REAL DIAPER ASSOCIATION AND LOCAL ADVOCACY

A New Approach.  Real Diaper Association is changing our approach to leadership and to local Real Diaper Circles.  As so many volunteers have gone through the training process in the past six months, we have listened to your comments and we have decided to refine the training as well as the Circles that result.

Local Groups.  Our intention has always been to support autonomous local groups who go about advocating cloth diapers in whatever way best suits them and their local situation.  Some may want to be Real Diaper Circles; others may not.  We have found that the structure set out in the Leader Handbook is more rigid than we intended.  In the near future, we will rewrite the handbook to suggest what is possible rather than what is absolutely necessary for a local Real Diaper Circle.

Local Advocates and Leaders.  To encourage local organizing, we want to train local organizers, but it has also become clear that not all who want to be involved locally need the same type of training.  Not all want to be Leaders of groups.  Some may have other brilliant plans.  We have loosened up and expanded our vision of local cloth diapering advocacy and our training plans to accommodate your variety.

You Are the Expert.  Only you know how best to advocate cloth diapers in your area.  If you need advice or encouragement, come to us.  An RDA organizer may speak to you or ask you to speak with another RDA Leader whose experience might help you.  If you want publicity, come to us.  Make suggestions.  If you want to get on with putting more babies in cloth diapers, do it.  We encourage local activism, whether under the Real Diaper Association or not.

You will find below details of our new program for leadership training and for local Real Diaper Circles.  [Please note: These guidelines are written in the feminine.  Not only women may advocate cloth diapers, but our experience so far suggests that most local advocates will be women.  All are welcome.]

REAL DIAPER CIRCLE LEADERS
When a member of Real Diaper Association volunteers to be a Real Diaper Circle Leader, the RDA Leader liaison will contact that leader in training to find out about their vision for local advocacy.  Their own vision will determine their appropriate training.

A Real Diaper Circle Leader represents RDA locally.  In addition to personal preparations, every RDA accredited Leader must also meet several specific requirements.

Guidelines

• After expressing an interest, volunteers will apply to begin leadership training by submitting an application.
• A Leader in training must be a current RDA member.
• A Leader in training must live within the U.S.  For those outside the U.S., we strongly encourage you to work locally and start similar local organizations.
• Leaders in training will prepare to practice Nonviolent Communication by reading Marshall Rosenberg's book by that name.  RDA will provide a reading guide with questions, many of which are specific to situations you might encounter in a local diapering group.
• Leaders in training will have a series of interviews, by e-mail and by phone, with an RDA organizer.  The leader and the organizer will decide together what will be the appropriate plan for her training.
• If a Leader in training stops training or communicating for two months, she will need to reapply for training.
• When a Leader in training has met the agreed upon requirements, she will have a final interview and may become accredited as a Real Diaper Circle Leader.
• There is no fee associated with Real Diaper Circle leadership, other than the Leader's annual RDA membership dues.
• Real Diaper Association reserves the right to refuse affiliation to any particular Leader, Advocate or Circle.  If an accreditation or affiliation is declined, the person or group will be given a reason.

Benefits

• Listing in Real Diaper Association Directory for all accredited Leaders whose RDA memberships are current, whether they have yet formed a Circle or not.
• Real Diaper Circle Leader seal for personal or commercial website.
• Template for Real Diaper Circle Leader business cards.
• Additional information about national and local educational campaigns.
• Educational and publicity materials available through the Real Diaper Association.
• All of the RDA benefits below.

How this might work in action.

• A Leader needs someone to lead. An accredited Leader should be building or strengthening a local Real Diaper Circle.
• The Leader is responsible for keeping in touch with RDA organizers.
• An accredited Leader should have a phone or in person interview with an RDA organizer twice a year at six month intervals.
• An accredited Leader should keep in touch with RDA organizers and other Leaders to talk about successes and challenges, to ensure that all publicity information is up to date, and to seek support when needed.
• An accredited Leader may be asked to share experiences and advice with other RDA volunteers.
• As RDA develops the leadership programs, some Leaders may become regional Leaders.

Next: Local Advocates Guidelines >>

Go here to download the complete Circles, Leaders and Advocates Plan in .pdf format.