WOV CHOIR REQUIREMENTS 2024

Welcome procedure: 

• Members and guests are suitably welcomed when they arrive by a coordinator or volunteer. 
• A table with membership information, welcome letters, etc is set up in the entrance every session, and is occupied by a volunteer for at least 15 minutes before rehearsal until 15 minutes after singing has begun. 
• The table clearly displays WOV information and is covered with the provided WOV tablecloth 

• Everyone must be made to feel welcome, valued, and wanted at With One Voice choirs. 
• We must be proactive about addressing people’s anxieties about coming along. 
• We must be organised about our membership procedures, so that the choirs can sustain themselves financially. 

Membership System: 

• Choirs MUST use the provided MembershipWorks portal for members’ details and payments. 
• Cash payments may be taken, but must be entered into the MembershipWorks system AT LEAST monthly. 
• Guests on 1st attendance must be given Welcome Letters, and all the relevant membership information. 
• Reminders must be given to all members to update their membership information regularly. 

• We must have an effective, central way of communicating with all our members, and an official record of membership details in case of emergency. 
• We must move towards financial viability for the choirs. Regular, monthly member payments are the way to support this.  
• Keeping all financial information in MembershipWorks means we can report accurately on the financial situation of choirs in an efficient manner. 
• Many choirs have an alarming number of members who contribute nothing, and it is threatening to derail our choirs unless it is fixed. 
• This further places an unfair responsibility on those of your members who ARE paying.
   

A NOTE on Attendance and Membership records: 

Quite apart from it being just a good way to manage an effective and efficient choir, this data is HOW WE HELP YOU. Without being able to be there in person, we need this info so we can effectively support you. Without it, we have NO IDEA how your choir is going and can provide little to no useful advice, support or practical assistance.  

• Volunteer Exchanges: 
• Volunteers are obliged to engage with our monthly scheduled Exchange sessions. 
• If none of your committee can attend the Zoom at the scheduled time, they must watch the recorded session, and complete a questionnaire to show they have understood the information.
   

• We need to communicate regularly with all choirs to ensure a standard of service is delivered throughout the network. 
• We need to continually educate and support everyone to run the best communities possible. 
• We work better when we share our experiences, and pool our vast resources. 

NOTE: Out first Volunteer Exchange will be on Monday 22 January at 8pm (AEDT). If you cannot attend, a recording and accompanying questionnaire will be sent in the week following. 

LINK: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6846222478 

Community Development: 

• Choirs must provide time and space for supper after rehearsal. For some this may involve food, for some just a cup of tea and some bickies. 

• Our choirs are about more than just music. They are about building community, real human connection, and safe, inclusive places of meeting.
   

Price Increase: 

• We will be increasing member prices for 2024 and beyond. 
• We will explain more about how this will work in the Volunteer Exchange on 22 January. 
• Manual payment options are available through MembershipWorks, so as always, price won’t be a barrier to entry. 

• A lot of our choirs are running at a loss, and we need to increase revenue if the charity is to survive. 
• Our contribution amounts have been frozen for nearly a decade, while our costs are increasing.