How to Activate a Cell
The creation of an email and perhaps Telegram presence marks the beginning of the existance of a cell, but it is not active until there has been face to face meetings. Until then the cell is inactive and is capable of nothing.
Digital platforms are expedient tools to expand the network but are not an end in themselves. Only meetings of the members of a cell mark the beginning of its active phase. No meetings, no Solaris cell.
When members meet, it is suggested that they introduce themselves, indicate where they are from and what skills they can bring to the network and to the internal functioning of the cell.
For example, perhaps they have a venue where meetings could be held. Perhaps they have the skills and motivation to become a coordinator or perhaps the first referent.
It is also important for everyone to know what motivations have led them to Solaris.
When people know each other, trust is established. Whether it is at a first meeting or later, this is when it becomes possible to start building the local cell directory.
This implicitly means that someone will be available to be the first referent, at least temporarily, and to mind the cell directory. No one other than the refererents must be in possession of this directory and of course it does not circulate. This local directory is not transmitted to area coordinators.
Being listed in the local directory is not a condition for being part of Solaris. This can be done when one feels ready. On the other hand, unless listed, you will not be available to others in this network of mutual aid.
The local directory is the database used by the search engine of this internet of humans. This is where the call and the response, the need and the resource, intersect.
For information to circulate properly within the network, everyone should visit solaris-ontario.org, their cell’s status and information on this web site and pertinent Telegram channels on a regular basis. Members without internet should ask neighbours in the same cell to give them a head’s up when needed.
It is important to recall the roles of cell members, coordinators, referents and weavers:
The cell members work for the common good in service to the cell.
This requires to leave one’s ego in the lockeroom and militantcy outside of Solaris. Regardless of one’s commitments, opinions and beliefs, we are there to make a network of mutual aid and benevolence work in practice, a collective intelligence oriented towards a goal that is superior to our personal concerns.
Each member of the cell group is sovereign and is moving towards even greater sovereignty, while respecting the competencies of others and knowing how to place one's trust in the other where one's own competencies are lacking. It is an equilibrium that requires the inner vigilance of each member in his relationship with the other.
Each person takes his or her place freely according to his or her competencies, motivations, availabilities and inspirations. This is what is offered to the collective intelligence at work.
Experience show that cells with 15 to 30 members seem to strike an ideal work balance. This is a guide, and certainly not an absolute rule, which suggest a meiosis of local cells that exceed 50 people.
The coordinators of a SOLARIS cell ensure that everything works as best as can be in their cell, ensure communication with the coordinators of the neighboring and district cells, stimulate the deployment of the analogue radio network and the activities specific to the cell. Like each member of the cell, they ensure respect for the SOLARIS spirit. They have the skills that allows them to motivate the group.
They also organize their local cell meetings, coordinator meetings and even meetings of several local neighbouring cells.
Recall it is not desirable to segregate cells. It is important neighbouring cells mix and get to know each other for this allows a better organization and synergy. Individuals can also participate physically in several neighboring cells. It is vital that the coordinators of neighboring cells meet and know each other personally.
The coordinators propose themselves to the members of their cell or they may be petitioned to become one. Their term in this role may be temporary or permanent, depending on their availability and the trust placed in them by the members. It is therefore important that there be at least three.
With human nature being what it is, conflicts may arize. These need to be managed at the local or regional lever as the case may be. Not everyone will agree with the direction a cell undertakes, but as long as it respects the Solaris Spirit, its ethics, the essential is preserved.
If the trust placed in a coordinator or referant is seriously called into question by the members of the cell, then he or she must resign and, if not, then be removed from his role and replaced. Regional, provincial or national coordinators will need to be informed, as the case warrants.
Regional coordinators administer, with the help of others, the region’s emails and Telegram channel in order to maintain and keep up to date the directory and also to publish other useful information.
As already indicated, it is advisable that there should always be at least 3 coordinators, both at the local cell and regional levels. More coordinators, in areas of higher population densities, can share the territory and thus increase effectiveness.
Coordinators of distinct regions should stay in contact, and at times meet in person, or telephone or hold video conferences. The exchange of experiences is beneficial to all.
The tree-like form of links and nodes of coordination, from the local cell, to the region, to the provincial up to the national level, is not a hierarchy. It must be seen as an instrument of zoom and focus which affords the appropriate vision required for the proper administration of a particular territory.
The referents of a SOLARIS cell are the local custodians of the local directory. They are the ones who are called upon in case of a request. They are the search engine of the Internet of humans that is Solaris. This is a real responsibility. It is therefore necessary to have a sense of rescue and sympathetic attention to others.
There is one directory per cell, visible only to the referents of the cell itself. It is not available to the coordinators of the cell itself, nor the referents of neighbouring cells. This is to protect private data. A local directory does not circulate.
The referents’ mission is to keep their directory up to date, including the hard copy version, and to contact referrers in neighbouring cells if the solution to a request is not available in their cell.
It is important that the referents of neighbouring cells know each other personally and have met. The human link is the glue of good cooperation.
The weavers will work on the essential local cell networking, regional networking, inter-regional networking and also with various local non-Solaris networks.
The typical profile of a Weaver is to know how to establish contacts between people and to organize, with Coordinators, inter-cell meetings. It is up to him to contact other non-Solaris networks present in his territory in order to integrate with them. This consists not only in extending the cell meetings to these networks, but also in suggesting to enter members representing these networks in local directories.
In concrete terms, the member of a non-Solaris network who wants to enter the Solaris directory will add to his Contact Form the network of which he is already a member and the contact person of this network; information necessarily added to the directory record. Non-Solaris networks who will be approached by Solaris Weavers must be informed that it is in no way a question of overtaking or absorbing them. It is simply a proposition that they will be present in the Solaris directory which will be used by everyone without exception. This will allow a gathering of all.
In conclusion, these are common sense principles that indicate an optimal framework for the functioning of the human network that is Solaris. But as always, it is up to all of you, locally, according to the particularities of your living area, to adapt and optimize these principles as needed.