24-7 Email Accounts
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Why do we need @24-7prayer.com email addresses?
Clearly there is no requirement for 24-7 prayer to provide email accounts to meet any infrastructure needs. Free, reliable email services are publicly available to anyone who can access an internet connection. In light of this, it is worth clarifying 'why do we need @24-7prayer.com email accounts at all?'.
Internally, 24-7 has always aimed to function as a relational network. This means that trust and authority are associated with an individual rather than with the 'position' that they hold. However, by its nature this approach requires a reasonable depth and duration of relationship to work. Individuals who are new to the movement or who are 'external' contacts will not immediately be aware of the role of others within the network until relationships have had time to develop.
In light of this, an @24-7prayer.com email account functions mainly as a means of validating credentials with new external and internal contacts. It tells people that they are communicating with someone who is an 'offical' representative of 24-7 Prayer, and is able to speak and respond 'in the name of' the movement.
It should also be remembered that assigning someone a 24-7 email address conveys a powerful relational message. It says that 'you are now one of us'. This can be an important step in affirming relationship. For the same reasons, removing an email address will convey the opposite message and will thus inevitably be a difficult step to take. For both reasons, we should operate a 'formal' set of criteria for how accounts are assigned, used, and removed. This will help us avoid making unwise relational decisions and will ensure that, whatever message is conveyed, people can be confident that it isn't to be 'taken personally'.
Who should have a 24-7 email address?
In light of the above, it is important that we have consistency and clarity on how @24-7prayer.com email addresses are approved and assigned. The following are examples of individuals who we expect to communicate internally and externally as representatives of 24-7 Prayer, and should thus appropriately be assigned an email address:
- International leadership team members;
- National team leaders;
- Other 24-7 team leaders (eg: missions team);
- Team leaders of formally commissioned 24-7 boiler rooms;
- National team members who have responsibilty for communicationg with the national network, external partners, or the media;
- 'Office' staff in any role who work day-to-day for 24-7 in an operational or administrative capacity. This includes both volunteers and paid workers, working full time or part time, but is assumed to be those who have a regular agreed time commitment rather than 'ad-hoc';
- Individuals who are nominated to speak to the media on behalf of 24-7;
- Individuals who have commercial/financial reponsibilities in which they act as an official representative of 24-7 Prayer (eg: 24-7 Titles, Merchandising, Fundraising).
This list cannot be exclusive. However, other individuals who are assigned email addresses should carry a similar level of formal responsibility and external liaison requirement to those identified above.
Creating 24-7 email accounts
The possible requirement for an email account should be considered whenever a new indivdual is 'appointed' to one of the roles identified above.
For team leaders, the request should be authorised by the 'director' with responsibility for their team.
For team members and office staff, the request should be authorised by the team leader.
The individual should have the 24-7 email usage policy explained to them when their account is first created. The process for review and closure of accounts should also be clearly explained, to avoid any embarrassment or misunderstanding later.
Email accounts are currently set up and maintained by Worthers.
Closing 24-7 email accounts
When an individual leaves or moves on from a specific role, the leaving process should automatically include closure of their email account unless they are moving on to another role on the list above.
The process of closure must be handled sensitively because of the relational issues identified above. However, we cannot allow ourselves to get into a position where individuals can be seen to officially represent 24-7 Prayer by email when in reality they are no longer in close relationship or carrying any actual responsibilities within the movement.
Requesting closure of redundant accounts is the responsibility of the director or team leader as above.
In the short term (eg: 3-6 months), the redundant account should be redirected to another appropriate individual within 24-7, to avoid external contacts finding that they are unable to contact 24-7 because an email address is no longer valid.
Maintaining and administering 24-7 email accounts
Once per year, the International Operations Director should arrange for a full list of @24-7prayer.com email account holders to be produced and reviewed. Any necessary additions or closures should be agreed with the appropriate director or team leader, discussed with the individual, and made at this point.
24-7 E-mail Configuration
Please follow the link 24-7 E-mail Configuration for instructions on how to set up various e-mail settings, such as 'Out of Office' autoresponders and spam filter settings.
