Care & support at SRCCON events

SRCCON SAFETY HELPLINE: Members of the conference team will be available via voice or text at (612) 584-1131, or by email at srccon@opennews.org.

The spirit of generosity that animates this community is a big part of what led to SRCCON and the smaller, thematic versions of SRCCON, too. We heard again and again that folks wanted to have space to share with and support one another. We expect some thought provoking talks and intriguing sessions during our two days together, so we wanted to share some thoughts about how we’re creating the space for those conversations and the support we can offer to one another.

Inviting others into your conversation

When telling us why you wanted to come to this event, many of you told us you wanted to meet others who were also working on making change in your newsrooms and teams.

• Say hi! We are here to meet and learn from one another. See a group of folks you barely know who sound like they’re having an interesting conversation? Join in!
• Keep space open for others to join. Follow Eric Holscher’s Pac-man rule: “When standing as a group of people, always leave room for 1 person to join your group.”

Taking care of yourself

• “Put on your mask first before assisting others.” It’s advice many of us may set aside in our daily life. For these two days, we want you to be able to put yourself and your needs first.
• Listen to yourself. We’ve created a schedule and brought in a lot of snacks and drinks, so if you’re body is telling you something, you can find that sustenance, breath mint, or more. We encourage you to listen to other needs you may have, too. Feeling an urge to stretch? Feeling your neck tense up? Want to go for an impromptu walk? Do it.
• You do not need to ask permission to meet your own needs. With this event, we have “the rule of mobility:” if you aren’t participating in a session, or no longer want to participate, you can and should go elsewhere to a session where you can contribute. You don’t have to ask or apologize or delay. Just get up and go.
• You have support, we are here for you. You’re likely to find folks who are facing similar challenges and are available to strategize or distract, if that’s what you need. You can lean on this community and network. You are not in this work alone. If you need someone to talk to, the support team is here for anyone who—for any reason—would like to take a moment to process something that comes up anytime during our program.

Taking care of each other

We hope you’re feeling an openness to taking care of your own needs as the priority here. We hope with your own feeling of care and nourishment, that will also open up space for us to take care of each other as well.

• Hear others. None of us knows everything, but together we know a lot. We’ve got a wonderful opportunity over these two days to listen and learn from one another. Listen for what other participants are expressing within what they are saying. Listening is a chance to hear invitations and boundaries that allow us to better connect with one another.
• Respect boundaries. We will be dealing with difficult topics, and that means we need to be more intentional than ever to make sure everyone is safe and comfortable so we may all bring out our true and best selves. If someone wants or needs to stop a line of conversation, respect their wishes. And remember, following the law of mobility includes respecting when others do the same.
• We all have support. The entire event is backed by our code of conduct and safety plan. It helps us take care of each other and respond when necessary.