3/5: Conflict Infrastructure within Low-capacity, Un(der)funded Community Organizations: A Discussion Guide
Part III: The Planning Phase
Going a little out of order today. A few folks requested training opportunities, so I’ve included them at the top. I haven’t been able to find a lot—if you know of anything, please share with us in the comments!
Also, wanted to share my new website: lunanh.com
Full newsletter content is below.
Opportunities to Learn + Act
Training: Virtual Transformative Mediation training this fall from the Institute for the Study of Conflict Transformation — there are scholarships available. I would only pursue this if you want to be a mediator, not for basic conflict skills. (note: they use conflict transformation a bit differently than I do, without a systemic analysis).
Training: This November, Kay Pranis is holding a weekend training in Circle Process at Eastern Mennonite University in Virginia (this is the training I took). You do not have to be enrolled as a student to take the course, simply select “professional development” on the registration page.
Learning: Amplify RJ has a number of online courses for folks who are interested in learning more about Restorative Justice roots and practices. You can find courses here.
Learning: Just Practice has a series of virtual workshops on Transformative Justice called Steps to End Prisons & Policing: A Mixtape on Transformative Justice, you can purchase the mixtape here.
Training: I’ve shared this a couple of times already but AORTA is a fantastic organization and they have anti-oppressive facilitation training available. See opportunities and register here.
Action: Jailhouse Lawyers Speak Shut Em Down demonstrations are taking place all over the country on August 21 and September 9. In Michigan we’ll be acting up in early September all across the state, FB event here. Learn more about this year’s national prisoner led event here.
Conflict Infrastructure refers to a set of dedicated and enacted policies, procedures, processes, resources, time, labor, emotional and social energy that is set up to address conflicts that arise within an organization and/or the social ecosystem that organization exists within, impacts, and is impacted by.
See Part I: What Path is Right for Us? & Part II: The Planning for Planning Phase. This is the third in a series of five newsletters that serve as a discussion guide for any group of people who are interested in developing conflict infrastructure within their organization. Each part (e.g. Part 3) is intended to take several meetings, and each section (e.g. 3.1, 3.2, etc.) is its own prompt for discussion.
If you’re thinking “I still don’t really know what conflict infrastructure really is or could be”—I put a few very brief examples on my website here.
3: The Planning Phase
For the sake of ease, I am breaking the planning phase into three sections that align with aspects of infrastructure you may (or may not) want to establish: Policy, Practice, and Resources.
There are a lot of questions here. There is a risk of falling into one of two extreme dynamics: talking every question to death and never getting started because you overwhelm yourselves with planning—OR—rush into offering something and find yourselves unprepared, which can cause mistrust.
Find a balance! Identify three categories of question:
Questions that are pressing or controversial: tackle them before starting so that you don’t find yourselves disrupted in the middle of a crisis.
Questions that you think you can work through as you go, these are the questions around which you feel you already have good in-group alignment.
Questions that are irrelevant or unimportant to your particular goals.
3.1 Policy
Policy here generally refers to any written guideline, principle, agreement, rule, procedure, or workflow that establishes how the organization and its members will engage with conflict.
3.1.1 What purpose will these policies serve?
Said another way: How will our organization work better with these policies in place? Or, What problems will these policies help to solve?
3.1.2 What is the scope of the kinds of conflicts we’re referring to in these policies (e.g. interpersonal disagreement vs. physical violence vs. structural harm, etc.;)?
Scope in this case refers to the type of conflicts that the policies, agreements, or systems will apply to. For example, you may want a system to handle conflicts that escalate to physical or emotional harm, but don't want to manage all of the interpersonal issues that arise (members are expected to handle those on their own). Or, you may feel equipped to only handle those interpersonal issues (how folks treat each other) and not have any explicit policies related to violence (folks are expected to find other outside resources or systems to manage those).
3.1.3 Do we want to have written expectations about how our members will engage with each other during conflict? What form should that take?
Expectations might take the form of rules, guidelines, or agreements that relate to things like how folks communicate during conflict. For example, “We will communicate directly one-on-one if we have a problem with each other. If we can’t do that, we will…”
Be cautious of words like respect, which mean different things to different people. If setting expectations, be clear about what you're specifically looking for from them. Also be cautious of expectations that control folks' self-expression, such as "No yelling," or "No swearing." Consider focusing on what the organization as a whole can do to create an environment of healthy conflict, as opposed to how individuals should or should not behave.
Note: Check out this post about codes of conduct.
3.1.3.1 If yes, What expectations do we want to establish or suggest?
3.1.4 Do we want to have a set of principles or values that guide how we engage each other when conflict arises?
Values
are the qualities of life and relationship we claim and enact in our lives (honesty, integrity, respect). These are often deeply cultural, prioritized in our lives based on circumstances, and sometimes acted upon (or against) subconsciously. Some reflections on values can be found
here
, some example values and principles/practices
here
.
Principles
are the commitments or rules we try to follow in order to live in accordance with those values (we will practice safety and accountability without relying on alienation, punishment, or the state). Some examples of principles can be found
here
,
here
, and
here
.
In 2.3 you may have come up with a set of values or principles for your small group or committee. In this prompt, the goal is to decide whether values or principles should guide the whole organization as they navigate conflicts with each other, with the group, or within the processes/procedures you lay out (if any).
3.1.4.1 If yes, What principles or values do we want to establish or suggest?
3.1.4.2 If yes, How are these principles being incorporated or referred to?
Activity:
As individuals, reflect on what values and/or principles the organization has committed itself to in the past (if any).
Which of these values or principles should be applied to conflict situations and in what ways?
Present these values/principles within any policy documents you generate for the group’s review.
3.1.5 Do we want to map out procedures we’ll follow and who is responsible for what (a workflow) for when different kinds of conflict come up?
When thinking about a workflow, consider from the origin of a conflict rising to your attention—how will the conflict be responded to first, by whom, on what timeline?; what happens if the conflict escalates beyond the first intervention or response? You may want to come back to this after the Practices and Resources sections.
3.1.5.1 If yes, What workflows do we want to establish or suggest?
3.1.6 Do we want to create policies about how we’ll respond to harm between or by our members?
The U.S. has a criminal-legal system of responding to harm (or presumed harm) by calling police, investigating, punishing, and alienating individuals for their behavior. In your organization, what will you do when/if members hurt each other (physically, emotionally) or act outside of the organization's principles, guidelines, agreements, or values?
3.1.6.1 If yes, what types of harm do we need or want to respond to?
3.1.6.2 If yes, do we want there to be procedures and/or consequences following harm?
3.1.6.3 If yes, what procedures or consequences do we want to establish or suggest and under what circumstances?
3.1.7 If we write these policies down, who will they apply to (members, volunteers, staff, coalitions, leadership)?
Sometimes policies apply to anyone who is within a certain space only when they are in that space (a city, a building), or those who belong to a certain group (members, citizens, residents, minors), or during certain times (before and after curfew), or of a certain rank (officers, laborers). As an organization, it's important to understand who is expected to act in accordance with these policies related to conflict and when (e.g. only when acting as an org member or at all times).
3.1.7.1 ...and who will be responsible for assessing whether or not we (the organization, members, etc.) have followed these policies?
3.1.7.2 ...and what will happen if these policies aren’t followed? What are the consequences or responses we intend to enact?
“TJ practitioners still believe in boundaries and consequences. Je’Kendria emphasizes that consequences should be “a series of steps grounded in minimizing future harm, taking power away from the harm-doer, and increasing the survivor’s agency and ability to thrive. This is different from punishment because to punish someone is to dehumanize, villainize, and inflict more harm on someone.” She offered examples of consequences, including “the harm doer moving out of a housing situation, stepping down from a job, making a statement to every group they’re a part of disclosing the harm they caused, taking a break from social spaces where the survivor is present, dispersing funds to the survivor or to survivor-centered work, moving to another city,” and “gathering a dedicated group of accountability partners.” These steps require acknowledgment of the harm, as well as intentional and explicit actions to rectify it. According to Je’Kendria, this is something that punishment does not and cannot accomplish.” (Source)
Cases refer to a specific conflict. A single case may involve many processes, sessions, and participants over a period of time, but is centered around the same events, issues, or concerns. A case is typically opened when a concern or inquiry is made for support, and is typically closed when the participants’ goals are met or they no longer wish to participate.
3.2 Practice
Practice refers to any processes or projects that facilitate, support, mediate, intervene, interrupt, manage, transform, or respond to conflicts as they arise.
As you go through this section, consider what resources and practitioners are already present in your communities. Some communities have excellent community mediation programs, healing justice organizations, mutual aid for survivors of violence, etc. Reach out to these groups and ask them if they can offer expertise, be a resource to refer folks to, or if you can hire them on a case-by-case basis. This knowledge could keep you from duplicating something that’s already working. Or, these folks might be overwhelmed and you may be able to work together to share resources and skills.
Conflict processes and interventions can be extremely time consuming and labor intensive, depending on the scope of the conflict being dealt with. Before deciding that you’ll open your organization up to offering any type of process that addresses harm, trauma, or crisis—learn what that entails. Otherwise, you can find yourselves overwhelmed. Be honest about your boundaries and limitations. It is worse to say you’ll do something and then not do it or do it poorly, than it is to be upfront that you can only handle so much.
Consider using a scaled approach. Such as: In year one we’ll take on these simple cases (define them), by year two we’ll have more experience and we can take on cases that involve more people or more issues (define those), by year three we’ll be ready to address complex cases.
3.2.1 What are the skills and/or types of process that we can practice now? What are the skills and/or types of processes that we hope to be able to practice in the future?
Here, consider what practices you're prepared to engage in currently.
Examples: anti-oppressive facilitation, restorative practices, mediation, bystander intervention, peace teams, violence interruption teams, crisis response, active listening, non-violent communication…
You may decide you need to answer 3.2.2 - 3.2.4 in a different order, depending on which answer you want to guide the others.
3.2.2 What are the processes/interventions we want to be able to utilize in response to conflict? Which will we be able to do internally and which will we need to bring in outside folks for?
Here, consider what tools/processes you'd like to be able to practice in response to conflict.
May be same or different from 3.2.1.
3.2.3 What types of conflict are we going to address as a part of our infrastructure (this may be the same or different from what your policies cover)?
Some potential types of conflict to reflect on:
Group decision-making when we can’t agree (on projects, plans, values, resources)
Ideological differences among/between members
Ideological differences between us and the communities we impact
Addressing power dynamics/imbalances within our organizational structure
Addressing power dynamics/imbalances between our organization and the communities we impact/engage with
Addressing concerns/feedback by communities impacted by our organization
Healing, justice, or repair after structural violence has been perpetrated by our organization (directly or historically)
Healing, justice, or repair after harm has been done by one/some of our members
Responding to specific incidents of interpersonal or organizational microaggressions, discrimination, or oppressive harm (by us or by other organizations)
Interpersonal/relational patterns of conflict, violence, or abuse
Survivor support and/or accountability
Intervention in flashpoints of structural violence
Intervention in crises (mental health incidents, violence, or crime)
Intervention in community-based conflicts (flair ups of violence, neighborhood disputes, hate incidents, etc.)
3.2.4 To whom can we offer these processes? Said another way, who can come to us for conflict support?
Example: members, anyone in the direct community, anyone anywhere
3.2.5 How will a process be initiated or requested?
Ensuring that you have thought through confidentiality will vastly improve trustworthiness and prevent accidental harm. Make sure that there is a way to reach out for services to someone who is not directly involved in the conflict itself. For example, if you have an “intake coordinator” for people to reach out to or an e-mail address going to a whole group of volunteers, make sure you also have a back-up option in case the conflict involves the intake coordinator or someone with access to that e-mail.
3.2.5.1 By whom can a process be initiated?
Example: only a person directly involved, anyone who witnesses it, or indirectly impacted parties…
Considerations: If someone not directly involved initiates the process, how is consent obtained to proceed? Who needs to give consent?
3.2.5.2 What mechanisms can they use to make the request?
For example: online forms, phone calls, text messages, chat features. If you’re working with an older group, having non-internet or non-texting options would be ideal. Requiring the smallest amount of paperwork necessary is also ideal—people tend to feel defeated or overwhelmed by putting a lot vulnerable information in writing.
3.2.5.3 What questions do we need to ask before we take on or commit to a case?
Consider what questions should be on the forms or prompts the person receiving contact should be ready for.
3.2.5.4 Based on the information we collect, under what circumstances would we refuse to take a case that is otherwise within our scope?
Said another way, what are our personal, spiritual, or ideological boundaries or limits? Remember that the people in these processes or in the practices you’re using will be people you know, have your own feelings about and relationships with. Understanding your limitations for when you can be involved without compromising the success of the process is one of the most valuable characteristics of a conflict practitioner.
3.2.6 How will we assign or take responsibility for cases? How many people will be responsible for each case?
Many conflict facilitators highly prefer having two facilitators on every case—this can especially help when there’s a likelihood of bias because you’re facilitating people you know well or work with, on issues that you’re directly involved with as part of the organization.
3.2.7 How will we consult each other and keep each other accountable for our cases as they are ongoing? When they are finished/closed?
Consultation is when practitioners share their process and thinking about a given case, to receive feedback or suggestions (while maintaining confidentiality).
3.2.8 When a case is about a private matter, how will we maintain confidentiality? In what cases can we not maintain confidentiality?
If you are working on conflicts that are a matter of public record or take place in public settings, confidentiality may not be a significant consideration for you. If the matters you address are about people’s personal or private lives and relationships, then having specific confidentiality protocols about communication with the participants, within the process, and after the process are all important.
3.2.9 How will we (collectively and individually) determine when we are at capacity?
Visit Dean Spade's website (deanspade.net) you'll find a wonderful resource on burn out and ways to address it. This resource may help you in noticing signs that you have reached capacity, before burn out happens. When burn out happens and we are responsible for supporting others through conflict or harm, we can make mistakes that cause additional harm - such as making promises we can't keep or delaying a process for months. Addressing capacity early (and revisiting boundaries often) is essential to compassionate, responsible conflict work.
3.2.9.1 How will we communicate to each other when we are at capacity?
3.2.9.2 How will we communicate this to the people who ask us for support?
3.2.10 If we reach capacity and have to “close” to cases, how will we respond to requests that we cannot fulfill?
Like 3.2.9.2, consider how you will let folks know (publicly) that you cannot take on additional cases or support. For example, you might close the intake form on the website or add a notice that there is a waitlist. Or, you might initiate an automatic reply to your e-mail address or text messaging system notifying folks that there is a wait and when they can expect a response. Be honest and reliable to what you say you will do.
3.2.11 What accessibility needs can we meet (e.g. physical, language, audio, visual, sensory, cognitive)?
Consider the needs of the people you intend to provide conflict support to. Who are they? What are their needs? How have they requested those needs be met? What is within your resource capacity to do.
3.2.11.1 How will we communicate what access resources are available and what is not possible for us to do?
3.2.12 How will we collect feedback from those we are facilitating (participants) and our organization? How will we respond to that feedback?
Consider offering multiple formats for providing feedback (office hours, an anonymous online form, a paper comment box). In responding to feedback, consider carving out time when feedback is reviewed (a monthly gathering for example) and discussion can happen around folks' comments.
3.2.13 How will we care for each other as we struggle through this work?
Care and compassion for one another is essential to having a thriving conflict infrastructure. You will need to discuss difficult, contentious, triggering topics and struggle through interpersonal and structural conflicts among yourselves, to address the conflicts you are intervening in. You will probably be tired, irritable, frustrated, sad, angry, and more. Talk about that! How will you show up for one another, even (or especially) when you disagree?
Activity:
Individually (Share with each other)
Care and support look like…
When I’m frustrated, angry, irritable, I would appreciate…
When I’m tired, burned out, I would appreciate…
I do not like it when people respond to me by…
Collectively (decide together)
To bring joy, relationship, and community to our work we will have [weekly/monthly/quarterly]….
To show care, when we meet together we will…
When we disagree or have internal conflict we will…
3.3 Resources
Resources refers to specifically dedicated labor, physical space, time, money, and other material and social provisions that will facilitate the first two categories.
3.3.1 If we are facilitating processes, will facilitators be compensated for their time or volunteer?
3.3.2 If we are intervening in crises, will interveners be compensated for their time or volunteer?
In addition, consider how much compensated or uncompensated time people are allowed and/or expected to do in this role.
3.3.3 Regardless of whether folks are paid or volunteer, what other resources will they need in order to fulfill their roles and thrive (avoid burn out but also be satisfied with their work)?
For example, if facilitators and intervenors are expected to travel - what expectations are there around transportation costs? If using technology, who carries the cost of any services, software, or hardware that is needed? If folks need mental health support after a difficult conflict or situation, will any be available?
Related to 3.3.4: If folks being supported need groceries, housing, or other resources - what expectations are on the facilitators or intervenors to fulfill those needs? What burden do they bear when those needs cannot be fulfilled by the organization?
3.3.4 Will we offer material resources to people impacted by conflicts?
Examples: funding, housing, food, medical or mental healthcare (see note about readiness at bottom).
3.3.4.1 If so, what are the parameters (e.g. how much, how often, for what, for whom)?
3.3.5 How will we fund compensation or resources that we provide? Do we need to be conscious of confidentiality, reporting, etc. associated with those funding sources?
If you’re providing resources to impacted parties, they should always be able to take those resources without their information being made public, reported, or open to an audit. These kinds of conditions (often placed on organizations by funders) can cause mistrust and expose people to risks.
3.3.6 Will we have physical space to conduct any processes or interventions? If so, how will the space be accessed and by whom? If not, where will we hold these processes?
Consider confidentiality, physical accessibility, location to transportation accessible to those who will use the process, neutral locations (e.g. not a person’s home who might be involved in the process).
3.3.7 What resources can we specifically direct toward meeting accessibility needs?
Revisit 3.2.11. Have this conversation with the people who will use these processes and systems! What do they need in order to fully participate with dignity, safety, and wellness? If you can’t meet a need, be transparent so that people can make informed plans. For more information about accessibility, check out sins invalid, disability visibility, and this video: Beyond Access.
3.3.8 What resources do we need to use secure, confidential forms of communication
Example: encrypted forms, e-mail, text messaging; virus protected computers and tablets.
3.3.9 If we have no financial or other material resources to contribute, how will we address the emotional, social, mental health, medical, and financial conditions that keep people harmed by or involved in conflict from being able to address it directly?
People in conflict are often forced to remain in harmful situations by circumstance: they live with an abusive partner and can't afford their own housing, they rely on criminalizing social services for disability payments, they are system-involved and must submit daily or weekly drug tests, etc.
Maybe the answer is that you as an organization can’t offer anything—in that case, what other tools and resources can you pool from outside, to refer folks to who need them? There is a significant overlap between people who are most impacted by conflict crises and people who experience structural violence and don’t have their basic needs met. You’ll need a plan to face this reality.
A note on assessing readiness and capacity:
An important part of anti-oppressive and/or transformative justice based conflict work is recognizing that people are often influenced by oppressive conditions and/or violence that keeps them from being able to engage in conflict—which may or may not have led them to a crisis point. Whether that’s trauma, lack of housing, physical illness or injury, disconnection from transportation, language barriers, criminal-legal fees or obligations, etc.—people often have good reason for avoiding or disrupting a conflict. Resources are often required to get people into a good place to be able to deal with a conflict that doesn’t involve their direct survival, but those resources aren’t always financial. Sometimes, the greatest barrier to success is a lack of social support, encouragement, and belief in someone’s story and experience. In conflict work we refer to one early step in the process as “readiness assessment.” We work with a client or participant to assess (and if we’re being anti-oppressive, the client self-assesses rather than a facilitator gate-keeping) whether they’re in a good place to engage in a process and what it might take to get them to that place (including whether they trust or feel confident in the approach we’re taking). We might ask:
Do you want to be here or is someone influencing/coercing you to be here?
Do you have a safe place to stay right now?
Do you have someone you can turn to when this gets hard?
What kinds of things might make it hard for you to fully participate in this process?
Do you feel comfortable with this general plan? Is there anything that concerns you?
If relevant, do you need or want treatment or healing of any kind before you can safely engage in this conflict in the way you want to?