The several transitions resource teams now in operation average between 8 - 12 individuals. The issue of course, is that not having enough members puts the members themselves at risk of burn-out and the programme at risk of dependence on too few. At the same time, having too many members can make for unwieldy meetings, cumbersome decision-making, and challenging communication. As with other such working teams, membership on a transitions resource team should be voluntary. At the same time, it seems a good idea for members to commit to serving on the team for at least 2 years.
Staggered tenures provide for some members to continue on even as others step down or move away.
Experience shows that teams are most effective when their members represent a cross-section of the community. One school has taken the idea of representation to a new level, developing steering committees as 'outreach arms' of the team itself. Similarly, the team's parent representative works with a parent steering committee to liaison between the team and the school's parent association. When possible, teams have tried to ensure diversity among members in terms of length of time at the school and nationality. Transitions resource teams do, of course, need coordination.