- Where does the idea come from in creating ALGI?
- What are the objectives of ALGI?
- Why an association?
- What are the ALGI activities?
- Does ALGI need volunteers?
- How to finance ALGI?
- What's ALGI structure?
- How does one become a member?
Where does the idea come from in creating ALGI?
Almost everywhere in the world, and certainly in Quebec, gays and lesbians have felt the need to unite in order to come out of isolation and improve their lifestyle within their sexual orientation. The associative movement is therefore crucial in our milieu. Sadly, it's poorly represented on the Internet or at least in Quebec.
The idea in creating ALGI relies on three facts:
- The Internet is an exceptional communication's tool. Gays and lesbians are very present online. Being an invisible minority, this medium gives us the possibility to easily contact our kins within the security of relative anonymity.
- Though many gays and lesbians access the Internet on an individual basis, gay and lesbian associations in Quebec, though multiple, are few on the WWW.
- Quality site development demands important work, knowledge and access to a site lodging at reasonable costs. It's probably one of the factors that explains the low presence of associations on the Net.
This is why we thought it necessary to create an association that shall uniquely commit itself on acting on the Internet in order to concentrate the data and expertise towards the benefits of the individuals and the associations, of our community. 
What are the objectives of ALGI?
The Internet is a powerful communications tool which we must use to affirm ; meaning to relay our reality and defeat prejudices. It's also a method to develop team work and solidarity in our own community while respecting our differences. Finally it's also a very efficient medium to rapidly circulate information and all in being cost effective.
As expressed in the ALGI Charter the objectives of the association are:
- "to optimise the expression and affirmation of gays and lesbians through the medium of the Internet;"
- "to optimise, by the means of new communication, the exchange between individuals and organisations of the gay and lesbian community in the spirit of team work and open mindedness to diversity."
When one has a community project one gives himself/herself a structure within the community!
An association permits people, who share the same objectives, to unite in order to realize that objective. Having a Charter which clearly establishes the objectives, this non profit association gives itself rules that define the modalities of it's democratic functioning. The members discuss and then vote towards the orientation of their association. They elect their representatives who must submit written reports on the realisation of their mandates. Obviously, in the case of an Internet organisation, this democracy shall be largely used via the Internet medium!
One of the ALGI particularities is that it distinguishes itself between two types of members: individuals and organisations/associations.
The ALGI activities are centered on the Internet. The presence of this Web site is a priority since the WWW is the most multifaceted. The use of forums was the first thing to do since the need to communicate is most important in our milieu. The forums, or bulletin boards, also have the advantage to spread information in a more dynamic way.
As we're an Internet association, we'd also like to give an importance to help people understand computer tools, mostly centered around the use of the Internet.
A community association is there to help people organise themselves. ALGI activities are therefore going to develop in relation to the demands and resources.
Obviously! At ALGI everybody is a volunteer and nothing can be achieved without them. The first form of volunteering is to implicate yourself on the Web site. You only have to surf through it to realize that it's mainly composed of bulletin boards and forums. ALGI thus supplies a virtual lieu where the contents belongs to YOU. The interest of the site is directly related to the quality of the exchanges from which you're asked to participate.
The second way to contribute is to become a member. The more our association has members the more its voice shall be credible toward the public at large as well as to the breast of the community. The more we are to decide of the association's orientation the more our decisions shall have the opportunities to answer to the aspirations of our community.
The third way to contribute is to volunteer in accomplishing certain tasks. If we want to help other associations in building their Web pages, we need Internet people whom are able and capable of realising such things. Also, each bulletin board, is conceived in a way to be managed in a decentralised manner and the animators are also volunteers. We need volunteers who want to sit on the Board of Administration as well as volunteers who want to help them.
Yes, this site shall become what you'll do with it, and without many volunteers, it'll be nothing at all...
The question of finance is, without a doubt, one of the major worries of a organisation that offers free services.
The financing of the association directly lies on the recruitment of individual and organisation members. From their membership fees, the members contribute to the auto financing of this site and thus renders it it's own autonomy. It goes without saying that any amount donated to the association shall be greatly appreciated, no matter how small.
At the same time we're also soliciting deputies in their help helping ourselves in the support program of "action bénévole". We're going to examine the other available programs towards action within the community. We're hoping to obtain private funding from various supporters.
We nonetheless hope to not don't to be obliged to use noisy banners that have already been widespread over the Net...
ALGI has given itself a simple structure thus permitting us on one level a maximum of representation and, on another, a minimum of administrative management.
At its base there's the members general meeting . Unfortunately, the law doesn't permit us to hold our meetings on the Internet. Nonetheless we've foreseen a consultation mechanism which permits members to discuss and vote on propositions in the ALGI forum .
The managing of the association shall be assured by a Board of seven (7) people whom are elected by the members. Five (5) administrators are elected by the all members, while two (2) are elected by the association members.
At the breast of the Board of Administrators are five (5) titles: president, vice-president (webmaster/webmistress), secretary, treasurer, Responsible of Animation.
Each bulletin board shall have it's own animator who's responsibility is to stimulate the discussions and impose the rules. If possible, ALGI shall confide a themed bulletin board to an association which most resembles that theme.
Anyone who shares the ALGI objectives can become member with a ten dollar (10.$) annual membership fee.
To become a member one must fill in the form that you'll find in the section How to become a member / Devenir membre . In this form you'll have to choose a pseudonym along with a password which shall serve as your private signature. We'll also ask you for an email address.
To complete your inscription, you'll have to send us your annual membership fee, by snail mail. Your inscription shall then be confirmed by email.
Even though ALGI is incorporated in Quebec, it's not necessary to be of this province to join ALGI since the Internet has no borders.
Any organisation that share the ALGI objectives and want to have extra dynamic coverage can become an ALGI member. Normally the organisation's inscription goes by letter which is adopted by the association's Board of Administration as well as ALGI's Board of Administration. This letter permit both parties to clarify our mutual expectations, when the official Web site is launched, at the publication of communiqués which are put on the ALGI home page.
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