Looking Back
Over the past weeks we have shouted, we have sung, we have cried and we have made our voices heard. We are tired and we are full of energy, we are overjoyed and we are heartbroken, we are rebels and we are going home. Looking Back has been created to guide organisers through this time of mess and contradictions, to hold space for emotions and learnings and to manage the logistics of clear up. Here you will find guidance and resources to carry your group home.
Debrief
As the movement grows, it is important that we learn from our achievements and our mistakes.
A debrief after an action gives us the opportunity to recognise our skills and weaknesses and to develop ourselves both as individuals and part of a team within the movement and our environment.
Although we are taking action for positive reasons, and often come away from these actions full of excitement, joy and energy, rebellion can be an emotionally heightened and stressful time. It is likely that many people will have been running on adrenaline throughout the action. During moments of stress, our unconscious memory is more active. Debriefing can help process these memories and experiences.
After periods of heightened adrenaline, people may also experience a physical or emotional dip, which may leave them feeling unable to communicate, exhausted or experiencing negative thoughts. This is a completely normal bodily response but can feel destabilising and unpleasant in the moment. Debrief can offer a space to share and to get support in dealing with these feelings.
Passing Feedback to the Movement
The Feedback and Learning Culture Working Group have designed a debrief survey so that a rebel from each XR group can feedback to the wider movement on what worked well, what didn’t, and what to do differently in future. This survey will be analysed and fed into future rebellion planning and strategy design, both regionally and nationally. It is extremely valuable for the movement as a whole to learn from our many mistakes and achievements.
Roles needed in debrief:
The facilitator doesn’t need to be a professional and shouldn’t be expected to magically fix anyone’s hurts. Rather, they should focus on moving the group through the different parts of the session, while taking part in the session themselves.
Note-taking during the debrief can further help the group to look back and see how much there is to celebrate or understand what can be learned for next time. The learnings gathered from the debrief may also be useful to share as part of the strategy processes or pass to the Feedback and Learning Culture team. Instructions on how and where to share this feedback will be included in this Handbook post Rebellion. Watch this space!
To debrief without a facilitator:
Find a safe space in a calm, easily accessible environment. It is also fine to meet online. Ideally sit in a circle, so that everyone can see the group. Ground yourselves by spending a few minutes sitting in mindfulness and silence. Share how you’re feeling by taking turns to speak and actively listen. It is a good idea to use a talking stick to ensure that no one speaks over each other.
Resources
Here are some resources to help you plan and structure debrief sessions. There are two main forms of debrief: our standard one and an emotional one. It is up to you which one fits best for your group and you may even want to do both.
- Simple Debrief - outline for 90 min session with 10 people & 2 facilitators
- Simple Emotional Debrief - outline for 90 min session with 4-8 people & 1 facilitator
- Emotional Debrief - for large groups modification for groups of more than 10 people
Relationships and Solidarity
During rebellion, we may step on toes, upset or offend during our actions. After rebellion, there is a need for consolatory work, for us to come together with our communities and find common ground. We cannot achieve our vision alone. We must come together in solidarity with other movements, organisations and communities. Our strength grows from our relationships, working together towards the co-liberation of us all.
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Empathy is important when approaching someone you may have hurt, imagining the situation from their perspective. They may have different concerns and priorities but that doesn’t make their experience any less valid.
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Humility is key in understanding that you may have done harm without meaning to, and that your good intentions don't reduce the harm you did.
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XR Principles and Values need to be embodied when holding a relationship on behalf of XR. We avoid blaming and shaming, and rather than shifting blame to another we acknowledge that we or people we stand alongside make mistakes.
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Non Violent Communication has been described as a language of compassion and a tool for positive social change and is important for any peacemaking conversation. The goal of non violent communication is to make a human connection that will result in everyone feeling their needs have been met.
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Active Listening can be an incredibly powerful tool that enables you to genuinely connect with members of your local community. It can enable us to learn from others, to better understand different perspectives and can forge strong links with others in our communities.
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Solidarity is an ongoing collaborative process of relationship and community building, coming together with humility and a willingness to change.
Resources
Non Violent Communication Guide
Active Listening Guide
Solidarity Practical Guidelines
Clean Up
Rebellion is always messy, with people leaving their belongings in “safe” places only to find they have been moved by the time they return. Police often confiscate property large and small and once we leave the streets our logistics teams are left with piles of unclaimed belongings to sort through.
So here are some things to consider to help reunite your rebels with their property.
Reclaiming Confiscated Items
We cannot predict police tactics for this Rebellion, but in October they were very focused on confiscating property.
- If the police confiscate equipment or belongings they will likely be kept at a police station or in one of their warehouses.
- To track down property talk to either your solicitor after arrest or to the Police Liaison team as they will likely be able to narrow the search. You can reach the Police Liaison team on xrpoliceliaison@protonmail.com
- When picking up confiscated items for yourself or others it is helpful to have a photo or clear description of what you are looking for as the Police warehouses are rarely organised.
The Big Sort
The only guarantee after the Rebellion is that we will have a bit of a mess! A good sort will always be necessary, so make sure to share the load and not leave one human to do it all. This is often a good hands on task for new rebels to take part in if they want to help out.
- Find a space to bring everything that needs sorted. Or split it up between people’s homes for them to sort.
- Working out what shared items you have is a good start. Banners, first aid kits and placards can all be stored together.
- Personal belongings are more challenging. Make sure you have a clear system, photograph items, check for labels, share a spreadsheet of photos with your rebels. Make sure there is a clear way to contact the team holding the items.
- Some things will never be claimed no matter how hard you try. Come together as a group and work out what you want to do with them. Blankets can be used for wellbeing, and art materials and burner phones are always useful. Clothes and some other items can be donated.