Merri-bek Tech is a membership organisation run democratically by its members. We have not yet chosen a formal legal structure, so at present we are an informal collective operating on the basis described here.
Becoming a Member
Anyone can become a member if they meet the following criteria:
- Have completed a three-month sprint, no more than six months ago
- Are not deemed unsuitable (by the current membership) due to code-of-conduct violations
- Live in Victoria, Australia
There is no financial cost to becoming a member. Unlike volunteer sprints and stewardship groups, becoming a member does not need to be at the start of a quarter, it can happen anytime.
If you have been a member in the past, and let it lapse, you’ll need to engage in a sprint before becoming a member again.
Remaining a Member
Remaining a member requires you to actively opt-in again each calendar year. If you don’t respond to the request to opt-in, you’ll’ be automatically removed as a member.
There are obligations that come with being a member. If you don’t meet them you’ll be automatically removed as a member.
Obligations of Membership
Merri-bek Tech is run by the “doers”. We don’t want anyone to feel obligated to do work they don’t want to do, but as members are the deciding body of Merri-bek Tech, you do need to engage in some form of doing if you wish to remain a member.
Additionally, members keep the existing organisation running, and so we can’t base membership just on building new things. So, while a volunteering sprint is a form of doing, it’s not sufficient to fulfil your membership contribution.
Therefore, during each calendar year of your membership, you are obliged to contribute one of the following:
- One six-month stewardship group
- Mentor a sprint
- Hold a governance position
Benefits of Membership
The primary benefit of membership is participation in governance decisions, and thus helping to shape what Merri-bek Tech is, and what it does.
However, in the event that we decide to charge for some hosting services to cover costs, members do receive access to these hosting services for personal use at no cost.
Ending Membership
You can end your membership at any time, without needing to give a reason.
Existing members can remove a member for code-of-conduct violations.