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This is a work in progress which has been ratified by our community members. (We are beginning to incrementally act upon this document in action. But, we need pro-bono legal help to take Pearl House of Peace from just my husband and I owning this house to a truly legal cooperative work. give this work a boost of faith and clear evidence to our community members of our intentions. I know "the powers that be" are ready to help. It is time to take our walk together. Peace. Constitution of the Pearl House of Peace Anderson, Indiana I. Purpose Pearl House of Peace is a quasi-communal and prototype affordable housing cooperative community of Mercy International Ministry's for mentally, emotionally and economically disadvantaged (MEED) people and their families. The purpose of our constitution is to provide a guiding document that outlines the expectations of Pearl House Shared Household Members (SHM's), visitors and friends of community member's behavior, responsibilities and activity while on the premises of community property, in community vehicles and during community events and/or outings. Our purpose of creating this document is not intended to provide or for it to become a box of hard and fast rules. If we are to err, we choose to err on the side of unconditional love and mercy for the sake of peace, safety and provision of holistic solutions; and to provide caring and sharing guidelines for all Pearl House SHM's and those affiliated with Pearl House SHM's. II. Shared Household Responsibilities 1. Behave and communicate in an uncensored manner conducive to a creatively peaceful, positive and productive environment 2. Abstain from hostile behavior and activity such as: A. Warlike - fighting/physical contact B. Aggressive - tending towards unprovoked offensives, attacks, invasive or militantly forward C. Antagonistic - struggle against in opposition D. Unfriendly - not kindly, unsympathetic, not amicable E. Verbal assaults 1) Verbal assaults in anger are neither kind nor peaceful in nature; and are not conducive to a positive, productive environment. 2) Aggressive, habitual verbal assault on community members will not be tolerated. 3) A 500 word essay to include an apology for the assault, why it happened, what the offender could have done different and what the offender will do different in the future in conjunction with an LTO until the essay is written can be given to an offender by a Guiding Anchor, Program Coordinator, Business manager and/or a minimum of 80 % of Pearl House Shared Household Members (SHM-s) by consensus. 3. Contribute to household and MIM's sustainability A. Economic contribution - $150 per month (A barter of community service is available in lieu of and/or a combination of $'s and additional community service for those without incomes to meet $150 fee.) B. Business labor contributions 1) SPRM Publishing 2) Heart Art Productions 3) Fire Rising Band 4) Other business labor contributions approved by Business Manager C. Contribute minimum ten hours approved business labor/community service 1) Complete 1 approved and separate (a & s) project weekly and review w/ Guiding Anchor (GA) 2) Complete 1 a & s project monthly and review with GA 3) Complete 1 a & s project quarterly and review with GA 4) Complete 1 a & s project yearly and review with GA D. Personal Development 1) Any new knowledge you want to learn 2) Share gained knowledge with others who are interested 3) Obtain necessary legal personal documentation 4) Concrete steps to obtain GED, High School Diploma, formal higher education or start a community business a) Minimum ten hours per week b) Complete and review with GA minimum of one step per week for each needed E. Ninja Round table Forum 1) Mandatory meeting for all SHM's once per month at a restaurant location or other location (Places that have people with open hearts and helping hands, etc.) away from Pearl House 2) Date & time posted 1 month in advance on house calendar 3) Include meal and/or refreshments 4) Open with one minute of silence and/or one positive song or poem. Eat and finish meal. 5) Topics of discussion a) Contributions to sustainability b) Ongoing conflicts and potential solutions c) Future long term projects d) Ideals 1- 10 minute positive presentation 2- Presented by different house member each month F. House Hold Maintenance Responsibilities 1) A.M. and P.M. duties 2) A.M. duties to be completed by 6 pm 3) P.M. duties to be completed by 6 am 4) Kitchen is closed to stove cooking by 10 pm - microwave only after 10 pm 5) All old, spoiled foods in or out of fridge to be thrown away. 6) Final kitchen clean up by P.M. duties person to be completed by 11 pm 7) Miscellaneous maintenance projects to be done as needed III. Personal Responsibilities 1. Health A. Each person is responsible for their own health B. Pearl House members will assist, as able, with providing referrals for professional visits and coordinating and/or providing transportation in emergency/crises situations, professional visit appointments and for peaceful, positive and productive diversionary activities which contribute to stress management. C. Each person is responsible for their own financial obligations past, present and future concerning health, and other issues. 2. Personal Property and Belongings A. Each person is responsible for all of their own individual personal property. B. Personal electronics to be stored in communal bunk rooms when not in use. Electronics which are battery operable - use batteries. C. Any food, drinks, hygiene items, etc. you wish to reserve for yourself, clearly label with a dark maker or pen. D. Any personal property and/or belongings brought onto the premises of Pearl House are limited to two suitcases for Visiting SHM's. Other SHM's additional property and belongings will be evaluated on a case by case basis by a GA or Coop Owner as to what will be allowed to be brought on the property. E. After vacating premises, personal property and belongings will be held a maximum of 7 days without written permission of a time extension. 1) After holding personal property and belongings for 7 days, it becomes the legal property and belongings of Pearl House. 2) Property and belongings will be redistributed and/or disposed of by GA or Coop Owner. 3. Personal Household Maintenance A. Daily check the General Household Cleanup Responsibilities on the bulletin board. B. Do your scheduled responsibilities by appointed time C. Everyone, if you see something that needs to be done, if you are willing, just do it. Or, check bulletin board to see whose responsibility it is and kindly remind person of their responsibility. If it hasn�t been done in an hour or so, ask someone else to remind them. If this does not resolve the issue, ask a GA to remind them. If this becomes an ongoing issue with this person, ask GA to call a house meeting to help resolve issue peacefully and collectively. If GA is unavailable, Coop Owner, Business Manager, Program Coordinator or House Manager may call a house meeting to address the issue. D. If you smoke, no smoking allowed upstairs or inside the house. In cold weather only, smoking is allowed in the wash room. Use ashtrays and daily empty an ashtray. E. Monthly, "all hands on deck" for miscellaneous household maintenance. F. Utility consumption should be utilized to a minimum as much as possible. 1) Lights should be turned off and other electrical items unplugged when not in use. 2) In cold weather, use the back door as much as possible. 3) Keep the wood stove burning and front door from being overly used to keep the gas furnace from constantly running. 4) Fill kitchen sink with wash and rinse water, when washing dishes. 5) Water spigots should be completely turned off and not left dripping. 4. Legal Issues, Legal Entanglements and Consequences A. There is a "Don't ask. Don't tell." Zero Tolerance Policy of illegal - substances, paraphernalia, fire arms and weapons on community property, in community vehicles and at sanctioned community events. Impromptu visual room and community vehicle checks for health and welfare, safety and illegal - substances, paraphernalia, fire arms and weapons will be conducted by GA's. B. A 3 day LTO can be given to anyone who engages in warlike - fighting/physical contact and/or illegal activity while on community property, in community vehicles and at sanctioned community events or blatant stealing of another-s personal property. 1) There must be a visual witness other than a significant other. 2) Victim and witness must report incident to GA-s within 24 hours. 3) Within same 24 hours, victim and perpetrator of warlike-fighting/physical contact come together with minimum of 80% of community members to resolve conflict and put diversion plan into action in an objective manner. 4) GA, Business Manager and 80% of SHM-s have the authority, on a case by case basis, to decide by consensus whether to grant mercy and an alternative consequence for violating any and all guidelines. C. Comply with any and all probation or parole requirements D. Mandatory community at large service for those on probation or parole. 1) Minimum additional 5 hours per week 2) Approved by GA-s or Business Manager 3) Community service slips signed and turned into GA-s 4) Continue for three months after coming into community. III. Personal Responsibilities Continued 5. Information Awareness A. Ask GA for overview of MIM-s Model of Empowerment within 7 days after becoming a member of Pearl House B Complete mandatory 12 weeks/sessions of Novice Training C. Check dry erase board and bulletin board daily D. We are a community of members who have chosen to live in close proximity with each other. Be aware we are a community at higher than normal risk for communicable diseases. IV. Conflict Resolution and Crises Intervention 1. We are a peacemaking community and we 1st attempt to handle our conflicts and crises internally one on one. 2. Our 2nd step is to have another community member assist with conflict and/or crises. 3. 3rd is to have a GA assist with beginning our conflict and crises management plan. 4. 4th is to have our Crises Care Team, consisting of both sets of Guiding Anchors, to utilize our conflict and crises management plan 5. When possible and necessary, separate those in conflict. Divert all parties in conflict to separate locations, if possible and when necessary. 6. When Crises Care Team deems necessary, call a house meeting for a diversionary plan of action by consensus of a minimum of 80% of members. 7. When necessary, call in community at larges' professional Crises Intervention Team. 8. In the case of conflict beyond the ability of the household to come to a resolution, both conflicting parties must first notify with a brief outline and request a meeting date and time with the Conflict Resolution Team. 9. In life threatening situations, if in doubt, call 911. V. Caring and Sharing Guidelines One through six adapted from National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Madison County, Indiana Bylaws 1. There is strength in sharing 2. Do not define a person by the illness-recognize the neurobiology of serious mental illness. 3. Aim for better coping skills-reject stigma-embrace humor- Forgive ourselves and others. 4. Do not judge anyone's pain as less than our own. 5. Accept that we cannot resolve all problems-expect a better future- Never give up hope! 6. Start meetings on time-maintain confidentiality, when asked to do so- Be respectful of others-empathize with each other. 7. When faced with a challenging and/or overwhelming situation with a person, activate PAN (Personal Adaptive Need) of MIM's Model of Empowerment as needed and apply with unconditional love, acceptance and tolerance. Be the willow and walk away. VI. Amendments 1. This document can be amended in the future. 2. For this document to be amended, a socially just cause must first be identified. 3. Amendments must be in the best interest of Pearl House SHM's and the community at large it serves. 4. Any and all amendments must enhance the long-term sustainability of Pearl House and adhere to the MIM's Place of Community State of Indiana Cooperative Agreement. 5. A minimum of 95% of current Pearl House Resident SHM's and Coop Owner SHM's, a minimum of one past Pearl House SHM's, a minimum of one current board member other than a current or past SHM and one current Intentional Neighbor Member (INM) may decide by consensus to amend this constitution only when all of the total five conditions are met. I have read, understand and agree to abide by the guidelines of this document for the sake of acting merciful and peaceful. Date___________________ Incoming Member_____________________________________________ Signature____________________________________________________ GA_________________________________________________________ GA Signature_________________________________________________ Addendum Remarks: | MIM's Model | Chess | MEED Defined | MIM's | | Pearl House of Peace Constitution | MIM's Power Point Presentation | Positions Availiable | | Return Home | What's New | Schedule of Events | Our Services | On-line Catalog | Great Links | FAQ Page | Contact Us | Download Page | Get Help Now | |
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