FL/CI Area Leader Agreement
LLLI Mission Statement: To help mothers worldwide to breastfeed through mother-to-mother support, encouragement, information, and education, and to promote a better understanding of breastfeeding as an important element in the healthy development of the baby and mother.
I. Area Overview
A. La Leche League of Florida and Caribbean Islands (FL/CI) is an Area connected to the Direct Connect Entity (DCE), LLL Alliance for Breastfeeding Education.
B. The Area will make financial and programmatic information available to LLLI by reporting as required by the DCE and upon request by LLLI.
C. The Area Team members are the Area administrators (department heads).
D. The Area Council includes the Team and other members of the seven departments that offer support to Area Leaders.
E. Move-in Leaders seeking a primary connection to FL/CI will contact the ACL, who will confirm that the Leader is current with dues with the prior Area.
II. Leader Responsibilities and Expectations
A. Leaders primarily connecting to and maintaining good standing with La Leche League of Florida and Caribbean Islands (FL/CI) will:
1. stay financially current with dues and fees associated with being a Leader.
2. communicate with the Area and respond to emails (or other communication) from Area Team and Council members.
3. report statistics semi-annually.
4. communicate with, support, and maintain accountability with other Leaders.
5. ensure that activities as a Leader are consistent with La Leche League philosophy and LLLI Policies and Standing Rules.
6. abide by all applicable guidelines from LLLI, LLL Alliance, and FL/CI regarding the creation, maintenance, management, and administration of communication tools used for LLL work, including but not limited to telephone numbers, web pages, and social media accounts such as Facebook, Instagram, etc. and will follow the policy stated below:
a) Any social media account, web page, or similar electronic communication account created for LLL work shall be considered the property of FL/CI and not the property of any individual Leader. A Leader wishing to create and maintain such an account must obtain written approval from the ACL.
b) All Facebook pages and groups must have at least two Leaders as admins, with one preferably being an Area Council member.
c) Leaders will follow LLLI, LLL Alliance, and FL/CI social media policies.
B. Group Leaders:
1. will complete the annual Group financial report.
2. communicate and receive support from their District Advisor.
3. keep Group information current on web listings and social media.
4. contribute to Group work and communicate and collaborate with co-Leaders.
5. will follow the Group connection policy:
a) A Group which is started by FL/CI will remain connected to FL/CI and cannot be moved to another Area without permission of the ACL.
b) If a Leader without a primary connection to FL/CI would like to lead with an FL/CI Group, the Group Leaders should speak with the ACL about their options.
C. By paying dues each October, Leaders will re-commit annually to:
1. LLLI Statement of Commitment, mission, and inclusivity statement
2. FL/CI Area Agreement and Leader Status Policy
III. Area support provided to Leader
A. A Leader with a primary connection to FL/CI will receive support from Area Administrators:
1. The Leader Accreditation Department (LAD) will provide support for Leader Accreditation. LLL of FL/CI acknowledges that LLLI is the sole source for Leader accreditation and that such accreditation is valid world-wide.
2. The Professional Liaison Department will provide support with helping situations involving medical and/or legal questions.
3. The Leader Department (ACL and District Advisors) will provide general Leader support.
4. The Administrative Services Department (formerly the Finance Department) will provide support related to financial and administrative questions.
5. The Continuing Education Department will provide Continuing Education opportunities, in conjunction with other departments.
6. The Communication Skills Department will provide Communication Skill Enrichment opportunities.
7. The Media and Communications Department (formerly the Publications Department) will provide Area newsletters, offer editing and proofreading of LLL materials, help create graphics and flyers, and oversee all online communication tools.
B. The Area provides opportunities for participation on the Area Team and Council, committees, and/or special projects.
C. The Area also offers:
1. website hosting,
2. monthly community virtual meetings,
3. a Facebook group forum for Leader-to-Leader peer support, and
4. a Zoom account for virtual LLL meetings or any LLL business matters.
IV. Area Team
A. The decision-making and voting body for LLL of FL/CI is the Area Team, which consists of the following positions, each of which is the head of the department it represents (except for the Area Database Administrator) and will be filled by a Leader with a primary connection to FL/CI:
1. Area Coordinator of Leaders (ACL)
2. Area Database Administrator (ADA)
3. Coordinator of Leader Accreditation (CLA)
4. Area Finance Coordinator (AFC)
5. Area Professional Liaison (APL)
6. Area Coordinator of Education (ACE)
7. Area Media and Communications Coordinator (AMCC)
8. Communication Skills Instructor Coordinator (CSIC)
B. Decision making and voting by the Area Team:
1. The Area Team makes decisions by consensus whenever possible and by majority vote, if needed.
2. Discussion may take place via electronic messaging and virtual or in-person meetings held six or more times per year.
3. If one or more of the positions is vacated, the remaining members of the Team retain the ability to make decisions and vote on behalf of the Area.
4. Area Leaders agree to allow the Area Team to make decisions regarding appointment of Area Team members, and to resolve issues of concern among Leaders.
C. Vacancies on the Area Team will be filled following a search.
1. All Leaders in the Area will be notified of the open position and the corresponding job description via email and other methods of Area communication.
2. All Leaders applying or recommended for the position will be notified and asked to fill out an application form.
3. Communication among the Area Team, LLL Alliance staff department members, and those interested in holding the position will continue until a decision is made regarding selection of the best candidate.
D. Area Council:
1. Each department head will appoint members to their own department as necessary to carry out responsibilities such as District Advisors (DAs), Associate Coordinator of Leader Accreditation (ACLA), etc.
2. These members will be Leaders with a primary connection to FL/CI.
3. The Area Team, along with the department members, comprise the Area Council.
V. Removal of a Leader from Connection to LLL of FL/CI
Leaders may lose their connection to LLL of FL/CI if they do not fulfill responsibilities as outlined in the LLL of FL/CI Leader Agreement. That notification would only be made after one or more of the following:
A. Co-Leaders attempt to contact the Leader and work out a solution satisfactory to all concerned.
B. The ACL attempts to contact the Leader(s) and work out a solution satisfactory to all concerned. The methods used will include direct and respectful communication by phone and/or video call, and if there has been no resolution, will be followed by an email requesting a reply within 14 days.
C. If the Leader does not reply to the email or a solution satisfactory to all concerned cannot be found, the file is forwarded to the LLL Alliance Leader support administrator. The support person will then utilize their support system as necessary and communicate as needed with the rest of the Area Team members in order to gather needed information and facilitate a resolution.
D. If a resolution cannot be achieved, the ACL will notify the Leader in question by email and postal letter indicating that the Leader is no longer connected to LLL of FL/CI and has been removed from the Area directory. LLL Alliance and LLLI will be notified of this change.
E. A Leader who does not pay dues by the required date, as stated by the AFC and ACL, will be retired.
VI. Removal of an Administrator from a Position on the LLL of FL/CI Area Council/Team
Any Leader who believes an Area Administrator (member of Area Council, including the Area Team) is not carrying out their responsibilities as explained in the job description:
A. May bring this to the attention of the administrator in question with direct and respectful communication of the problem.
B. If the Leader does not receive a satisfactory answer, it may be brought to the attention of the head of the department of the administrator in question or, in the case of a Team member, to any other Team member.
C. A Team member will facilitate communication between the administrator in question and the Leader who brings up the difficulty, if they both agree to such communication.
D. If unable to come to a resolution and the administrator is found not to be carrying out the responsibilities of the position, a discussion will take place with the administrator in question and the support person and/or department/Team members. The department support person from LLL Alliance may be asked to assist with this communication.
E. If the administrator in question cannot carry out the responsibilities of the position, they will be asked to resign and return all Area materials.
F. Removal of a Team member is a joint decision by the Area Team and the corresponding LLL Alliance Staff member.
G. Removal of a Council member is decided by their department head.
H. Leaders in the Area will be notified of this change.
VII. Secondary Connections to FL/CI
A. Secondary connections will be considered by the ACL on a case-by-case basis and are offered as a courtesy, free of charge.
B. Secondary connections will be reviewed annually in September through November, and will either be renewed or removed.
C. Leaders with a secondary connection:
1. May receive Area mailings and be invited to Area events.
2. May be invited to the Leader Facebook group with permission from the ACL.
3. May co-lead a Group in a supportive role only but will not be allowed to manage the Group, be listed on the bank account, nor manage any social media accounts.
4. Will not have voting privileges, opportunities to join the Area Council, nor receive direct Leader support.
D. Secondary connections will abide by all applicable guidelines and policies from LLLI, LLL Alliance, and FL/CI.
VIII. Agreement availability and review
A. A copy of this agreement will be sent to each Leader upon request to join the Area and to all Applicants before accreditation.
B. It is always available for Leaders on the Area website.
C. The Area Agreement will be reviewed in the first quarter at least every two years or as needed as deemed by the Area Team.
1. Any Leader with a primary connection to LLL of FL/CI may suggest changes to the Agreement by contacting the Area Team.
2. The Area Team will consider suggestions when drafting a proposed change.
3. When a change is proposed, the draft will be sent to all Leaders with a primary connection.
4. Leaders will have 14 days to provide feedback after which the Area Team will finalize and distribute the updated Area Agreement.
LLL Florida/Caribbean Islands Area Agreement 5/2023