STRUCTURE | RICDOG

RICDOG STRUCTURE

RICDOG has had different structures in different years. All of them were gamified and ensured more involvement of members in the decision-making process in the organization.

The organization uses both vertical and horizontal management approaches. Organizational management is hierarchized and based on a grading system. There are 7 grades of membership in the organization.

Horizontal management is used in project management.

According to the charter, the structure of the organization is as follows:

Any person, both a citizen of Georgia and a foreigner, who shares the organization's vision, can become a member of RICDOG. It should be noted that the membership of the organization is granted with a 1-year mandate. Any person who wants to become a member of the organization goes through the member mandate procedure in November. The applicant fills out an application in the name of the president of the organization and goes through an interview with the founders of the organization.

During the year, 20 adults can be members of the organization at the same time. Membership of the organization is not terminated or canceled during the year unless there are special circumstances. The same person can make an unlimited number of membership applications.

In addition to 20 places, the organization specially, as an exception, has 5 places for young people of school age. However, filling these 5 places is not a necessary requirement. This norm applies if the young person has special skills and can fulfill the same responsibilities as an adult.

If founders don’t fill 20 vacant spots for members, board can complete it during the year.

The members’ main obligation is to provide and strengthen democratic principles in the organization: get involved in decision-making; control work of the board; elect or get elected in the board; and actively participate in organization’s activities.

RICDOG members meet every Saturday at exactly 16:00 and work on organizational tasks.

Also, general members assembly is held twice a year, where basic decisions are made, accounts heard and elections held.

Members elect board members for a mandate of 3 years, then board members, from their team, elect a Secretary General for 1 year-long mandate and with a right to be re-elected 3 times.

Board members with a 3 year-long mandate aren’t obliged to be mandated every year.

Board meetings are held once a week (or more frequently) every Saturday at exactly 12:00.

Apart from organization’s structure, RICDOG, self-perceived as a community organization strives to expand their way of work outside the organization,

RICDOG developed a new structure in 2019, called “RICDOG Engagement Structure”.

“RICDOG Engagement Structure” aims to expand society’s involvement in organization’s activities and create an inclusive and involving process.

This gamified structure involves volunteers, participants of Neuro-Leadership Program (NLP), and freelancers.

Volunteers district (also called Volunteers’ club)-is a program, which takes place once every 3 months. The program aims to popularize volunteering and solve problems in town, community and organization. Anyone above the age of 13 can participate. Program has no limited spots for participants.
Neuro-Leadership Program (NLP)-is a leadership program, which helps participants develop 32 basic competencies. Program is renewed every time it starts and always has a new topic. Anyone above the age of 18 can participate. The program is gamified and includes board game/book format.
Members’ district-reflects works of members, which is described above.
Freelancers are people who, beyond of being a member, want to have partnering relationship with organization; once benefited from organization; and made profitable acts with the organization. Freelancers sign the memorandum of mutual cooperation, where freelancer’s obligations and the organization’s responsibilities are clearly defined.

In addition, the "RICDOG Engagement Structure" measures the degree of engagement in the organization's activities:

Observing - implies that people passively observe the work of the organization and get some information about its activities.
Following - means that people get to know, share, and express their position about some activities of the organization. Match the level of volunteering.
Endorsing – means that people have information about the organization, support its activities, participate in its activities, and actively encourage others to get involved. Compatible with member and freelancer levels.
Owning - implies that people participate in the decision-making process, planning and execution of activities. Corresponds to the level of board members.
Leadership - implies that people manage the organization, think about strategic issues and are motivators for others. Corresponds to the level of the organization's secretary general, his deputy, honorary secretaries general and presidium.

RICDOG pays attention to the strengthening and development of the organization's members and other structural actors. For this purpose, a coaching-mentoring system is constantly operating in the organization.

Board members supervise organization members, mentor volunteers and program participants.

The activity mentioned involves individual meetings, research of the needs of the individual, development of the development action plan and work on implementation.

Institution of Honorary Secretary General

The founders of RICDOG are authorized to award and confer honorary status on behalf of the organization.

The status of Honorary Secretary General is given to a person who was the head of the organization (Secretary General) and made a special contribution to the development of RICDOG. According to the current culture, the Secretary General who has fully (3 years) fulfilled his duties, has improved results compared to the previous period, successfully fulfilled the goals outlined in the organization's strategic documents, is given the status of Honorary Secretary General.

Granting the said status includes a ceremonial (symbolic) and practical part.

To the Honorary Secretary General, the newly elected Secretary General presents a necklace and other paraphernalia specially made by his hand. An Honorary Secretary General Inauguration Ceremony is also held, where the attending public is informed of the report on the achievements made and the founders are presented with a certificate of status.

The Honorary Secretary General retains voting rights and membership in the organization's board for 5 years. They also maintain the same amount of salary for 3 years as he had in the last one year in the position and chooses the direction or topic on which he wants to continue working in the organization. The rules of relations with the Honorary General Secretaries are written in the organization's protocol.

Honorary Secretary Generals:

Gvantsa Totadze – Secretary General of RICDOG 2015-2017;

Ekaterine Marukashvili – Secretary General of RICDOG 2017-2020.

Honorary award

Every 5 years, the organization celebrates an anniversary, an important part of which is the presentation of an Honorary Award.

The Award for special contribution is given to two people: 1. An outsider of the organization; 2. On the internal person of the organization.

The Award is given to people who, from the point of view of the organization, have played a vital role in the development of the country and the organization.

Honorary award holders are:

Nodar Jikia - Program Director of the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association, Kutaisi branch;

Maka Tsertsvadze - Deputy of Head of Board of RICDOG in 2007-2011.

Nino Ckhobadze - Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Georgia, Chairwoman of the Green Movement of Georgia, Friends of the Earth - Georgia;

Gvantsa Totadze – Secretary General of RICDOG in 2015-2017