Present:
Silvi Petrova - Secretary
Catriona Brady – Chairman.
Nicholay Ivanov Dragomirov – Host representative
Filipe - WWOOF volunteer
Richard – WWOOF volunteer
Apologies for absenceDr Ian Sanders – Treasurer
Ina Klisorka – Administrator
Filip – WWOOF Host
Kathy McGowan – WWOOF Host
WWOOF Bulgaria AGM 2007, chaired by Catriona Brady, minutes taken by Silvi Petrova. WWOOF Bulgaria was officially set up with an official link to the international network at the tail end of last summer 2006. At present we have 5 host farms in Bulgaria, 298 members in the Yahoo group and 96 registered members of WWOOF Bulgaria. The AGM Meetings can be held as long as a 50% of the total administration team attend the meeting and the number of attendees is not less than 3 people. This number can be made up of host farm representatives, WWOOF volunteers and WWOOF administration team. An annual news letter will be sent out in January of each year. The deadline for articles is November. Ian, Catriona and Silvi will be helping with this. The administration team is a group of 4, Dr Ian Sanders, Catriona Brady, Silvi Petrova and Ina Klisorka.
Aims and Objectives of WWOOF Bulgaria
To provide a free network for organic host farms to gain help on their farms, and for volunteers to gain opportunities on organic farms in Bulgaria, with a fair exchange of food and accommodation for their help. To promote this network and promote organic farming. To help to support and promote the local economy in rural communities. Motion passed unanimously.
What is a WWOOF Host?
A WWOOF Host can be a farm or a project which practices the growing of trees, plants or animals, without the use of synthetic chemicals applied to their soil or in their food. The WWOOF host is obligated to supply basic accommodation and healthy food to their WWOOF volunteer. The host is obligated to pick up or accompany their volunteers from the point of drop-off from public transport to the farm or have the road clearly marked for them to walk. The numbers of hours can not be over eight per day. Hosts are responsible for the program of work. The host can ask any volunteer to leave their farm or project if they feel uncomfortable with their presence. A WWOOF farm can be a commercial business but not an explotative one and they should practice fair trade. If the farm or project is making high profits then they can afford to feed into the local economy and supply paid work to the local community. Agreed unanimously
Insurance Hosts are not responsible for the insurance of volunteers on their farms, but should at least ask volunteers to sign a disclaimer in case of an accident. WWOOF Bulgaria, Catriona is looking into the supply of insurance and costs, for their members. Agreed unanimously.
What is a WWOOF Volunteer?
A WWOOF Volunteer is obligated to arrive on or near to the date that they are expected to help on the farm/project. If they can not make it to the farm/project they should contact the host and give their apologies as soon as possible. Volunteers should have a genuine interest in organic farming/eco living. Volunteers have to be flexible about the work they maybe asked to help with on the host farm, there is more to farming than weeding, digging and planting. Volunteers should agree with the program required from each host. Volunteers are free to leave a WWOOF host anytime, if they feel in anyway uncomfortable about their host. Volunteers should follow and respect any farm rules on the host farm. Volunteers are responsible for their own insurance. Agreed unanimously.
Increasing the number of WWOOF Hosts in Bulgaria
The participants agreed that WWOOF Bulgaria should publicise itself as widely as possible, advertise in farming websites and magazines in Bulgaria. Silvi agreed to help with this. There will be a postal address for anyone to send their information about their farm and their contact details. WWOOF Bulgaria members will speak directly with the farmers about organic farming and give out small pamphlets about WWOOF International and WWOOF Bulgaria, Catriona and Silvi are going to work on this. A Bulgarian article will be produced to support the publicity of WWOOF Bulgaria. Flyers will be placed in wholefood shops in Sofia, Plovdiv and other large cities and towns, also these will be sent to all WWOOF hosts to give to their neighbours and friends in the area where they are farming. Publicity will be placed in the agricultural colleges and universities in the country. Catriona & Silvi will work on this.
How to take WWOOF Bulgaria forward?
It was agreed that WWOOF Bulgaria needs to increase the number of hosts, improve the website, include more photos and a good registration system. The website will be translated into Bulgarian, with a link from the index page to an English version of the site. The site will also be translated into other languages if help is given by speakers of those languages. Ian, Silvi and Catriona will be working on this. An annual visit to the WWOOF Host farms should be done and an independent write-up about the host farm should be done and put on the site. Silvi, Catirona and Ian, will be working on this. The security of the network was identified as a potential problem. It was agreed that WWOOF Bulgaria should look into a basic register service for the site, so that a database with information on all registered wwoof hosts and wwoof volunteers is stored and logged, all e-mails through the yahoo group will be logged and monitored, Ian will be looking into this.
The question of WWOOF Bulgaria becoming a legal body was also considered. The costs for this could be high, and the need for this was debated. Once legal, funding may be gained to help expand the network. No decision was reached. The costs and legal implications will be investigated by Catriona.
Meetings for the administration team would be better on a my space or internet space so meetings can go ahead at a distance. Ian, will look into this and setup a virtual meeting space for the WWOOF Team. The myspace could then be used for the AGM next year, but it is good for people to really meet each other at least once a year
Funding for WWOOF Bulgaria?
Currently WWOOF Bulgaria relies on donations. So far WWOOF Bulgaria has only received one donation from a host farm and also some funds raised by one host farm. It was unanimously agreed that it should be suggested to host farms that they help with a fund raising kitty. This fund raising kitty is going to help rural Bulgarian farmers to become a part of the WWOOF farming network. It will be used for printing cost for promotional material, postage costs for dealing with post applications from farmers in Bulgaria. Other costs that need to be covered annually are internet access costs and web hosting costs. The costs will have to be covered annually and the team at WWOOF are looking into fund raising for 2008.
The WWOOF Chi bar will be used each year at any event and the proceeds will go to the fund raising kitty of WWOOF Bulgaria. Catriona will send out an e-mail on this.
Paid employment for an administration member of staff, paid employment of Bulgarian representative to work within WWOOF Bulgaria
It was agreed that WWOOF Bulgaria should issue a job description for a paid Bulgarian employee for 2008, duties, dealing with Bulgarian postal applications, translation of organic farming material and WWOOF material. Number of hours per week, 15hrs, flexi. Catriona is working on this.
Dealing with complaints and issues for host and volunteer members
It was unanimously agreed that the administration team of WWOOF Bulgaria will primarily deal with complaints of a criminal nature. Other complaints about hosts (such as serious breach of organic regulations or mistreatment of volunteers) or volunteers (e.g anti-social behaviour) will be logged and investigated, and where necessary, hosts or volunteers may be removed from the network.