005.

The key to a successful ride is having an assembly location and time, and circulating this information via leaflets and e-mail before the ride. That's all you "must have", and all the roles described below are things that can make the ride even more successful, but they are not necessarily needed to have a successful ride.

Involvement would be less concentrated in the co-ordinator than the collective. It will also make the ride more sustainable since there will be more people who understand the different roles.

It might also be a good idea to have a backup/training person collaborating on fulfilling the requirements of the role. This would make it so that there would normally be at least two people who understood how to do something, and then if someone was sick or needed to pull back from the work, there would be someone else to cover the work.

If you would like to get involved in taking on any of the roles contact your local event coordination team, and they will let you know if anyone's doing the role (and they'll pass your details on to the person doing the role if there is someone already).

NATIONAL LEVEL ROLES

1. NATIONAL CO-ORDINATOR*

• oversees everything and keeps track of what is going on.
• resolves problems and follows the discussions at the international level.
• if needed, circulates e-mail updates that let people know what is going on
• oversees moderation on the national e-mail list

2. RIDES LIASON*

• communicates between the various country rides
• encourages rides in places with interest

3. ENQUIRIES*

• responds to and redirects incoming general e-mail enquiries
• maintains a spreadsheet of new registrations and sends out responses to registrations
• annually sends out a notice of the ride to all people who registered their interest in riding

CITY LEVEL ROLES

Ideally, each of these roles would be done by two people collaborating - one person serving as a backup in case the main person in the role falls ill):

1. LONDON CO-ORDINATOR*

• arranges meetings, compiles agendas, provides minutes
• keeps track of who is doing what, and how far through things people are
• deals with problems and follows the discussions at the national level.
• provides e-mail updates to let people know what is going on
• points out where and when help is needed.
• acts as a contact point for general enquiries (e-mail and mobile phone)
• maintains contact information (and keeps it secure)
• oversees moderation on the city e-mail list
• answers people's questions with care and consideration.
• ensures that the collective remains non-hierarchical but organised

PUBLICITY ROLES

2. LEAFLET*

• coordinates/delegates designing (seeks approval from the collective)
• arranges printing and collection (meets budget provided by collective)
• co-ordinates distribution of the 2005 city ride leaflets

3. PRESS WORK*

• writes the press releases
• contacting media with follow-up calls
• fields out interviews to a range of riders
• maintains a contact list of members of the press
• maintains a list of interviewable riders
• answers questions from the press.
• does not act as a spokesperson, but allows riders speak on their own behalf.
• posts articles on local Indymedia site[1]

4. EVENTS*

• plans for and co-ordinates presence WNBR local event at important events (eg- Fairs, rallies, bike events)
• registers for a stall, locates the necessary materials/supplies.
• makes sure there are enough WNBR people available for the stall.
• coordinates leafleting at events where we don't have a stall.
• acts as a point of contact

5. PROMOTION/OUTREACH*

To naturists, cyclists, envirionmentalists

• adds/requests addition of the ride to relevant calendars of events on the web
• joins relevant discussion lists (approaches, joins, and posts info)
• contacts relevant individuals, groups and organisations to encourage them to participate in the ride
• encourages them to circulate information about the ride.
• ensures that all people/groups contacted get customised information that relates to them.
• does this work via e-mail mainly but occasionally meets people in person

- delegates responsibilities to others if workload gets too big

6. WEB/WIKI EDITOR*

• provides content for the website and wiki site (adds content according to requests)
• maintains clear site navigation
• makes sure that the information on the sites is up-to-date, accurate and consistent
• monitors the pages in the city site

7. LEAFLETEER* - intensively leaflets local cyclists/skaters in May (and Critical Mass in April as well)

RIDE PREPARATION/EXECUTION

8. POLICE LIASON

• negotiates the ride with the police according to the requests of the collective.
• communicates between the collective and the Municipal police.
• corresponds with the police to maintain a positive relationship before and after rides.
• acts as the liason with the police on the day of the ride (or provides someone who can do so).
• keeps a log of contact details and phone/email exchanges with the police

9. LOGISTICS*

• oversees material preparations for the WNBR day (especially for the assembly location)
• provides things like an information stall, a media/photo free privacy-zone for bodypainting/etc.
• communicates with the relevant/necessary people, volunteers needed for set-up etc
• takes responsibility for locating the people and materials needed for the day
• ensures that people and materials needed at the ride get to the ride on time
• locates someone to look after the assembly point (with its info stall, etc) during the ride.

10. DAY CO-ORDINATOR*

• oversees the actual ride on the day
• answers questions
• organises volunteers
• work closely with the Logistics person
• goes on the ride itself
• makes self available during/before/after the ride to answer questions and organise volunteers.

11. SAFETY STEWARDS

• oversees the volunteer safety stewards
• positions stewards in front, back and middle of the ride
• communicates with eachother during the ride

12. BODY PAINTING*

• organises the body painting at the assembly point
• locates female body painters who will paint riders
• brings and looks after the body paint and materials

13. BANNER

• liases with silkscreen printer if needed for flags
• coordinates the creation of banners, flags etc
• organises carriers for the banner(s)
• brings the banner and other similar materials for the ride

14. SOCIAL EVENT

• arranges a post ride social event for riders to go to after the ride
• ensures event does not cost too much and is open to as many of the riders as possible.
• organises another social event about a month later for riders to share stories
• anticipates the possiblity of rain.

15. DONATIONS/DISCOUNTS*

• seeks out ethically compatible/independent businesses for donations/discounts to ride/riders

16. T-SHIRT SALES

• arranges selling of the t-shirts if they get made
• carefully looks after the t-shirts

17. DOCUMENTARY SCREENINGS*

• organises the screening of the WNBR 2005 documentary in various locations to inspire people and generate interest in the ride