Vermont Reiki Association-Clarity, Integrity, Compassion

VRA Board Meeting Minutes

January 12, 2012

Survey: Sylvia Gaboriault has prepared a Survey Monkey for membership to get more feedback about  VRA priorities. The board recommended adding a question to find out more about what members are doing in their communities for volunteer work. Should be able to get the survey out soon.

Regional Groups

Could help build participation in VRA sponsored events.

Ann Lindner and Nancy Mosher are working with a team of people from Washington County to jumpstart a group there. There has also been interest in Lamoille and Franklin Counties. Need volunteers to lead groups in other counties.

We will get started in a region as soon as we have a coordinator willing to convene a group.

Need to create feedback system between Regional Coordinators and board.

Draft of document: Guidelines for Regional Groups

Purpose

1.      Build community among Reiki Providers

2.      Provide opportunities for practicing and sharing Reiki

3.      Develop deeper roots in communities, by collaborating on volunteer projects.

4.      Support new practitioners.

5.      Expand awareness about Reiki in our communities

6.      Network and referrals.

Suggested meeting schedule: 3x year

Regional groups must adhere to VRA standards

VRA board members should try to attend their regional groups.

Communication: Regional Coordinators report activities to VRA Board and Newsletter Coordinator so we can track activities and celebrate our members.

Ethics Policy

Sandy Jefferis has developed a draft ethics policy, per instruction of VRA membership at Annual Meeting. Board recommended some revisions. Will send policy out to members in monthly

email for feedback. Interim Ethics Officer will be named by board, after policy ratified by board at next meeting. Bylaws will need to be amended by Annual Meeting.

 Vermont Reiki Association

Ethics Operating Procedure

1.     Annually, members acknowledge adherence to the Vermont Reiki Association Code of Ethics when signing their membership form and submitting their annual dues.

2.     The Ethics Officer will be elected by the VRA membership at the Annual Fall Meeting and will serve a two-year term.

3.     Perceived Code of Ethics violations should be brought to the attention of the Ethics Officer via email (), or mail (Ethics Officer, Vermont Reiki Association, P.O. Box 123, Barre, VT 05641).

4.     The Ethics Officer will receive and investigate complaints. Observations and evidence relating to complaints will be submitted in writing to the Board of Directors.

5.     The Board of Directors will meet to determine the resolution of the complaint.

6.     The Board of Directors will report outcomes to appropriate parties.

Brochure

Sandy Jefferis is working on revising the VRA brochure. Audience includes providers and organizations who might invite Reiki providers in to work with their clients.  Revisions recommended, including asking some of our host organizations for testimonials. Chris to ask contact at Camp Knock Knock, Sandy to ask Sharon at Respite House, Nancy to ask Pam at Central Vermont Medical Center.

Spring meeting

Discussed the possibility of a spring meeting to bring VRA members together. Will discuss at next meeting.

Website

Chris Hanna has revised the webpage on the VRA website that lists our members and contact information. Readers can choose whether to see provider lists by county or alphabetically. Thank you, Chris!

November 18, 2011

Present: Chris Hanna, Sandy Jefferis, Nancy Mosher

Regional Groups:

Nancy asked Ann Lindner to help her create a proposal for regional group structure. Nancy and Ann plan to survey current regional coordinators for input. Will report back to board with proposal in January.

Survey

Sylvia Gaboriault has agreed to create an on line survey of membership if we can formulate questions. Questions:

Where are you located(town and county)?
Are you volunteering Reiki services regularly? Where?
Do you agree with the priorities the membership laid out for the VRA at its annual meeting in October? If not, what would you like us to focus on?
How long have you been a VRA member?
What is most important to you that the VRA provides? Give options.
The VRA needs membership participation. Would you like to be involved in any of the following ways?
Projects, regional groups, regional group coordination, volunteers at Reiki
clinics, leadership role

Sandy and Chris: (NM would like to add: Would you be interested in a spring gathering? Where? Feedback??)

Ethics:

Create policy re ethics violations and how they will be handled. Sandy will create a draft. Possible violations include giving medical diagnosis or advice, breaking client confidentiality, unprofessional behavior, operating outside of VRA standards when part of a VRA event, institutional complaint. Develop policy, ID board ethics officer. Policy should include the steps of an investigation. Distribute policy to membership.






VRA Guidelines:

Went out by email to members. Nancy still needs to post on website. Nancy would also like to re-format for clarity.

Research:

Sandy to continue to investigate options. Possibility of one page handout. Could also have newsletter article. Pam Miles’ site is a resource.

Newsletter

The Board would like to see a newsletter published on line 3 times a year, Jan 15, May and November.
Should include clinics and who participated with thank you’s. Next newsletter should include breast cancer conference and Rutland event.
For January newsletter, Sandy will write an article on Dartmouth Hitchcock’s Reiki program.
Should always include a message from the board.
Also include a call for help.

Other communication:

The board also would like to see us sending out a monthly email to members.

Leadership and participation:

We need people to delegate tasks too. Nancy will ask Kelly MacDermott Burns for ideas. See who arises out of reformation of regional groups. Sandy has ideas about who might be able to help.

Other website issues:

Chris will eliminate map on website, as it is confusing.
Nancy will delete former President’s message.
Contact button: John should send to Nancy.
Practitioner page- needs changes??
Get upcoming dates on web page
Ask members to submit photos
Thank Laurie and Lisa Anne.
Chris to follow up on Founders issue




Content of next monthly update:

New membership cards coming.
Still looking for leaders
Need Regional Coordinators
Survey update
Ethics policy update

Next board meeting January 12, 2012

Suggestions from Chris: :

Could we do next annual meeting in Chittenden County? Hasn’t happened for a long time.
Ask Jean Wisner if she would consider working with Chris on events coordination.

Respectfully submitted,

Nancy Mosher
Secretary



Spring meeting: Tabled to next meeting

Storage of membership files: Could we scan them? Tabled

Brochures: Sandy is editing. Will bring draft to January 12 meeting.

Bylaw: revise spring 2012