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The Ex Scio Non Profit Project

clamicide

Gold Meritorious Patron
OK....I've been ruminating on this a bit lately...what is my true purpose, blah..blah...blah. I've been thinking I need to get a counseling degree, simply because I would love to do pro bono for folks escaping from the cult. But, I'm just better with groups...that's where my talents lie, so I was thinking....how can I take my experiences and turn them into something positive? Some people come out OK, but others really need help. And, unfortunately, people coming out of cults often exhibit symptoms that mimic other psychiatric illnesses, so they can get misdiagnosed, mismedicated, and improperly treated. I've always said I'd like to sue the cult, and take the money and start a non profit (I'm typing in the dark and can't find the dash key). With all the support others have given me, I'm starting to think it might be possible to start this foundation just on the backs of exes who want to do something. These are some of the things I picture....

Basic life skills training.....for instance, teaching guys who have been in the SO simple things like how to use a checking account. Stuff we take for granted, but might overwhelm somebody who has been in SO life since he was a pup.

Housing. Might just be a network of cool people who have couches. Letting it be known that if you blow, you will not be sleeping on the street.

Counseling. This would take time to set up, but it would also include a donation/foundation where if someone decides to become a counselor specializing in dealing with ex-culties and can't afford the schooling, we would provide tuition assistance. Setting up cheap or pro-bono counseling for those who escape with no means, but are suffering from PTSD, etc. Those who were educated using funds from the foundation would be expected to "pay back" by doing pro bono work when they can.

I'm just thinking...and perhaps I just made the target on my back a bit bigger for OSA.... I'm not in the position to do this, yet. That's why I haven't brought it up in this way. But, wtf? eh? Anyone wanna brainstorm and help bring this thing to fruition?
 

MrNobody

Who needs merits?
Hi Clamicide,
Good idea, but - I don't know - maybe a little bit blue-eyed?
I'll just throw out some raw thoughts and questions, I hope that's OK for you?

I'll assume that money is not a problem.

A good training up to a degree might take a few years, and after that you just have the knowledge, so you better add a few more years to get practical experience in the job. Let's say 5 or 6 years all in all.

OK, now you're ready for your own counseling business. Now what?

- How many potential customers are in your area?

- How many paying customers do you need to keep your business alive?

- How much would they need to pay, and would they be able to pay your price? Remember, you'll have a lot of costs to cover.

- What would be the raw costs of your business anyway? Rent, electricity, Phone, Water, personnel, etc.

- How would your potential customers find you?

- Why would they choose you instead of someone else?

- How many contacts and connections do you have in your area? You'll need many of those, in all kinds of fields.

- Would you be able to get someone (theoretically anybody) a job and a home within a couple of days?

- What would you with people who need medical care? - -- Would you know where to send them?

- What about long overdue credits?
-- Would you be able to mediate between the creditors and your customers?

- What would you do with people who are facing serious criminal charges?

These are just some questions from the top of my head, that will hopefully give you a start, but you should talk to a real business consultant as well as with a B]real[/B] counselor.

Good luck with your plans and let us know how it goes. :thumbsup:

EDIT
Ps: Leave the diagnosis of any illnesses, physical or mental, to some good experts. Yup, you'll need those too. :)
 
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uniquemand

Unbeliever
Become a social worker, and open a retreat center based on grant funding for victims of predatory cults.

I heard that some other ex scio is doing that.
 

clamicide

Gold Meritorious Patron
Hi Clamicide,
Good idea, but - I don't know - maybe a little bit blue-eyed?
I'll just throw out some raw thoughts and questions, I hope that's OK for you?

I'll assume that money is not a problem.

A good training up to a degree might take a few years, and after that you just have the knowledge, so you better add a few more years to get practical experience in the job. Let's say 5 or 6 years all in all.

OK, now you're ready for your own counseling business. Now what?

- How many potential customers are in your area?

- How many paying customers do you need to keep your business alive?

- How much would they need to pay, and would they be able to pay your price? Remember, you'll have a lot of costs to cover.

- What would be the raw costs of your business anyway? Rent, electricity, Phone, Water, personnel, etc.

- How would your potential customers find you?

- Why would they choose you instead of someone else?

- How many contacts and connections do you have in your area? You'll need many of those, in all kinds of fields.

- Would you be able to get someone (theoretically anybody) a job and a home within a couple of days?

- What would you with people who need medical care? - -- Would you know where to send them?

- What about long overdue credits?
-- Would you be able to mediate between the creditors and your customers?

- What would you do with people who are facing serious criminal charges?

These are just some questions from the top of my head, that will hopefully give you a start, but you should talk to a real business consultant as well as with a B]real[/B] counselor.

Good luck with your plans and let us know how it goes. :thumbsup:

EDIT
Ps: Leave the diagnosis of any illnesses, physical or mental, to some good experts. Yup, you'll need those too. :)


wow...just wow. I'm still trying to figure out if you are trying to be helpful or just snarky. Remind me not to check into ESMB after I went to the library and got Red Dwarf....turns out I'll stay up way too late watching them and then accidentally post what is on my mind.

I'm not going to address all of it...but, let's just say, from my wog work, I actually qualify as a business consultant. ooops. AND, no...I'm not an idiot, won't diagnose anything. I DO happen to be in contact with one of the foremost leaders in cult survival that has all the degrees, has testified before Congress and actually thinks I'd be an awesome person to coordinate something like this. I have to question why you'd attack something so readily without finding out the facts. No biggie. I'm going back to working quietly behind the scenes. I just think it'd be cool that somebody has a place to turn to if they blow. Thought maybe some ESMBers would like to hook up with that...and, yeah, I said I'm not ready to open shop tomorrow. Folks can PM me, otherwise this thread is dead. Pathetic.
 

Tiger Lily

Gold Meritorious Patron
wow...just wow. I'm still trying to figure out if you are trying to be helpful or just snarky. Remind me not to check into ESMB after I went to the library and got Red Dwarf....turns out I'll stay up way too late watching them and then accidentally post what is on my mind.

I'm not going to address all of it...but, let's just say, from my wog work, I actually qualify as a business consultant. ooops. AND, no...I'm not an idiot, won't diagnose anything. I DO happen to be in contact with one of the foremost leaders in cult survival that has all the degrees, has testified before Congress and actually thinks I'd be an awesome person to coordinate something like this. I have to question why you'd attack something so readily without finding out the facts. No biggie. I'm going back to working quietly behind the scenes. I just think it'd be cool that somebody has a place to turn to if they blow. Thought maybe some ESMBers would like to hook up with that...and, yeah, I said I'm not ready to open shop tomorrow. Folks can PM me, otherwise this thread is dead. Pathetic.

Clami I think it's a great idea. Cults are something people just don't understand unless they've been there, and the wounds and scars are deep. I think to have a safe place where people understand what you've been through and the pitfalls of re-integrating into life would be invaluable. It's not a huge market, but it's a significant one and an under-served one. I think that people would travel if the knew there was a place that could help them. Just look at how valuable this board is for people.

You know the old adage about following your passion and doing something that you love. That busts through barriers. Remember, Mr. Nobody, as nice of a guy as he is (I'm assuming he was trying to be practical with that post and not trying to put you down), was not ever in. . . so he may not understand the need for something like that the way many of us on the board do.

I love your drive and passon!! Keep it up.
-TL
 

bluewiggirl

Patron Meritorious
There's no reason you couldn't keep up a day job while working on this as well. Even if every current scientologist blows, the number of people willing to take the help wouldn't be that big and would be spread out over a huge area.
 

olska

Silver Meritorious Patron
The simplest, most direct, and most economical way to help ex-culties (or any other group with a bond of common experience) is to start a "support group."

For this, you need no training, no license, no money, no "authority," no credentials.

12-Step groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous are a wonderful model for such a group, as they are completely grass-roots, open to anyone who wants to go, and attract and include people from all walks of life -- from the completely downtrodden to high-level execs and power players, often at the same meeting.

There is no fee for membership nor any financial requirements. At the meetings, people who CAN usually kick in a buck or two for refreshments and the nominal "rent" (if any) for the meeting room. People who attend 12-step meetings make up a "network" of people willing to help others with similar background and issues.

I would suggest you attend a 12-step meeting (Alcoholics Anonymous, Alanon, Overeaters, or the like) just to see how it's done -- "visitors" are welcome at ALL the most public meetings, and they are in the phone book or I'm sure you can find an "open" (to visitors) meeting in your area via the internet. Experienced people there might offer some suggestions for how you can get started, or

to get your own thing started ...

You place an ad in local media (free paper, Craig's List, etc., card on local bulletin board in coffee shop, laundromat, etc.) inviting people to get together and share their experience and resources and help each other, with a number to call and/or an email (yours or someone else who is helping you get this started).

Since it's brand new you don't have people to staff a 24-hour "hotline" give best hours to call, or voice mail.

Find a place to meet. Your home probably not a good idea because you don't know who's going to show up, not a good idea to invite total strangers to where you live. Many churches will let you use their facilities for free or a very small fee ($10), and they have chairs, tables, kitchenettes, etc. Some hospitals and other facilities will do it also.

12-step groups mostly use facilities offered by churches, but some other organizations do this as well, for example, Kaiser Hospital on corner of Vermont and Sunset in Los Angeles (a block from Big Blue) has rooms they offer for use by 12-step groups as well as other support groups.

Have a meeting of people who answered your ad and called in. You and one other person is a meeting -- if you have something good going it will grow, probably better to not be too big while you figure it out.

Share your experience, your stories: the pain, the silliness, the insanity, the resources you found (books, tapes, ESMB, etc.) that helped you heal. Have coffee and cookies, or go out to local place for a bite.

12-step groups have a "format" they follow for the meetings; you could devise something along those lines if you like how they do it, or invent your own. Might be a good idea for the initial group to set some goals and guidelines for how the meetings will go, what the meetings are about --otherwise it's easy to get off on tangents or personal hobby horses that aren't helpful to the group.

Important to keep it democratic, where no one person takes on a "know best" role -- you are all there on the same level, to learn from each other, share, help each other.

The whole idea is SUPPORT GROUP, meaning that you are there to SUPPORT each other in your efforts to heal -- by listening, by offering information and ideas, by comforting those who may be grieving over heavy losses, by giving a mild butt-kick to those who are sunk too deep in the pity pot.

This is a way to get started doing the good work you have in mind without needing any money or any other resources except what is already at hand, in any city or small town, for the taking.

I highly recommend that you attend a few 12-step meetings for different "issues" to see how that works, as a model. The 12-step "theory" in their books is specific to that program and the particular issues, and in many groups has a strong Christian focus, but you don't need to take that on board.

Just watch the interaction of members, the "sharing" that is (in my opinion) the heart of the program. It's so basic and simple and yet so effective, you just can't imagine it until you actually see for yourself.

And if you don't find it to be the good model that I'm thinking it is, well so be it -- take what you can use, discard what you can't.

I'd come to your meeting and participate if I was close enough to you, but I think that's not so ... be glad to correspond about it, though, if that would be of any help to you.

Good luck! :thumbsup:
 

EP - Ethics Particle

Gold Meritorious Patron
Good idea(s) is good....

There's no reason you couldn't keep up a day job while working on this as well. Even if every current scientologist blows, the number of people willing to take the help wouldn't be that big and would be spread out over a huge area.

Last I heard, Clammi has not yet found ANY job! :nervous: :omg:

BWG, Anons and anyone with any contacts or "clout" in Portland, get busy and work your contacts and let's help Clammi find a job now that the summer is over and school has started!

And Clammi; I too, think your ideas are both good, sound and what you envision is going to be much needed as the situation unfolds.

EP
 

FinallyFree

Gold Meritorious Patron
Clammy, you don't need a perfectly planned or organized group to help people. I have seen small groups of people who truly want to help be able to grow their organization into productive well-greased machines.

Don't give up!
 

Telepathetic

Gold Meritorious Patron
Last I heard, Clammi has not yet found ANY job! :nervous: :omg:

BWG, Anons and anyone with any contacts or "clout" in Portland, get busy and work your contacts and let's help Clammi find a job now that the summer is over and school has started!

And Clammi; I too, think your ideas are both good, sound and what you envision is going to be much needed as the situation unfolds.

EP

^^^^^^^^^^^^DITTO.
 

MrNobody

Who needs merits?
Clamicide,

In no way did I want to criticize your idea, demotivate you or put you down in any way. I just wanted to give your idea a leg that it could stand on, having seen so many bearers of good ideas end up in a deep pit of debts.

Sorry if I came off the wrong way.
 

clamicide

Gold Meritorious Patron
Frak....

Yeah....I'm mostly out for a job for myself primarily right now. And dang it, I'm going to probably be off the boards for a while in about 10 minutes. Seems like another laptop power cord fried on me. Who the hell makes these things? Too damned expensive and they don't last at ALL...oh well...
 

MrNobody

Who needs merits?
<snip>

Seems like another laptop power cord fried on me.

<snip>

If you can still read this:
Usually these laptop power cords have an integrated transformer unit built right into it. If that's the one that "fried", maybe someone with some basic knowledge in electronics can help you find a better one and also help you to connect it.

The end result might look crappy, but usually has a much longer life than the original power cord. It's cheaper too.
 

Happy Aberree

Patron with Honors
Go Clamicide!

Clamicide, regardless of the various views people may have on this thread, I think it is definitely a needed service for people on the edge or under the radar.

Just "having an option" when for many people there is none would make a huge difference.

However you organise it -big or small- I think you should definitely develop it as well as post any successes so that other people in other countries can follow suit.

When I first realised I was done with the COS, one of the first things that crossed my mind was: is there a place that I can go, if all goes bad?

Carry on soldier!:thumbsup:
HAB
 

Dark Phoenix

Patron Meritorious
Clammy, you don't need a perfectly planned or organized group to help people. I have seen small groups of people who truly want to help be able to grow their organization into productive well-greased machines.

Don't give up!

Setting up support groups, as olska said, could be a great starting point while you get yourself whatever qualifications you'd like to have. We did this for people suffereing with depression a few years back, and for many the meetings have been a great help.

in the meantime, hope you get yourself back on your feet, sooner rather than later. :hug:
 

Dark Phoenix

Patron Meritorious
Clamicide, regardless of the various views people may have on this thread, I think it is definitely a needed service for people on the edge or under the radar.

Just "having an option" when for many people there is none would make a huge difference.

However you organise it -big or small- I think you should definitely develop it as well as post any successes so that other people in other countries can follow suit.

When I first realised I was done with the COS, one of the first things that crossed my mind was: is there a place that I can go, if all goes bad?

Carry on soldier!:thumbsup:
HAB

Spot on.:thumbsup:
 

olska

Silver Meritorious Patron
Setting up support groups, as olska said, could be a great starting point while you get yourself whatever qualifications you'd like to have. We did this for people suffereing with depression a few years back, and for many the meetings have been a great help.

in the meantime, hope you get yourself back on your feet, sooner rather than later. :hug:

Yes a "support group" is a START that costs next to nothing and will attract others who have not only a need for the group support, but also have resources, ideas, etc. to contribute. It can grow from a simple beginning into a network that encompasses your original vision as well as others' ideas -- endless possibilities!

One of the MAJOR problems I see with scientology is that using a number of mechanisms and even formal policies, it prevents people from sharing their experience and their ideas and from communicating with and helping each other. Scientology thus brings about a state of isolation in its members, camouflaged by what imo is the FALSE "togetherness" of being part of the scientology "movement" or "team" working to clear the planet, etc.

The concept expressed in KSW, that any "group agreement" is "reactive mind" or BANK is, in my opinion, one of the MOST FALSE and MOST DESTRUCTIVE ideas imbedded within the "scientology philosophy." Slipped into one's psyche on the grease of the "good" ideas that scientology employs, that destructive idea sets up scientologists to be suspicious of ideas that come from anyone except LRH -- including their own creative problem-solving ideas.

In the environment of a support group, you find the exact opposite of the isolation that results from scientology. People are free to share their painful experience (no ban on discussing "case" out of session), see and laugh at the funny stuff (no ban on joking and degrading), and offer comfort, ideas and resources to each other to make things better (no ban on expressing "sympathy" and no weirdness about "exchange" -- as though if you help someone with no direct exchange you'll make them a criminal).

The catharsis from sharing stories and tears and laughter with others who really understand, and the value of the network of people as a resource for physical aid or leads for jobs, housing, and educational opportunities, or for help just to make it through the night, is really quite amazing -- I've seen nothing like it in scientology.
 
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