Candor matters; Commitments shift, Just keep us posted; Assume good intent; We’ll check in, but contributions must be self-driven

Zen Citizen is a 100% volunteer-driven initiative. 

Most of our core volunteers are from r/bangalore on Reddit, where we first shared the idea for feedback. We consider ‘core’ volunteers to have made solid contributions and shown commitment. We started in Aug ’24, and 7 months down, we have 10 core team members.

• Sioux and Giridhar, successfully navigated government processes using our guides and wanted to pay it forward.
• AN, who diligently reports traffic violations and potholes and regularly emails authorities with suggestions, joined us to become more directly involved in driving solutions.
• P saw her father, a banker, endure multiple transfers for refusing under-the-table transactions and has since taken ownership of the website piece.
• Kavya and Nishit have seen their families struggle to access basic services and want to change that.
• Abhik and Preethi are driven by a desire to give back to society.

How We Work: Principles That Guide Us

Commitments Shift, And It’s Okay. Keep us posted.

We expect a revolving door of volunteers, joining when life allows and stepping back when needed. One volunteer created the prototypes for the products we’ve built, while another scaled the tools. If you can’t meet a deadline, that’s okay; we ask that you give a heads-up as soon as possible and document your work for a smooth handoff. 

Documenting for Continuity and Impact

Building on the point above, documentation is essential. It ensures continuity when volunteers step back and allows others to build on past work. Additionally, since we aim to make our work open-source, thorough documentation will help others extend our content and tools to different departments, states, and even other countries.

Candor is Crucial

We often can’t afford the luxury of icebreaker meetings or structured kickoffs, given our varied schedules – some available only on weekends, others on weekdays. So, we dive straight into work. That makes honest communication essential, whether about availability, feedback on each other’s work, or shaping a product. 

Extend the Benefit of the Doubt

Working across cultures, time zones, and asynchronous processes can sometimes lead to overlap or misunderstandings. We navigate this by assuming good intent, prioritizing mutual respect, and aiming to leave each interaction on a positive note.

We’ll Check In, but the Drive to Contribute Must Come from Within

We won’t chase or pressure anyone; forced effort rarely leads to quality work. That said, waiting too long can drag a project on for weeks, so if we don’t hear from you, we’ll follow up to confirm your availability and see if it’s time to pass the task to another volunteer.

Share Intentions Clearly

Be upfront about what you want to gain from this effort. One volunteer wanted to build the website using Framer for the experience, but we chose a different approach. We informed her immediately so she could decide whether to continue.

Looking forward to what we can create together!