# /0 Summary

## // What Is an AG?

A working group (AG) is a permanent working context. It has a specific theme. It is part of the BCCB initiative. Care Plena carry out and coordinate concrete care practice. Care Brigades handle acute, time-limited care tasks. AGs take long-term responsibility for a defined thematic field. This field needs ongoing attention.

## // Why AGs?

Some tasks cannot be handled well in the plenum. They are too detailed, too specialised or take too much time. Sometimes they are also not tasks for a brigade. They are not one-off and do not concern a specific person, but a permanent field. AGs are the answer: they pool expertise. They take on continuous responsibility. And they thereby relieve the plenum. At the same time they remain accountable to it.

## // Goals & Benefits

- The plenum is relieved of labour-intensive and specialised questions.
- Collective expertise is built up. Knowledge can be passed on to Care Plena.
- Continuity: topic-related knowledge does not disappear with individual people.
- Clear accountability without hierarchy: AGs decide autonomously within their mandate. They remain accountable to the Care Plena (see /7).
- Politicisation of the subject: every AG brings its field into an emancipatory self-understanding.

# /1 Structural Foundations

## // Participants

3–10 people who:

- have a substantive interest in or existing competencies in the AG's thematic field.
- are prepared to take on responsibility on a lasting basis (guideline: at least 6 months of active participation).
- support the AG's mandate and align themselves with it.
- are open to rotating roles (facilitation, minutes, external contact etc.).

The AG is open to new members. But it maintains a stable core of permanently active people. For smaller AGs (3–4 people), it is advisable to connect with at least one additional person from the plenum as a "bridge". This prevents isolation.

## // Handovers & Transitions

AGs are long-term — but people change. Therefore:

- Knowledge management is crucial. Everything must be documented so a new person can get up to speed.
- Onboarding for new members: oriented around the mandate, recent minutes and open points.
- If an AG loses its purpose or the theme needs to be redrawn: active dissolution or reorganisation in the plenum. No creeping inactivity.

# /2 Meeting Rhythm & Pre-Discussions

## // Frequency and Time Frame

- Regular meetings: every 2–6 weeks.
- Where possible: a fixed date — this facilitates reliability.
- At least once per quarter or semester: a longer retreat session for reflection.

## // Pre-Discussions

AG work only succeeds with well-prepared meetings. The pre-discussion is a distinct working step:

- Gather what is to be worked on in the coming meeting.
- Distribute who prepares what (research, draft, resolution proposal).
- Collect inputs from the plenum, brigades, other AGs.

## // Preparation of the Meeting

- The topic list with time budgets is in the pad.
- Resolution proposals are drafted (at least 48 hours before the meeting).
- Open points from the last minutes are named.
- Incoming requests from the plenum, brigades and other AGs are incorporated.

# /3 Agenda Structure

Each meeting follows five phases. Time budgets are set in advance in the pad.

## // Phase 1: Check-In

- How is everyone? What capacities are there (or not) right now?
- Collect any last additions to the agenda.

## // Phase 2: Current Tasks and Reflection

- Review of the last minutes.
- Who is taking minutes today?
- What was (not) done?
- Are there any friction points or delays?
- Feedback from plenum, brigades, other AGs.
- Assign time budgets to agenda items.

## // Phase 3: Substantive Work

- Work through agenda items with their time budgets.
- Discussion and decision-making by consensus or mandate.
- Name any need to report back to the plenum — if fundamental questions of direction have arisen.
- Postpone topics that need more preparation.

## // Phase 4: Further Tasks & External Coordination

- What goes to the plenum? What to other AGs or brigades?
- Establish clear responsibilities: who takes on what and by when?

## // Phase 5: Check-Out

How is everyone? How was the meeting? Was the time budget appropriate? Is there anything for the next pre-discussion? Best case: confirmation of the next date.

# /4 Working Methods Between Meetings

## // Decision Modes

Task-related operational decisions within the agreed mandate are made independently by the responsible person or small team. Transparency within the AG is important. Substantive decisions that concern the AG as a whole are made by consensus and recorded in the minutes.

## // Asynchronous Work

Between meetings, the majority of work runs asynchronously:

- Research, drafts and resolution proposals are prepared in the shared pad.
- Open tasks are maintained in the task list with status and responsibility.
- Short-term agreements run via the secure communication channel (e.g. Signal group with disappearing messages).

Important: this asynchronous work must not remain invisible. All AG members must be able to follow what is happening at any time. Who is working on what should be apparent from the pad — without needing to ask.

## // Conflict Resolution

For conflicts, the first attempt is to clarify directly and openly within the AG. Not behind individuals' backs. If this does not succeed, or if gender-specific dynamics make it more difficult, the conflict is brought to the plenum.

# /5 Documentation & Development

## // Meeting Minutes

Every meeting is minuted. The AG meeting template (separate) is recommended. At minimum the following must be included:

- Metadata (date, those present, facilitation, minutes).
- Agenda items adopted.
- Substantive results per agenda item.
- Task list.
- Interface points (what goes to plenum, other AGs, brigades).

## // Periodic Evaluation

Every 3–6 months the AG reviews its own work. Best done in a retreat session:

- Are the meetings productive? Is the rhythm right?
- How are members doing? Who is overloaded, who underloaded?
- What should we report to the plenum? Successes, blind spots, friction?
- Do we need support, new members or new tools?

# /6 Founding an AG

An AG is founded in the plenum when needed (see /1). These points are discussed:

- The AG's thematic field (formulated as narrowly as possible to avoid mandate creep).
- Concrete tasks and expectations: what should the AG do? What not?
- Decision scope: what can the AG decide itself? What must go to the plenum?
- Resource framework: time, budget, spaces, tools — where applicable.
- Feedback rhythm: at what interval does the AG report to BCCB?

These five points form the AG's mandate (see /7). They are recorded in writing before the AG begins its work.

# /7 Relationship to the Care Plena

The AG works autonomously within its mandate (see /6). The relationship to the Care Plena rests on three elements:

## // Mandate

Within the agreed thematic field the AG decides independently — without consulting everyone for each step. The mandate is the basis for this autonomy. It is not a general advance of trust, but concretely what was recorded in writing in /6.

## // Accountability

- Regular brief report to the plenum: what was done? What is coming up? Where is there friction?
- For fundamental questions of direction: active feedback to the Care Plena — also outside the regular reporting rhythm.
- Transparent documentation, accessible at any time for all care-organised people.
- In cases of conflict or exhaustion: ask for help, draw on hyphae.

## // Revising Decisions

The Care Plena can return an AG decision for renegotiation by consensus. This happens if it lies outside the mandate or if there are fundamental concerns. The AG then develops a revised proposal. The return is an impetus for shared clarification — not a replacement of the AG's decision by the plenum.

# /8 Critical Reflection

Beyond the periodic evaluation of the individual AG (see /5), the AG model itself requires regular review in the plenum:

- Do AGs actually relieve the plenum? Or do new invisible concentrations of responsibility emerge in individual people?
- Does the connection to the Care Plena remain alive? Or do AGs become de facto autonomous despite a formal mandate?
- Are thematic fields still appropriately drawn? Are new founding, mergers or dissolutions needed?
- Is rotation of roles and membership actually lived? Or are informal permanent responsibilities becoming entrenched?

These questions are discussed collectively in the plenum at least once a year — across all existing AGs, not just internally within each AG.

# /9 Tools

- Data protection-compliant collaborative pad (e.g. CryptPad) shared with all AG members, accessible to the plenum.
- Secure communication channel for asynchronous exchange (e.g. Signal group with disappearing messages).
- Shared file storage for resolutions, minutes, research.
- AG meeting template for ongoing minute-taking.
- Task tracking — pragmatic, e.g. a pad list with status, responsibility and deadline.
- Shared calendar for meeting and pre-discussion dates.