There are currently six people on the NBTA Committee and we need more people to be involved in the day-to-day running of the NBTA. We are also getting some working groups together and are looking for people to get these going. Because of the itinerant, scattered nature of our community, much of the time the Committee and working groups carry out their roles from their boats, communicating and making decisions by phone and email. Come to the General Meeting or the afternoon workshops to get involved, or contact the NBTA and come to a Committee meeting near you later in the year.
We are looking to recruit a number of people to join the Committee to be involved in the management of the NBTA. People with organisational skills are most welcome. Some members of the Committee will be requested to perform specific roles so if you have skills relevant to the specific roles outlined below you will be most welcome.
As a Committee member you will need to attend Committee meetings approximately 4 times a year (January, April, July and October) and participate in the General Meeting (every year). The other functions of the Committee are laid down in the Constitution – see 2017-11-18_NBTA_constitution_signed.pdf
SPECIFIC COMMITTEE ROLES
Deputy Secretary
The Secretary is responsible for the administration surrounding the Constitution, the holding of General Meetings (including the sending of notices to the membership) and other internal organisational matters. We are looking for someone to act as Deputy Secretary with the view of eventually taking over the role of Secretary.
Deputy Membership Secretary
The Membership Secretary is responsible for handing new membership requests, reruiting new members, keeping the membership database, outgoing e-mail and SMS databases up to date and secure. This role involves a requirement to be conversant with the General Data Protection Regulations 2018 (GDPR) and the management of the databases must be done within these regulations. We are looking for someone to act as Deputy Membership Secretary with the view of taking over the Membership Secretary role in its entirety.
Deputy Press Officer
The Press Officer is responsible for approving all media campaigning output (including press messages and social media output) and responding to requests for interview from the press (including finding people to be interviewed as appropriate). This can also include writing content although content is invited and welcomed from all members. We are looking for someone to act as Deputy Press Officer with the view of taking over the Press Officer role in its entirety.
Representing the NBTA
Committee members also represent the NBTA in its relations with other organisations. We are looking for people who can speak publicly with confidence and “on-message” on behalf of the NBTA either to the press, to politicians or in other public arenas. Interaction with the Press Team and the Campaigning Team is essential. As the NBTA is developing an international presence an interest in working with other foreign national groups allied to the interests and ideals of the NBTA would be extremely valuable.
PRESS WORKING GROUP
The Press Working Group is responsible for developing the messages of the NBTA and delivering the material to inform the press and the public via social media (Facebook and Twitter in particular) of the issues, challenges and persecution confronting itinerant live aboard boaters across the country. We are looking for marketing people to join this team to build on that work.
IT AND WEB SITE WORKING GROUP
The IT and Web site Working Group maintains the web site, the Facebook pages and comes up with useful tricks to assist the Press Working Group and the Membership Secretary in their respective tasks. In addition this team also assists with IT security issues and Data Protection compliance. We are looking for techies who understand WordPress, Facebook publishing, e-mail and SMS campaigning, computer security and have a working knowledge of Data Protection.
ADMINISTRATION
The Admin Team is involved in record-keeping and information gathering/ collation, setting up databases and research. We are looking for people to perform this diverse role.
CAMPAIGN TEAM
The Campaign Team works on a regional or national basis to conceive and execute specific campaigns in the furtherance of the needs of the members of the NBTA and the NBTA mission. Campaigns can include demonstrations including coordinated press campaigns, direct mail (SMS and e-mail) and political campaigns. This team works hand-in-glove with the Press Team and the Externally Facing representatives. We are looking for people with a wicked bent towards campaigning to join this team to develop the campaigning activities of the NBTA to support our members.
CASEWORK TEAM
The Casework Team supports specific itinerant live-aboard boaters who find themselves in difficulty including for example in enforcement, with benefits, in situations of eviction and other circumstances that cause difficulty and distress for the boater. Members of the Casework Team will take part in Volunteer Caseworker Training and will operate along side the NBTA but detached from it to ensure that the needs of the client take priority over the campaigning activities of the NBTA. Members of this team are not acting as professional solicitors or advocates. Casework can range from being “a shoulder to lean on” to representing a client in court (subject to the approval of the judge) and most of all seeking to resolve disputes through negotiation and mediation rather than confrontation and litigation. There are always many demands on this team and we are looking to enlarge the group. No pre-existing qualifications are required but trained counsellors, solicitors, barristers and other advocates are most welcome. The NBTA has a panel of solicitors to whom cases are referred and is also a referring organisation to Advocate (previously known as the “Bar Pro Bono Unit”). Experienced Caseworkers frequently act as “McKenzie Friends” and are sometimes granted Right of Audience (addressing the court on behalf of a client) in court. People who already work as caseworkers for other support organisations who are willing to help inerrant boat dwellers are also most welcome.
As an extension to the Casework Team the “Panel of Experts” are people who are formally trained and may be practising in their profession. While they may not have the time, inclination or authorisation to be day-to-day Caseworkers they are nonetheless highly valued professionals to whom the Casework Team can reach for specific specialised advice in the support of their clients. In a particular barristers who already provide help through Advocate are most welcome.