Let’s Work Together

Individual Membership begins the day you attend an orientation, complete a membership application, and pay your first year's dues. Organizations may also apply to the Board for membership, which requires that the Executive Director and 5 founding individual members sign an application saying they are committed to the beliefs of 482Forward.

As an active member of 482Forward you will be given the opportunity to join an Action Team or a Network Committee. If you want to propose a new campaign, you have to bring it to your Action Team or Network Committee first. Once they agree, they can bring the proposal to the entire 482Forward membership for approval. Voting will occur at the spring and fall conferences. All active members have the right to vote on campaign proposals, usually at the semi-annual 482Forward conferences. Time -sensitive campaigns that are in between the conferences may require special Board approval instead.

Your responsibility as a member is to uphold the mission statement and bylaws of the organization. We ask that you conduct yourself in a manner that will not harm the reputation of the organization. You are also responsible for paying annual dues of $12, and committing a minimum of 20 hours per year served on either an Action Team, Network Committee, or by attending 482Forward actions.

What is an Action Team?

An Action Team is the basic building block of 482Forward. Action Teams are responsible for training members to lead local campaigns, listening and spreading the word in the community that they serve. They are usually made up participants from the Organizational Member that is hosting that Action Team.

Our current actions teams are: Brightmoor Education Action Team, Hope Village Education Action Team, Neighborhood Education Action Team, and the Youth Advisory Board at Urban Neighborhood Initiatives.

What is a Network Committee?

If we do not have an Action Team in your neighborhood, you may want to participate instead by joining a Network Committee. Network Committees support our campaigns by training our members to be experts in Policy, Media Arts, Training, Research, and Membership (Outreach).

As community organizers, we make change by running organizing campaigns.

Organizing campaigns are developed through the organizing cycle. An organizing cycle has four steps:

1. Listening (issue identification)

2. Research and Strategy (Power analysis, goal setting, Strategy)

3. Direct Action

4. Evaluation/Celebration.

Unfortunately there will be times where the organization may not be a good fit for someone. In the event that someone has exhibited behavior that requires removal from the organization, the decision must be voted on by our board members.