Soulful Advocacy: The Heartbeat of a Human Rights Collective

Sept. 6, 2024
Sunrise at Dragoon Mountains, AZ

In spring term 2024, Visiting Fulbright Scholar Dr. Ivana Radačić taught a course entitled "Self- and collective- care, well-being and spirituality: A holistic human rights framework." Among other  activities, students in the course developed well-being policies for human rights collectives. This blogpost presents the results by a group composed of Human Rights Practice students Donaven Smith, Mitch Conroy and Lauren Schram. Other blogposts feature the policy proposals developed by other groups of students (see links at the end of this article). You can also read Ivana's reflections on the course, the policy proposals, and the issues that they raise for human rights practice and education. 

by Donaven Smith, Mitch Conroy and Lauren Schram

Human rights defenders (HRDs) are the soul of human rights movements, allowing them to flourish and thrive against all odds. They commit their lives to uplifting, protecting, and advancing human rights. The energy HRDs invest in movements cannot be abused or taken for granted. An effort must be made to actively protect it and address the trauma, burnout, and other mental health issues that are common in human rights work, due to not only the nature of the work but also the culture in which self-care is considered selfish.

Human rights organizations must cultivate healthy environments through prioritizing well-being, self and collective care, and collective liberation. As Chigidu & Chigidu (2015) suggest, this can be done by investing resources and time towards listening to and composing the song of the organization's soul. The soul song acts as a nourishing source of power and strength. It conducts how the organization treats not only the people it serves but also the employees of the organization. A beautifully composed, resilient soul song fosters a culture of integrity, transparency, and accountability while encouraging innovation, adaptability and care. An organization's soul must be the song's writer of the song that HRDs long to sing. The connection between an organization's soul and its workers' well-being is vital to the sustainability of the collective. If this song is to develop, there must be room for HRDs to openly communicate, including about the mental health issues that they are experiencing. 

The human rights organization needs to know its song and sing it daily, providing space for the HRDs to communicate the deepest parts of themselves, giving them the tools necessary to manage vicarious trauma, mitigate harm, and protect their souls. Organizations which disregard their employees’ well-being shrink the souls of everyone. When an organization fails to value the souls of HRDs, sustainability, efficacy, and advancement  of human rights is negatively impacted. In such environments, HRDs often succumb to burnout and leave the field. Human rights are best protected if HRDs are being nourished, which requires human rights organizations to create policies that amplify the soul of the organization. HRDs cannot give from an empty cup. Organizational songs need empowered, healthy and connected staff to sing them, or defending human rights is fruitless, lacking melody and soul. The policies must reflect respect for workers’ time, energy, well-being, boundaries, and privacy.

Our policy outlines pathways for human rights organizations to take to ensure that they are nourishing the souls of their team members. It includes intentional, structural decisions that prioritize the time, energy, and privacy of HRDs; inter-organizational accountability among HRDs to ensure that no one is reaching the point of burnout; and creating workplaces that focus on mental health, self-care, and collective care. Fueled by love, our policy aims to protect the well-being of HRDs beyond what is currently accepted as normal by human rights organizations. 

Policy Proposal: Soulful Advocacy -- The Heartbeat of a Human Rights Collective

Donaven Smith, Mitch Conroy and Lauren Schram

INTRODUCTION: OUR CULTURE

Based on the work of Chigudu & Chigudu (2015), we at the Human Rights Collective have come to believe that every organization has a soul. It is this soul that helps us push through tough times and that gives us energy when we need it most. We know that you are our soul, and that only together we can carry out the song of our mission. An organization with a shrinking soul is one that does not value its people; dies easily and painfully; looks sweet on the outside, but is bitter on the inside; and one that fosters feelings of burn-out, bitterness, exhaustion, and anger. We want to create a culture here where our organization’s soul grows, where our song becomes more beautiful, and where we all feel seen during our time together. Love is our main ingredient. We are aware of the power dynamics that can exist in the workplace and we do not want to exert power over you, but to stand in your power with you. We encourage you to show up as you are, and we give you permission to be honest with your colleagues and managers about how you are feeling and what you need. We want to celebrate with you and mourn alongside you in whatever season of life you are in. We recognize that you are so much more than the work you engage in, but since work is a large part of what we do, we want to set a strong foundation that supports the sustainability and well-being of you as a person and the collective soul of this organization.

POLICY STATEMENT

We respect cultural expressions of care that differ from dominant expressions of well-being and we encourage that you care for yourself and others in ways that resonate most with you. However, we believe that to foster the culture outlined above, we must have a written, detailed self- and collective-care policy that we all agree upon. We consider these to be non-negotiables, and they apply to staff at every level of the organization. Self-sacrifice is not necessary for human rights work. Self-care is our barbaric yawp that we matter and that we are worthy of care. We have a zero-tolerance policy for feeling guilty or being guilted for taking care of yourself and each other.

DEFINITIONS

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to this internal, organizational work, and we invite you to enter into conversations with your colleagues and management about what is working and what is not working as we pursue self- and collective-care in our workplace. This is a living document, and we challenge you to be flexible and patient with us as these policies and procedures grow and change as we do.

Self-Care: Self-care is a “strategy of resistance” aimed at improving wellbeing and resilience by creating good habits. This includes time with friends and family, focusing on the inner-self through religion, meditation, and spirituality; caring for the physical body through sleep, food, and movement; and caring for the social aspects of life through healthy boundaries 

Collective Care: Collective care includes both small- and large-scale actions that we can take to show our support for one another. This includes showing up for people even before they ask for help. Collective care comes from and involves all levels of employees.

Ultimately, neither personal or collective-care will eliminate stress. Even with our approach, things that we do not like will happen, but together, we will choose to deal with them differently. Neither of these practices are things you can fail by not “doing enough.”

PRACTICES & PROCEDURES

  1. Structures for Support

    1. 4-Day Work Weeks

      1. The Human Rights Collective operates Monday-Thursday 9am-5pm, but staff are encouraged to talk to their managers about flexible work schedules, which in almost all cases are approved.

    2. Group Lunches

      1. Staff have the option to join their managers on weekly, paid group lunches, funded by the company, which allow for a break during the work day and encourage social support on company time.

    3. Boundaries

      1. Employees are expected to disconnect from the workplace after hours (i.e., no after-hours emails) and if you must work, inform your manager because you will be paid.

        1. Disconnecting from the workplace after hours can be extremely difficult for many human rights defenders who view their work as extremely personal and connected to their identity. They may feel very closely connected to the issues that they are working on, or could be members of the groups that are directly affected by the issues. If disconnecting is going to cause more pain and difficulty for an employee, conversations can be had with supervisors and managers to work out a plan that benefits the employee while also ensuring that they are not reaching burnout.

      2. Staff have the right to say, “No, I do not have the capacity for this right now,” and management is expected to respect that and delegate equitably.

    4. Wellness Program

      1. The Human Rights Collective has a free wellness room that staff have unrestricted access throughout the day. The items in our wellness room are paid for by the organization. Staff have access to:

        1. A plant nursery

        2. Water, tea, snacks and company

        3. Fridge to keep your own snacks

        4. Comfortable couches, chairs, and blankets

        5. A small library 

        6. Zen sand gardens 

        7. Art supplies (i.e., coloring books, drawing pads/canvases, crayons, colored pencils, markers)

        8. Requests can be made for other supplies and activities, and will be considered at the discretion of the managers

      2. We provide our staff with either a gym or yoga studio membership

        1. If your level of ability means that you could not make use of either of these memberships, the Human Rights Collective will fund alternatives.

      3. Staff will be provided with a list of approved wellness retreats and will be expected to attend one/year, paid for by the organization. They are a week long and this will be paid time off.

      4. Weekly grounding/meditation sessions

        1. Weekly group meetings consisting of meditation, education, and conversations surrounding current events, with the goal of being informed and feeling connected with colleagues and yourself

        2. The structure of these meetings can differ from week to week, but the main components include a group meditation and grounding session (can be led by group members, or rely on virtual leaders from YouTube, etc), and a section for spreading awareness and information with one another to ensure that everyone is always furthering their knowledge and awareness of social issues. 

           

  2. Benefits

    1. Mental Health Support

      1. We provide regular mental health support (i.e., Employee Assistance Program), as well as access to licensed clinicians who are on standby for trauma support. Speak with your manager if you need support.

      2. Group/Team therapy sessions once a month are built into the work day.

    2. Time-Off

      1. Management is expected to ensure that their team takes at least 16 hours of PTO/month. It is the responsibility of the organization to ensure that work is covered, not the responsibility of the individual taking the time off. For more information about PTO, please consult with Human Resources.

      2. Sabbaticals

        1. After 3 years of employment (in good standing) the company offers a 6 week sabbatical leave:

          1. This must be requested 3 months in advance

          2. It may be extended to up to 8 weeks by the employee using a maximum of 2 weeks of their accrued PTO

          3. May not accept employment from outside the company during sabbatical leave (this is to ensure rest)

        2. Sabbatical may be used for travel, time with family, relaxation, study, reflection, artistic retreats/endeavors, or any other pursuits that encourage renewal and refreshment (the company does not need to be notified of what you choose to do with your sabbatical)

      3. Pillow Days

        1. We recognize that there are days where getting out of bed feels impossible. Every employee here at the Human Rights Collective has 12 pillow days that they can use throughout the year. These are not paid, but there are no questions asked. 

    3. Medical Care

      1. We have a comprehensive medical care plan for all of our employees. Please see Human Resources for more information.

CONDUCT

  1. Accountability

    1. Staff are expected to hold themselves and others accountable to the policies and procedures laid out here. We understand that human rights workers tend to be highly dedicated and can struggle to take breaks/time off, so if you see your colleague pushing themselves too hard, invite them to refer to this policy document.

  2. Respect

    1. Self-care and wellbeing are extremely important to our company. Please do not take advantage of the care that is offered to you or be disrespectful in your use of care. 

    2. It is not our place, nor any other staff member’s, to judge how you put the care to use. If a staff member finds themself being treated unfairly or unkindly by others because of how they use self-care benefits there will be consequences and conversations.

References: 

Chigudu, H., & Chigudu, R. (2022). Strategies for Building an Organization with Soul. https://prevention-collaborative.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Chigudu_2015_

Strategies-for-Building-Organisation-with-Soul.pdf

Other policy proposals written by Human Rights Practice students:
A Wellness Policy Built by Employees for Employees
Prioritizing People Over Productivity