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USWD Agreements

Answers to Some Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Why is the USWD working with agreements?

A. Over the last several years, based on the LLLI Board's vision for LLL to allow Leaders more of a voice in decisions that closely affect them, many changes have taken place throughout USWD.  We've been trying to be less bureaucratic, while strongly conforming to the key lessons learned by LLLI Leaders over the last half century:

• don't mix causes
• let moms make their own decisions
• stay focused on mother-to-mother support
• it’s all about mothers and babies.

Q. How is working with agreements any different?

A. It’s important to note that these changes are really about being explicit about how we work and connect right now.  There will be no huge shift or major upheaval and some may even find these changes to be somewhat anticlimactic and wonder what all the fuss is about.

Briefly summarized, the agreements document explains:

• Expectations of all USWD Leaders
• What it takes to be recognized as a USWD Area, and the accompanying responsibilities
• The definition of USWD, its responsibilities, and its governing procedures.

Q. How will working with the agreements impact me personally?

A. There is one “change” that should be highlighted.  The LLLI Board has been moving toward this “change” for a couple of years and that is the fact that Leaders have the right to choose the Area they report through. All Leaders everywhere must operate under the same basic policies and expectations set by the LLLI Board, including the importance of communicating and coordinating with each other no matter in which Area or Division we find ourselves.  We are one set of Leaders helping mothers worldwide, and all of the other distinctions are mostly a matter of administrative convenience.  While there are some legal differences country by country, and smaller ones state by state, they shrink in comparison to what we have in common as Leaders.

Q. Is it true that our Area has to write its own set of agreements?

A. Nope! Start where you are. As a USWD Leader and Area, it is already accepted that you are working within the LLLI Policies for USWD Leaders. Of course, your Area and Leaders within the Area may choose to write your own agreements, if desired, or you can simply work from this existing document.

Q. Will USWD cease to exist and stop providing support after the LLLI Conference this July?

A. Nope! USWD Staff will continue to function to support Leaders and as an administrative body until there is no longer a need for them to act in these capacities.

Q. Where/how do we begin in our Area to work with the agreements?

A. An easy place to begin is by looking at the section titled Areas in the LLLI Policies for USWD. Just by looking at those few points, you can see that your Area already has most of the bases covered.

Q. What is mutual accountability?

A. Mutual accountability means a Leader agrees to:

Hold herself accountable to a simple, common agreement,
AND
Demonstrate to those with whom she made it.

Example: Agreeing to send the monthly Group report for your Group Meeting and providing your co-Leaders with a copy.

Example: Paying your Area Leader assessment on time.

(You can also substitute Area for Leader, Division for Area, etc. in this definition)

Q. What are some ways Leaders might hold each other accountable?

A.  It might be helpful to think of accountability in terms of demonstrating and documenting. We document (keep a record of) finances and statistics such as adult attendance at meetings, phone, email, personal breastfeeding contacts, and outreach.  We demonstrate when we report these statistics (records) in a timely and appropriate manner. Other ways we demonstrate our accountability is participation in leading meetings, phone helping, attending events, and sharing with a wider group of Leaders in person or through other venues such as an Area e-list.

Leaders are accountable locally, to the Area, to the Area Accountability Network (now known as USWD) and to LLLI.

Whatever system of documenting and demonstrating that is already in place is fine until Leaders see a need to change. When change is desired, Leaders will be explicit, i.e., they will write simple agreements.

Q. What is Consensus?

A. Consensus means…"what a group of people already agree about at a deep level, before they start working on related tasks."