H. RE-EVALUATION COUNSELING COMMUNITIES FINANCES
H.2. Class Fees and Outreach Funds
Class Fees
RC teachers are encouraged to charge fees for all their classes, including online classes. They should consider the need for Outreach Funds when setting their fees. (A large portion of our Outreach Funds comes from class fees.) Teachers can set their own fees, based on conditions in their Community.
Teachers in an Area are permitted, but not required, to agree on minimum and maximum fees. They are encouraged to set fees that all members of their Community can afford.
Teachers may, but are not required to, use a sliding fee scale[96] to allow for the different financial situations of the people who take their classes. If a sliding scale is used, teachers should communicate a “suggested minimum fee” for those who are not low income, or tie the fees to explicit amounts of income and wealth. This will help generate sufficient funds for Outreach from people who can afford to pay higher fees. Co-Counselors are encouraged to discharge on money in order to make rational decisions about how much they can actually pay.
Outreach Funds
Outreach Funds may not be used to pay for classes. Teachers are encouraged to offer free or reduced class fees to as many as three (3) young people per class. They are also encouraged to offer free or reduced class fees to as many as two (2) Native and Indigenous or Global Majority people or people with disabilities or people who are currently poor or working class who would otherwise find it difficult to pay for the class.
In Areas or Regions with economic differences among RC classes, Communities are encouraged to develop policies so that all teachers are paid more equally, for example pooling class fees collected and dividing them equitably.
REASON
People who put time, labor, and skill into teaching Co-Counseling should be paid for their work, and class fees from participants make this possible. Needs, motivations, and economics vary widely among the RC Communities. Also, a portion of the class fees is allocated to the Community Service Funds (Outreach Funds) of the International Community. The teacher of the class is in the best position to set the class fees.
We want the widest possible diversity of people to have easy access to RC. The fees we set should reflect this goal, as well as our desire to offer RC to all interested people. Reduced class fees for some will increase the participation of people from groups targeted by oppression. This will greatly improve the quality of our classes and our Community.
Economic circumstances require us to think rationally about money and RC activities. Each of us needs to pay the amount (large or small) that is reasonable given our circumstances and discharge on any distresses that make this difficult.
[96] A sliding scale offers a range of fees so participants can select the amount to pay, usually based on income. The sliding scale for a class is set by the teacher of the class. The sliding scale for a workshop is set by the workshop organizer, in consultation with the appropriate Regional Reference Person (RRP).