2012.... TNN Inc's big year?

[Callum's godmother]

well, i'm out of here ... we didn't have an agm last year despite me harping on and well ... i'm not waiting for the next agm ... i resign and good friggin luck!

[Callum's godmother]

oh and nova don't worry about meetings .... we don't have any!! and don't worry about membership fees ... there aren't any members! and if you don't actually want to do something to help us (besides stir up shit) then go away

[CarlaK]

i realise you are upset. but this is uncalled for language.

[Callum's godmother]

yeah, i am upset, the committee hasn't met for a proper meeting all year let alone an agm and only at the end of the year did the people who need to access the bank accounts actually get access ... i can't be bothered with the carry on ... i get it in the neck when there is no money coming in but no one will tell me when anyone has paid money (for advertising) someone else can do this job ... i don't need this crap.

[posh]

oh and nova don't worry about meetings .... we don't have any!! and don't worry about membership fees ... there aren't any members! and if you don't actually want to do something to help us (besides stir up shit) then go away

I don't think that is being fair to Nova she is trying to get the enthusiasm for cloth nappy promotion back up.

I have just been reading about RNW - and to be honest, I can't remember if TNN did anything in 2011? I (Mother's Instinct) participated in the Cloth Nappy Week in May 2011, but I don't know if TNN did anything (or maybe I have just forgotten?).

Reading about the plan, it was move RNW to October in 2010 but reassess for 2011. So... was there any reassessment? As a retailer, I would love to support TNN in RNW. But, Kate and Cloth Nappy Week are the only people I see who are promoting cloth nappies in the wider community. TNN can have a part in this education but it seems like it doesn't want to

The main concern in that other thread was that the Nappy Alliance had "taken over" and so it was split into TNN v NA, each with their own RNW - well, it looks like the Nappy Alliance doesn't exist any more (or maybe it does and I don't know about it!), so is there still a problem?

[Janie]

oh and nova don't worry about meetings .... we don't have any!! and don't worry about membership fees ... there aren't any members! and if you don't actually want to do something to help us (besides stir up shit) then go away

I wasn't stirring up shit.
I was trying to find out what it TNN Inc is trying to do, and how successful it might be, before I offered to help... fairly reasonable I would have thought.

You (gnomic) can't expect financial help, or people to give up their time, if the need can't be articulated and argued for.

[Callum's godmother]

oh and nova don't worry about meetings .... we don't have any!! and don't worry about membership fees ... there aren't any members! and if you don't actually want to do something to help us (besides stir up shit) then go away

I wasn't stirring up shit.
I was trying to find out what it TNN Inc is trying to do, and how successful it might be, before I offered to help... fairly reasonable I would have thought.

You (gnomic) can't expect financial help, or people to give up their time, if the need can't be articulated and argued for.

wasn't talking to you janie .. was talking to Nova! wow this is all so much bigger than mcn promotion and to be honest rnw is not really anything to do with tnn ... surely there are websites devoted to it if you want to get involved .. our focus is on the day to day advice via our webste pages.

[nova]

S'all good

We could easily continue as a group of volunteers and get together to do project based stuff whenever we wanted to.. without all the legal stuff of being incorporated taking up so much time.

Yep that's true!

I'd like to see more done in providing support for antenatal class providers, midwives and other help agencies. Not sure how this could be achieved, but it would be really nice for those educating prospective parents to have the right information.

I really like this too!

Ok, so how about I rewrite the thread the way it was supposed to go...

Me: SO, what's the haps for this year? I'm really keen, who's with me? Here's an example of something that I would be more than happy to do that I think might help make things easier -> *blah blah blah*

Someone else: Sounds good! I'd be happy to take on the job of membership that was raised last year as a potential need!

Me: Yay!

Committee: Yay! We would love to have someone take care of membership, thanks! Our plans for 2012 are thus- We would love to get the demo kits and hire kits all organised and systems streamlined, and have them well promoted and fully utilised! We would like to have a series of modest but enjoyable RNW/CNW events around the country this year! We want to be informed of any cloth nappy promotion events going on so that we can support them in spirit! We want to revamp the website and make it awesome! But we need a team of enthusiastic volunteers to help us achieve that! Who's in?

Someone else: I *heart* talking about different types of nappies, AND *heart* taking my kids to coffee group type get-togethers, I would LOVE to help with the demo kits!

Someone else: I'm a web-developer, and my child has decent length day sleeps, I'll take care of the website for you!

Someone else: I have no specific skills, but I'm a good learner and super keen! Give me a job!

Someone else: I love seeing all your positivity and forward focus, I'd love to be a member of your group and help out in some way!

Committee: Yay!

Me: Yay!

Or words to that effect. Wouldn't that have been cool? Can we please give that one a go?

Sooooo......

Me: I like spreadsheets, I like sorting things, I'm good with money. I can do a limited amount of web-stuff, and basic graphic work (not an artist, but I can jiggle jpegs etc around to make them how you want). I have extensive event experience. I don't talk, or even exist in real life. I really f***ing hate committee stuff (that's why I won't touch PC with a 10ft pole), you wanna give me that juris-my-diction crap, then you can cram it up your ass And I'm not very good with people. But I'm WILLING, and I'm KEEN, and I use the computer to procrastinate & avoid doing things in my real life (hence not existing in it), so if you are clever, you can use that to your advantage. KEEN.

[nova]

Now at 10:24pm I'm going to start the work in need to do tonight for my daughter's education, so please excuse me

[Wicked Knits]

I think Nova takes the prize for most use of in one post?

I have no time to help really, but now that Mike is working, happy to join up and be a fee paying member if it gets started up again.

[Janie]

Or words to that effect. Wouldn't that have been cool? Can we please give that one a go?

Unfortunately it only works if people agree on what they are doing it for!
You can't expect people to volunteer for something, unless they understand why it is worth volunteering for .
You answer that, and you might get a few more people who are interested in joining your bandwagon

Nova, you seem to be the main person (only person?) wanting this, what do you think TNN should be doing? Why is it important to you?

I 1000% agree that the website needs sorting, it has needing sorting for a long time, and there have been threads about it, and nothing has changed. I have no idea why, and I am not a webdesigner so can't fix it. If my $10 was going to getting the website fixed, then I would gladly contribute $$$.

Hire kits - nope, don't think TNN need them. there are a number available out there, through retailers and others, and they will have more up to date brands in them. It is a responsibility, and a storage and cleaning problem that would fall on only a few shoulders.
Nappicinos - can be arranged through the forum, like most forum meetups. Most of us here could rustle up a demo kit with covers/inserts/pockets/AIO if needed, or could find such things from people in their area to help newbies. There are also more IRL shops with examples then there used to be.
Antenatal/midwives class education - Huggies sponser ParentCentre, so there would be no opportunity there. Very region specific, not a nationwide campaign possible, so it would totally depend on who lives where. No call for it in my town, the council sponsered packs reaches more people than I ever could. I was present when Kate was teaching the midwives about the scheme, and showing them some different types and brands, it is already covered here.
Cloth Nappy Week is happening already, without TNN, so maybe people on TNN would like to hear about it, and join in too.

I think the info around sewing your own nappies is available here and not elsewhere easily, perhaps this is an area which TNN could highlight a little better.

So there are my thoughts, what do you think? Nova, I am not being negative, just getting some clarity over what it is you want others to do, and why.

[nova]

I think Nova takes the prize for most use of in one post?

Trying to convey a happy attitude from all participants


It's not actually my job to sell the Inc. to people but unfortunately I don't think there is anyone left on the committee, bar Lisa (Lisa? ) who actually has a positive opinion of it

But I'll do my best.

TNN started started as a place for new people to cloth, and existing cloth users to talk to nappies. (Presumably without haters trolling on EBB busting out their "eww you *touch* the poo!!?" "you think you're so superior!" etc etc nonsense) Once upon a time, there was only General Nappy Chat, except it was GNC, it was just chat, because there wasn't anything else! But a lot of that chat was about nappies!! Gradually OT grew, then the DIY & co-op forums - people were teaching each other how to make their own nappies, to knit their own covers, doing co-ops that meant waiting a year to receive your *omigosh* sherpa or ground-breaking hemp or burley knit terry (anyone even remember BKT??), there was no print pul, no shaped snaps, no bamboo, no MINKY. People were *excited* about MCN, so many people, myself included, had never knit or sewn before, and TNN, and nappies, were helping them gain those skills!

We recognised that MCN were something that gave us tangible monetary, environmental, aesthetic , and even health benefits in our families, we could break away from the norm, and do something GOOD!! And we wanted to share that with other people who were keen, but who didn't know where to start! People would join us saying that they were confused about all the (lol 9 or so) choices! And we did everything we had time to do to make that help & information accessible to newbies.

What has changed since then? There are many, many MORE choices to confuse new people. MCN are still good for the environment. It's *harder*, imo, to find MCN choices that are good budget-wise (just because they'e gone out of vogue, thus get less limelight). MCN in general are much more visually appealing, and suit a wider variety of children and families. MCN is more commonplace... BUT, from my latest sneaky industry info, which is about 7 months old, cloth nappy use in NZ still accounts for well under 1% of the market! What has been achieved so far is great, but is it time to sit back and rest on our laurels?? *Under 1%*

Amazingly, not everyone does online baby shopping. Not everyone googles "what can I do to reduce waste and save money?" Not everyone hears "cloth nappy" and thinks of MCN. But they *might* be waiting in a GP's or Plunket office and see a cute flyer with pictures of cool MCN & an open invitation to a public demo playgroup at a park.. Or they *might* find a presentation at their ante-natal class interesting...

Have the over 99% of nappy users really ALL had a chance to consider MCN, for even a minute? With friendly, practical information at hand? It is made as accessible as possible to everyone, regardless of budget or location? If that is the case then obviously Kate & Co have done a great job, but I'm actually fairly certain that actually the MCN message isn't reaching all that far, from not enough sources (just cos one Nappy Lady says something is good, doesn't make it so. Numbers add credibility), and in not enough ways.

Why should we be passionate about spreading MCN information? Because it's good for our people struggling with the post-recession economy. Because it's SO good for our planet. Because people here before (most of) us were passionate enough to help us and our friends when we were new. Because it is why TNN is HERE.

[j-j]

Interesting post Nova. I noticed your siggy too, has it always been that? Because I don't seem to remember noticing it saying that before and it seems so fitting with this thread (a smiley especially for you )

[nova]

Haha cross posted Janie It didn't even come up in my preview!

lol Julia! Yeah I changed it sometime around the election. Didn't work then either!

[nova]

I 1000% agree that the website needs sorting, it has needing sorting for a long time, and there have been threads about it, and nothing has changed. I have no idea why, and I am not a webdesigner so can't fix it. If my $10 was going to getting the website fixed, then I would gladly contribute $$$.

I totally agree. No idea what the problem is there, but I already have plans, just as a plain ol' forum member to go through the nappy retailer thread, wherever that is (i remember checking it a month or two ago, and it was soooooooooooo out of date.)

Hire kits - nope, don't think TNN need them. there are a number available out there, through retailers and others, and they will have more up to date brands in them. It is a responsibility, and a storage and cleaning problem that would fall on only a few shoulders.

I kinda agree there too.. though the TNN ones are not-for-profit (laughably so), so are more financially accessible than some.

Nappicinos - can be arranged through the forum, like most forum meetups. Most of us here could rustle up a demo kit with covers/inserts/pockets/AIO if needed, or could find such things from people in their area to help newbies. There are also more IRL shops with examples then there used to be.

Yep, and the Inc. was supposed to help centralise & formalise this, rather than it just being ad hoc. Like Slingbabies - consistent, reliable, respectable.

Antenatal/midwives class education - Huggies sponser ParentCentre, so there would be no opportunity there. Very region specific, not a nationwide campaign possible, so it would totally depend on who lives where.

Yep. But a standardised format of premade, kept up-to-date information would be useful for getting into areas that aren't already covered.

Cloth Nappy Week is happening already, without TNN, so maybe people on TNN would like to hear about it, and join in too.

Yep, and organise events alongside in areas not already covered. I also think TNN (Inc and forum) should be freely and passionately promoting this, and all other NFP MCN promoting enterprises.

I think the info around sewing your own nappies is available here and not elsewhere easily, perhaps this is an area which TNN could highlight a little better

Yep!! I think especially in the area of low-cost alternatives. NEFPUC anyone?! But seriously, I do think there is a real place for simple, cheap, effective DIY nappies. I still remember going to a sewwacino with Rosebug, Tinkerbell & Pukeko Possum where we were sharing machines & a snap press cos some of us didn't own one, and marie & lou were teaching me & pipi how to sew some of our very first efforts