2022 Community Care Pilot Begins!

What’s happening?

ReVisioning’s Implementation phase features several new participatory processes for how we make decisions and set intentions for positive impact together in 2022, including direct democracy pilots, basecamp development, and strategic consultation with Brigade leaders. As a key part of ReVisioning, we’re developing more practices of community care within the Network.

Community care as an act of equity and inclusivity gives us the framework we need to build our own models and language around meeting the needs of ourselves and each other with transformative justice. With that heightened awareness and those strengthened skills, we’ll begin to build a Code of Care together in the coming months and kickoff Code of Conduct training in the spring.

Sign up today to participate in our new community care practices!

Who am I?

I specialize in trauma-informed peer support, a type of community-based care practice that suits distributive, decentralized use by anyone for anyone. I’ve been a member of the Network community for a few years now, and most recently was brought on as a temporary employee to support the Network Team in the Revisioning Recommendation’s Closing phase. Now, I’m independently contracted to develop and manage this pilot as the Implementation phase begins in 2022.

How does this community care practice work?

A thriving practice of care within a community evolves over time. We’ll start with what we know – that regular, intentional conversations between members of our community, centered around our culture of care, are fundamental aspects of this work. At their core, these conversations are an informed way for each of us to enrich our own sense of immersion and belonging within this community.

Whether you sign up for 1:1 or group conversation with me, our meetings follow the same basic format:

  • Share inspiration. The opening of every co-practice introduces care-related themes within the community we can choose from to center our discussion.
  • Consider possibilities. We next share our own response to this theme and how we attempt to meet its needs for ourselves and others.
  • Acknowledge limits. We’ll then explore our shared narrative for insights we may have about how meeting the needs of ourselves and others challenges our boundaries.
  • Shape aspirations. Reflecting on how we can invite care from others within our boundaries, or offer it in ways that respects theirs, closes us out with new ideas to put into action together.

These sessions are fairly light on handouts and focus on having an interactive discussion guided by a set of prompts; 1:1 and small group meetings wrap up in about an hour, but time can be adjusted as needed and when available. Don’t worry – if you’re a workbook and weekend reading kind of person, materials and supplements that complement the focus of our meeting will be sent in the follow up.

Where you’ll find me:

  • Slack. Reach out to me one-to-one or find me on the #network-stewards channel to talk shop about community care co-practices with other members of the Network.
  • Discourse. The materials and supplements that support the co-practices will live on Discourse so they remain accessible even outside of meetings. We’ll use the Culture and Core Values category and the community-care tag for this pilot.
  • Gather. Virtual gaming communities have been my second home since I was a teen in the 90s – and I’m a proud member of Code for Pawnee. Come find me in the Pawnee Pub and keep an eye out for more Gather-related fun popping up throughout the year.

Sign up today to participate in our new community care practices!

Privacy note: Date, time, number of participants, their names and Brigade affiliation are requested at sign-up and may be evaluated as a metric to measure engagement with the pilot. Our meetings will not be recorded, though certain co-created materials may be shared with the larger community on Discourse and Slack afterwards.

7 Likes

Trauma-informed peer support! So amazing :heart:

3 Likes

Ok, I’ll admit the information updates were a little intimidating. Ngl, Oh, here we go. Another ReVisioning whatchamacallit. Is this necessary? :roll_eyes: ran through my mind initially.

Yet after experiencing the care session today with Rene, those worries dissipated. I enjoyed a deep, low-pressure conversation exploring our values, boundaries, and the layers of good that bring us to civic technology work. Plus connecting over the Orlando Foodie Forum :wink:

When we spoke about our origin stories, I can’t believe I almost forgot how I got here. Who helped me? Who did I influence? Huh, my contributions to people matter online and offline – even if I don’t see it. I needed that reminder.

I wish something like this was available when I first joined Code for Orlando. @renejoywrites thank you for listening and giving me the chance to participate in this practice. I look forward to sharing it with my Brigade and seeing what else is in store.

3 Likes

I’m so glad you joined me for a care session, @kryskreative – you’ve set an important example for me in this community when it comes to holding space for others and making connections between worldviews. Thank you for the shout-out you’ve given our time here. I can’t wait to share more stories and shape more language around the community experiences we share.

@Shaunm44 started a thread on Slack last month about advice we’d give ourselves when we first encountered the Code for America community – and not only am I curious what your advice would be to yourself now that we’ve had our convo, but I want an Origin Story Share-a-thon with everyone! Okay new post idea… (unless @kryskreative beats me to it)