Ideas Matter Advisory Committee
The work of this committee is done in partnerships with others at GMS: the board of directors, administration, department heads, employees, people receiving services, friends and family of people receiving services, case managers, other agencies. This committee seeks information and provides feedback in a respectful manner, encouraging respect in the work done by and through this committee. This committee works to provide innovative information and recommendations being careful to not duplicate other work being done in the agency.
Mission Statement
The mission of this committee is to advise and make recommendations to GMS Administration and/or the board. These recommendations will be designed to improve supports in all service sections at GMS.
EVERYONE’S IDEAS MATTER
Core Values
Educate & Learn: The Committee will gather information to educate ourselves & learn about issues from others.
Listen & Advocate: The Committee will encourage all to share their ideas, be open-minded, listen & advocate for the GMS Community.
Respect: The Committee will treat people sharing ideas and information in a positive & professional manner. Ideas & people will be treated with dignity & respect.
We welcome your feedback and ideas!
What do you like about GMS services? What do you think we could do better at GMS? The Ideas Matter Advisory Committee will review your comments at regular meetings and decide how to best address them. We appreciate your idea!
All comments are welcome. If you believe you have been abused, neglected, exploited, or have experienced a rights violation, please do not provide that information on the IMAC Feedback Page. Contact Disability Rights Maine, https://drme.org/ or call 1-800-452-1948, or Adult Protective Services, https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/oads/get-support/aps or call 1-800-624-8404.
Additional Information & Resources
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Membership of the Ideas Matter Advisory Committee is made up of all committee members including those with specific roles. All members may participate in the discussions no matter what their role. Membership on the committee will consist of a minimum of the following:
Service Representatives are people who receive GMS services, one representative from each service area. (Shared Living, Case Management, Group Homes, Community Treasures, Intermittent Home Support Services)
Staff Representatives are people employed or contracted at GMS holding different positions or roles from each service area at GMS.
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A group Facilitator’s job is important because they encourage communication without strongly influencing the discussion. Successful group Facilitators can control and enhance a group with good planning, open-ended questions, and positive reinforcement. The Facilitator is also responsible to:
Develop meeting agendas and distribute meeting minutes.
Communications via email or telephone to group members in between meeting times.
Lead meetings working to ensure the meeting runs smoothly in an organized manner from start to finish.
Encourage participation from all present to provide their knowledge and insight.
Remind group members to stay on track with the discussion.
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The Note Taker holds a vital role on this committee to support clear communications. The Note Taker is responsible for:
Taking notes of what is said at the meeting, Minutes.
Providing a summary at the end of each meeting to include discussions, decisions, tasks, and those responsible with target dates.
Providing a copy of written minutes to the Facilitator within 2 weeks following a meeting.
Reading a summary of the minutes at the following meeting.
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The Timekeeper is important to the committee to support the Facilitator keep the meeting on track and run efficiently. The Timekeeper is responsible to:
Check in at the beginning of each meeting to confirm time allocations for topics, if any, breaks, and the end time of the meeting.
Monitor time allocated to manage breaks, conversations, and the end of the meetings.
Prompt committee members, according to time frames agreed upon, prior to the end of discussions and meetings to allow for closure and/or planning and again when the time is up.
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The Orientation Specialist(s) is the first person(s) most new people will meeting. This will be one of the first impressions the new committee member will develop as they join the committee. The Orientation Specialist(s)’s role is to help new members feel more comfortable and have a better understanding of what will happen at their first meeting and how to communicate in meetings.
The Orientation Specialist will:
Meet with people interested in participating in this committee, prior to attending a meeting when possible.
Provide initial information about the committee, its purpose and how it operates. This can include reviewing mission statement, core values, goals, meeting norms, by-laws, roles, commitment, current projects, etc.
Provide the new member with an Ideas Matter Advisory Committee notebook.
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BE RESPECTFUL AND INCLUSIVE
WE WILL BE PUNCTUAL AND PREPARED, be on time, start on time, end on time
WE ARE ALL EQUAL MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE, no one is more or less important regardless of our role.
EVERY MEMBER’S CONTRIBUTION IS IMPORTANT; we will actively listen to others when they are speaking and will not interrupt, we will wait our turn to speak, we will all have an opportunity to speak, we will not pay attention to our cell phones unless an emergency is expected.
WE WILL SPEAK FOR OURSELVES and not volunteer other’s or speak for someone else.
WE WILL BE INVOLVED to our individual level of comfort. Each of us is responsible for airing disagreements during the meeting rather than carrying those disagreements outside the board meeting.
WE WILL STAY ON TOPIC according to what is being discussed.
WE WILL BRING POSITIVE ATTITUDES and be ready to share ideas and thoughts.
WE CAN ASK QUESTIONS or ask for help (in the meeting, via e-mail, or drop by the office).
WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO Attend all Advisory meetings, let someone on the committee know to report for you if you are unable to attend.
WE WILL HELP EACH OTHER.
WE WILL HAVE FUN!