The following questions focus on considerations around grievance reporting and deliberation processes. The purpose of the questions is to identify how current policies and procedures align with your mission and organizational values.
You may use the questions to hold a group reflection discussion as part of the recommended organizational assessment described on the Process page. The Facilitator Guide page and instructions below will help the facilitator(s) guide the reflection conversation. The questions can also be used as an independent tool for organizers.
Optional step: To provide an opportunity for participants to prepare for the discussion, we recommend the facilitator distribute this survey in advance of the meeting.
The Facilitator Guide contains an outline of the Facilitator role and responsibilities throughout this Assessment process guide.
Here are the instructions for running the Reflection Discussion specifically:
Invite anyone with an understanding of institutional procedures, their application, and adoption.
Optional: Distribute the Survey in advance. Remind participants in advance that filling out the Survey will provide a deeper engagement with the process.
Arrange the meeting and documentation, such as note-taking, etc.
Facilitate the reflection meeting.
After setting the stage and reviewing participation guidelines (below), the facilitator will walk participants through a series of questions.
As with other areas of the self-assessment, the facilitator can tailor the discussion questions to best fit the needs of the organization.
The questions may be printed out copied to a separate document to distribute to participants.
Follow-up
We recommend the facilitator create a report with key elements and actions suggested. Details about how to create a report are located on the Process page.
We recommend the facilitator review these participation guidelines at the beginning of the reflection discussion, to prepare the group for what to expect and to foster an inclusive environment.
Be available and open to the process, and to listen to experiences that might be different from your own.
Speak in the first person - Talk about your own experiences, avoid generalizing statements.
Take turns.
Create space for different types of intelligence and modes of expression to participate.
Practice self-care - Take care of yourself. Let facilitators know, and we can stop and take breaks, etc.
Be mindful of seeking to reinforce your position, avoid trying to generate sides.
Observe confidentiality - You can share and reflect on what you have learned about the process with others who did not attend, but keep specific details, experiences, and information named in the sessions confidential.
What values guide your definitions and culture around safety and integrity?
What kinds of behaviors are not tolerated in your community?
What values guide your organization’s structures to fairly process reports of misconduct, harm, and/or policy violations?
Has the organization pursued democratic decision-making or community involvement in shaping policies and definitions around community safety, reporting, deliberation, and outcomes processes? ...and do you have any ideas for how this could be better?
What are your community’s current ways of identifying sources of conflict and systemic issues? ...and do you have any ideas for how this could be better?
Are new members informed of what kinds of behavior are not tolerated? Are existing members provided with reminders about what kinds of behavior are not tolerated? ...and do you have any ideas for how this could be better?
How is your community informed about how to file grievance reports? ...and do you have any ideas for how this could be better?
Is your policy enforcement process publicly documented and accessible? If so, identify what specifically is posted. Consider the following elements (which we will provide further prompts for in other sections):
How to submit reports
Confidentiality policy
Non-retaliation policy
Composition of decision-making body
Failure to attend policy
Determination / decision-making process
Appeals process
Are procedures for making reports virtual and/or in-person? How are privacy and accessibility needs accounted for in the design?
What are your privacy protocols for data related to reports? Where is data on reports stored and is there an expiration date on records? …and do you have any ideas about how this could be better?
Is information about confidentiality policies for reporting clear and posted?
Is contact information for responsible parties of the reporting process posted?
Who is responsible for responding to and deliberating upon grievance reports and how is this body composed? *This might include who receives them, who has access to them, who responds, who decides on what to do when a report is made that safe spaces have not been upheld or community policies have been violated.
How would you assess the preparedness of current report receivers to handle misconduct reports?
What is the nature of training for report receivers and/or those deliberating on grievances?
Is there an orientation process? ...and do you have any ideas for how this could be better?
Do trainings include info about trauma-informed practices? ...and do you have any ideas for how this could be better?
Do trainings include information about mandatory reporting of disclosures or suspicions of abuse when required by law?
Are report receivers prepared with mental health resources and contact information for additional sources of support for those in emotional distress? ...and do you have any ideas for how this could be better?
Is a confidentiality agreement in place for those responsible for handling grievance reports? ...and do you have any ideas for how this could be better?
Do you have a recusal policy for what to do when someone responsible for handling grievance reports is named or has a conflict of interest in a report? …and do you have any ideas about how this could be better?
Are those handling grievance reports compensated or otherwise provided with support and resources to acknowledge the time and labor they take on? ...and do you have any ideas for how this could be better?
For all of the following questions, consider the following areas and how they are differently handled:
Dishonesty or lack of integrity
Discrimination, prejudicial treatment
Hostility, creating a hostile environment
Hate speech
Threats, threats of harm or self harm
Sexual harassment
Abuse and neglect
Do these categories make sense for your organization? Is there anything else not mentioned above that you think should be included?
Are there established procedures for assessing and deliberating on different types of reports? (See list above)…and do you have any ideas about how this could be better?
How are statements and evidence gathered and evaluated in the intake and deliberation process?…and do you have any ideas about how this could be better?
Is there a procedure for escalating reports that involve a crisis or emergency? …and do you have any ideas about how this could be better?
Is there a "failure to attend" procedure for the parties involved in the greivance? What happens if someone refuses to participate in the process?
Is the standing, conduct record, or other mitigating circumstances of involved parties evaluated in considerations of responsibility?
Do those evaluating reports focus on only the matters in complaints?
What values and principles inform how your organization decides what happens when someone is found to have created harm or violated community standards?
When a determination of fault has been made, are there prescribed outcomes, changes in privileges, training assigned, recommendations, etc. for particular cases? …and do you have any ideas about how this could be better?
When someone has violated community policies, how does the process facilitate working towards education and repair (e.g. restorative justice practices)?
Are there any actions or activities that would be cause to suspend someone from the community? How is that decision reached?
Is there any way parties can appeal the decisions? If so, how is the appeals process documented and communicated to the community? …and do you have any ideas about how this could be better?
Are decisions and recommendations made public after cases have concluded? If so, what is disclosed, and what is kept private? …and do you have any ideas about how this could be better?
Does your community have the resources and information it needs to collect equitably receive reports and deliberate? …and do you have any ideas about how to obtain necessary resources and information?
Do these structures for how reports are evaluated align with your mission and organizational values? …and do you have any ideas about how this could be better?
How are organizers and members of the community prepared to help resolve interpersonal conflicts that may not meet the criteria of a code of conduct violation? …and do you have any ideas about how this could be better?
When mediation is needed or requested, how does the organization facilitate that process? …and do you have any ideas about how this could be better?
Are resources made available to bring in trained mediators when organizers lack expertise or capacity to mediate? …and do you have any ideas about how this could be better?
Are mediators effectively compensated and/or provided resources for their time and labor? …and do you have any ideas about how this could be better?
What are some ideas from this discussion that you think might be feasible to implement?
What are challenges to the adoption of reporting and deliberation protocols and keeping the community accountable to them? ...and do you have any ideas for how these challenges can be overcome?
What aspects of the grievance reporting and deliberation process were not covered that you want to discuss?
How might the findings of this discussion be followed up on through planning and action? What are you hoping to see in terms of accountability around improvement?
Are there areas from this discussion that you think are important to open up to the larger organizational community for further input? Are there pathways to solicit this input and take it into account when designing governance?
How could this assessment process be improved in the future?
To close the meeting, the facilitator should share about the report creation process outlined on the Process page, and discuss how participants can be involved in next steps.