Online Registration for EGP Supporters – a Simplified Procedure
Preliminary
Expanding the Individual Supportership scheme is one of the EPG’s priorities for the time to come. One of the simplest ways to make progress is to simplify registration and administration through an online registration form directly linked to the site of the EGP – and that of the individual parties. The Supporters’ Network hereby proposes how such a facility and database could be created and managed.
We first outline the conditions needed to make the system function the way we want, then describe the registration process, and lastly propose a mechanism to implement it.
Conditions
The purpose of the supportership scheme is
- to link individuals living in Europe to a transnational political movement capable of both parliamentary and grassroots action, and
- to create more spaces for cross border exchange, debate and action.
Therefore
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We need a database that contains at least the following information on the supporter: identity, full address, mail, party or other affiliation – if aplicable – and a choice of ways in which the supporter wishes to be involved: only financially; receiving news and invitations to activities; through active participation
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Those who want to receive news and invitations wil also be invited to provide extra information on their interests, those who’d like to be actively involved also will be requested to mention their capabilities.
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All individuals should be able to register directly in the database. The responsibility for the veracity of the information lies with the individual herself.
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Parties have the right to veto individuals living in their nation/region. Therefore we need a transparent mechanism that allows those parties to prevent determined individuals to become EGP supporters.
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Supporters contribute financially at already determined annual fees, therefore we need a mechanism to cash and administer these contributions in a transparent and accountable way, under the responsibility of the EGP. Such a mechanism must allow for financial contributions to be made/collected on a regular basis.
Process
An individual living in Europe hears about the EGP and wishes to join. She visits the EGP website and fills in an online form, thus creating an identity in a social network web-space. This registration gives the right (but not the obligation) to receive news from the EGP, GGEP, Supporters’ Network, but not yet access to the interactive Supporters’ Network discussion facilities*.
The registrant is checked to be a real person, and not an automatic spammer. Registrants are also identified by country of origin. This process is automated, not needing human intervention.
Her membership is on a proof-basis period, awaiting approval by the parties. Within each national or regional party, a person responsible for EGP supporters will receive the new applications, accompanied by a request to confirm their registration. If the party decides to deny the application, the supporters’ contact notifies the EGP /Supporters’ Network, mentioning the reason of the veto. The registrant in question will receive an automated copy of this notification.
If the party has confirmed the registration, the registrant is admitted and asked to pay her financial contribution online. Once the payment is received, the supportership is effective and the supporter will also have access to Network’s discussion forums and other activities as well as the minutes of Network meetings. If the applicant is vetoed, mailings and access to the site will stop.
Contributions are registered in full detail and are open to auditing by the EGP treasurer.
Proposal
Existing software for social networking allows to set up a mechanism that complies with what is described above, especially the software drupal (www.drupal.org), which several European green parties (such as GroenLinks) use to manage their internet presence, and members’ administration.
The Supporters’ Network will contract the setting up of a drupal site tailored to the above-mentioned needs. In our experience such a website implies a maintenance level from one to four hours a week, which the Supporters’ coordination team can provide. The tailoring and installation costs don’t have to surpass five thousand euros, plus a few hundreds per year for renting the secure connection services.
The only action not automated is the checking of individuals by national parties. It is indeed the task of the Supporters’ Network coordination team, in coordination with the EGP, to convince the national parties to assume these responsibilities.
What we are talking about here is a couple of hours a month at most for scrutinising new applicants from their countries, whose names will be sent to the parties automatically. Having received those the parties will (a) confirm the registration or (b) veto individuals by sending a mail to the Supporters’ Network, mentioning the reason of the decision. Vetoed individuals, if still interested, are invited to address the national party, with which the final decision remains.
Closing lines
The setting up of the described proposal is a matter of relatively small funds and short time. Those not familiar with automated procedures might have doubts about the security of the process outlined above. But it is important to notice that today in Internet almost uncountable resources are made available for the managing of groups and funds. Technically speaking, we are not proposing anything too difficult or demanding, but rather standard. Existing extensions of the drupal platform can handle our requests without mayor adaptation. In any case, if there are questions or remarks, we are certainly open to improvement and discussion.
Inti Suarez inti.suarez@scicha.org
