# Introduction

## About This Handbook <a href="#about-this-handbook" id="about-this-handbook"></a>

This purpose of this Handbook is to give Cable staff clear and easily accessible documentation of our structure, practices, roles and shared agreements. This will be good for organisational memory, clarity and easier onboarding of new staff, volunteers, directors or freelancers.&#x20;

We also want to share our structure and practices with our members and the outside world and this documentation will make it easier to do so.

The Handbook is a living document that is updated as necessary. If you see something that could be improved: that's your invitation to improve it! If it's a significant change outside your Circle, contact the Circle Lead responsible. Just remember to treat this as a public document that could be seen by anyone.

### **How the handbook is organised**

The handbook is broken up into chapters. Here's what they are and who's responsible for keeping each chapter up to date:

* **Structure**

  Guides to the internal Cable teams (which we call 'circles') that make up the staff team. The **Workplace circle is responsible for keeping these up to date.**&#x20;
* **Staff guides**\
  These explain how certain things work for staff, such as how to claim sick leave or book annual leave. **People circle is responsible for keeping these up to date, unless a guide is specific to a single circle.**
* **Policies**\
  Legal documents determining how the co-op operates. Overseen by the People circle. **Policies can only be changed through mandated working groups or team proposals. Changes then need to be signed off by the board.**&#x20;
* **Bristol Cable Co-op**

  The legal foundational documents outlining Cable's co-operative ownership model and commitments. **These can only be changed through member vote.**

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### Other handbooks <a href="#structure" id="structure"></a>

We're indebted to public handbooks of other organisations for inspiring and informing this one, including:

* [**Enspiral**](https://handbook.enspiral.com/)
* [**The Bristol Bike Project**](https://bbp-1.gitbook.io/the-bristol-bike-project-co-op-handbook/)
* **Gini**

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