wiki content export 2026-04-22
This commit is contained in:
Wiki Bot
parent
16aef35682
commit
656c86e6a7
99 changed files with 2277 additions and 3 deletions
299
content/wiki/resources/aorta-conflict-resolution-guide.md
Normal file
299
content/wiki/resources/aorta-conflict-resolution-guide.md
Normal file
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,299 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
title: AORTA Conflict Resolution Guide
|
||||
collection: Resources
|
||||
path: Resources/AORTA Conflict Resolution Guide
|
||||
parentDocument: null
|
||||
outlineId: fa054465-08bf-4ae5-af0c-dcb36d4d5924
|
||||
createdBy: Jennie R.F.
|
||||
---
|
||||
by Anti-Oppression Resource and Training Alliance (AORTA) [www.aortacollective.org](https://www.aortacollective.org)
|
||||
|
||||
Reproduced here under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## Communication–Navigating Difficult Conversations
|
||||
|
||||
### Workshop Assumptions
|
||||
|
||||
* We have all experienced miscommunication, conflict, and resolution.
|
||||
* We have all been at fault at one point or another. We have all been generous or forgiving.
|
||||
* Communication takes a lot of work. It can be difficult, but we can always improve and develop skills to do it better.
|
||||
* Everyone has different perspectives–these are based in our cultural backgrounds, different personalities, and everything that shapes us.
|
||||
* There is no one way to participate well in a meeting or be a great group facilitator.
|
||||
* Cooperatives are stronger when we devote the time, care, talent, and generosity to work better with one another.
|
||||
* Nobody knows everything, but together we know a lot.
|
||||
|
||||
### Synthesizing
|
||||
|
||||
Can be de-escalating and can prevent miscommunications by increasing understanding. For this reason, it can be especially helpful in situations where the people involved speak different languages as their first language, or come from different cultures. It can also help slow down a conversation, calm down emotions, and help with language barriers.
|
||||
|
||||
Synthesizing is not summarizing. Synthesizing distills what a person says, often looking for the core what they are saying, as well as what values or feelings are underlying what they're saying.
|
||||
|
||||
Synthesis statements often start with:
|
||||
|
||||
* it sounds like…
|
||||
* i'm hearing that.....
|
||||
* are you saying.....
|
||||
* if i'm understanding you....
|
||||
|
||||
### Communication Fabulous Practices
|
||||
|
||||
* Before: think, reflect, set intentions
|
||||
* WAIT: Why Am I Talking?
|
||||
* You can't control their reaction. You can control: your preparation, setting, skills, timing
|
||||
* Is it: true? helpful? the right time? Kind?
|
||||
* Focus on behavior, not person, blame, generalizations (you always/never...)
|
||||
* Focus on preferred outcome, lesson
|
||||
* Rehearse success
|
||||
* Take responsibility for your actions
|
||||
* Ask open-ended questions for better understanding
|
||||
* Hear their perspective first
|
||||
* Focus on building solutions together
|
||||
* Can you find love for this person? If not, what is your investment in this person/relationship/conversation?
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## Page 2: Conflict Mediation in Action
|
||||
|
||||
### Framing and Things to Remember
|
||||
|
||||
* Conflict is not bad or wrong. Conflict is common, and when handled well, the process of resolving or moving through conflict can help us grow and strengthen our friendships and relationships.
|
||||
* I am not impartial or unbiased; I am human. I will be working to be partial and biased towards everyone involved.
|
||||
* My role is going to be to reflect back to you what you've said. This is because it can be helpful for you to hear what you've said. Additionally, my reflecting can help to clarify and prevent misunderstandings.
|
||||
* I might try to offer emotions to parts of your story. Please tell me if they fit or are off a little.
|
||||
* I'm committed to helping make a space where everyone can feel safe to be vulnerable.
|
||||
* I'm committed to creating a space where you can get clear.
|
||||
|
||||
### Agenda
|
||||
|
||||
It can be great to have the "agenda" depicted as a map. It might start from bottom to top and go in this order:
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
1. Check ins. Generally how was everyone's day? How are you feeling?
|
||||
2. Community Agreements. (Make these together.)
|
||||
3. Compass/Intentions
|
||||
4. Dialogues
|
||||
5. Discussion
|
||||
6. Towards moving forward
|
||||
7. Writing Letters
|
||||
8. Check outs
|
||||
|
||||
### Compass/Intentions
|
||||
|
||||
Give people 5 minutes of quiet to think about and write what they hope to get out of the mediation and HOW they want to be. They can write them on big sheets of paper. When they are done place them in the center of the room. Explain that these are your collective compass, which will help keep us on track as we navigate. We want to work towards these things.
|
||||
|
||||
### Dialogues
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
:::tip
|
||||
If alone – able to listen, not respond right away
|
||||
|
||||
:::
|
||||
|
||||
Dialogues are most helpful in tense situations, where people are having a hard time talking to each other or really listening to what the other is saying. It's helpful for people to have the opportunity to talk to someone who is less involved (you). And, because the other participants are specifically requested to not engage in the conversation, it can make it easier for them to really listen, and can help them develop some compassion and empathy for the other people involved.
|
||||
|
||||
Each person present takes a turn in having a dialogue with the facilitator. They should answer the following questions:
|
||||
|
||||
* What do you perceive to be at the root of the conflict? Don't ask "what happened?"
|
||||
* How has it affected or impacted you? Don't ask "how are you feeling?"
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## Page 3: Conflict Mediation in Action (continued)
|
||||
|
||||
* What do you need to be able to move forward? Don't ask "what do you want?"
|
||||
* What are you willing to do to help everyone move forward? Not "what do you want other people to do?"
|
||||
|
||||
Everyone else should be actively listening and *not* saying anything. It's important that this is a *dialogue*, rather than a monologue. So, jump in to stop and ask questions, notice how something might have felt, pull out relevant details or over arching themes, and reflect. When they are done you can ask them if they want to read their compass piece. Ideally, plan for between 15 and 20 minutes for each person.
|
||||
|
||||
### Discussion
|
||||
|
||||
If it is feeling possible, and is what people want, you can open it up to discussion between the group or specific people. It can be helpful to frame this as, "how can you get **clear.**" People might have questions for each other, big factual gaps in each others' stories to work out, etc. Ideally, leave 20-45 minutes for this part.
|
||||
|
||||
### Moving Forward
|
||||
|
||||
Let's all take a look at the compass. What specific things might need to happen for those intentions to come true? If someone put down "clarity" do more conversations need to happen? Do people feel clear? If people put "moving forward" what does that look like? Regaining a friendship? Not icing each other in public? Is there an action that needs to happen? Does someone need to commit to learning more? Attending a workshop? Reading something? Do people want to collaborate on an art project, event, educational thing?
|
||||
|
||||
### Writing Letters
|
||||
|
||||
Take 5-10 minutes for each participant to write a letter. This should be to themselves and it should include things they want to remember, remind themselves of. This could be about how they feel in that moment, a book to read, a person to talk to, a reminder like, "don't get defensive when you are telling someone else this..." etc. Have envelopes for people to self address and hand to you. Send these out 3-4 weeks post mediation! This is just enough time for people to forget.
|
||||
|
||||
### Checkouts
|
||||
|
||||
How are people feeling right now? In their bodies? Is this what they expected? Do they need anything?
|
||||
|
||||
### Reminders about Conflict Mediation
|
||||
|
||||
* Be prepared to add 30% more time than your agenda indicates. People's nervous energy will be off the charts most likely and folks might deal with this by getting up to use the bathroom, getting more water/cigarettes, having chatty awkward conversation, etc.
|
||||
* Food!!! Lots and lots of food. Both sweet and savory. Drinks! Tea, sparkly water, juice, coffee!
|
||||
* Play Dough (or other things for people to quietly occupy their hands)! Having their hands occupied can help people focus and stay calm.
|
||||
* It can be nice to have music on hand for breaks or writing.
|
||||
* Make sure to write down what people's intentions were from the compass. This can be a nice thing to include in a follow up email.
|
||||
|
||||
\
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
:::tip
|
||||
Sometimes the conflict doesn't need a resolution process – sometimes conflict is a result of lack of policy + you just need to create that policy.
|
||||
|
||||
:::
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## Page 4: Positive Group Roles
|
||||
|
||||
### Task Focusing
|
||||
|
||||
* Give clear direction and purpose to the group.
|
||||
* Help the group identify and state its goals, and keep the group focused on achieving its goals.
|
||||
* Suggest procedures for achieving goals.
|
||||
* Identify, clarify, and define problems.
|
||||
|
||||
### Information Giving and Clarifying
|
||||
|
||||
* Show the group which information is relevant to its work and help to decrease confusion.
|
||||
* Request or provide relevant facts, define terms.
|
||||
|
||||
### Elaborating and Summarizing
|
||||
|
||||
* Try to show consequences of plans and positions, and show how ideas in the group are relating to each other.
|
||||
* Give examples, explain, pull together related ideas, and offer conclusions.
|
||||
* Look for and lift up areas of unity and agreement. Help the group move towards consensus.
|
||||
|
||||
### Decision Focusing
|
||||
|
||||
* Help the group move toward and make decisions.
|
||||
* Initiate discussion on and agreement about how decisions are made.
|
||||
* Propose tentative solutions to problems, initiate examination of how well the proposed solutions meet the needs of the group.
|
||||
|
||||
### Communication and Information Focusing
|
||||
|
||||
* Maintain open communication. Suggest procedures for discussion.
|
||||
* Ask for information and opinions from others and listen to others.
|
||||
|
||||
### Encouraging
|
||||
|
||||
* Draw out others' opinions, give recognition to others. Accept others' opinions.
|
||||
* Be friendly, warm, responsive to others.
|
||||
* Seek full identification and use of all members' resources.
|
||||
|
||||
### Feeling Expressing
|
||||
|
||||
* Call the group's attention to people's feelings and reactions to ideas, suggestions, course of discussion, etc.
|
||||
* Express your own feelings.
|
||||
|
||||
### Conflict Resolving
|
||||
|
||||
* Identify, acknowledge, and help to reconcile differences. Get people to explore differences.
|
||||
* Help reduce tension, identify and suggest common ground.
|
||||
* Be willing to let your opinion change throughout the meeting.
|
||||
|
||||
### Process Commenting
|
||||
|
||||
* Make the group aware of how it is working on its task.
|
||||
* Call attention to group process, identify recurring interactional patterns and unmet group needs unmet by the current process.
|
||||
* Initiate evaluation of the group's emotional climate, members' satisfaction, etc.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## Page 5: Negative Group Roles
|
||||
|
||||
### Agreeing and Acceptance Seeking
|
||||
|
||||
* Be quick to agree with the ideas of others and provide uncritical agreement.
|
||||
* Use your agreement to gain acceptance from members of the group who you want to think well of you.
|
||||
|
||||
### Disagreeing and Fighting
|
||||
|
||||
* Be quick to disagree with the ideas of others; struggle aggressively for your ideas and your place in the group.
|
||||
* Focus on individual needs, rather than the needs of the group or organization as a whole.
|
||||
|
||||
### Domineering and Recognition Seeking
|
||||
|
||||
* Actively and continually assert yourself in the group.
|
||||
* Take charge by imposing a set of ideas and molding all other ideas to these focal ideas.
|
||||
* Draw attention to yourself by using jokes, making funny comments in relation to others' ideas, and by sitting and moving in ways which draw attention to yourself.
|
||||
* Interrupt others.
|
||||
* Bring fully formulated ideas and proposals to the meeting and request that the group decide on these without prior discussion or brainstorming. Respond to questions or proposed changes as personal attack or a lack of appreciation for your hard work.
|
||||
|
||||
### Blocking
|
||||
|
||||
* Slow down group process by preventing group decision-making.
|
||||
* Draw attention to every detail of unclarity and every unexplored source of conflict.
|
||||
* Encourage people not to compromise and not to give assent to group procedures and ideas.
|
||||
|
||||
### Cynissism and Pessimism
|
||||
|
||||
* Indicate suspicion of the motives of others.
|
||||
* Point out all difficulties, indicate the likelihood of error and failure and the difficulty groups have in successfully solving problems.
|
||||
* Greet changes in positions, feelings, and opinions as evidence of mindless compliance or attempted manipulation.
|
||||
|
||||
### Drifting and Checking Out
|
||||
|
||||
* Let your attention wander.
|
||||
* If given the opportunity, indicate via body language, words, facial expressions, or tone that you are bored and wish the meeting to be over so you can do something else.
|
||||
* When your attention is on the group, indicate directly or indirectly you low level of commitment to ideas, decisions, and the group itself.
|
||||
|
||||
### Personalizing Issues
|
||||
|
||||
* Whatever the topic being discussed, relate it to your own personal experience.
|
||||
* Insist on group members relating their ideas, suggestions, decision alternatives, and concerns to examples from your personal experience.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## Page 6: Sample Conflict Resolution Policy
|
||||
|
||||
Having some basic agreements about communication practices and steps to take to work towards resolving a conflict among staff is invaluable. Below is a simple step-by-step guide to addressing and resolving conflicts among staff. For a deeper understanding of what conflict is and where it comes from as well as tips and tools for engaging in conflict mediation, please see the further resources from AORTA on Conflict Resolution.
|
||||
|
||||
Important work staff should do, before/in addition to following through the below conflict resolution steps to support healthy communication and ensure smooth processes should the need for conflict resolution occur:
|
||||
|
||||
### Ahead of Time
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
1. Collectively develop staff agreements regarding communication and behavior in the office and during meetings. Crafting agreements and upholding them can go a long way to curbing potential conflicts.
|
||||
2. Develop a list of available mediators in the area with relevant information. (Name, contact info, price, and a little about them and their mediation practices.)
|
||||
3. Go over this conflict resolution practice with staff and make room for questions and discussion.
|
||||
4. Develop agreed upon *best practices* for this process (i.e. do not initiate a conversation about tension right before a staff meeting, do not bring up conflict in front of co-workers or members, etc.) Developing this list of best practices will not only help plan for the uniqueness of your organization and the preferences of staff, but it is also a venue for staff to gain familiarity with this process by exploring different scenarios of how conflict and subsequent mediation may arise.
|
||||
|
||||
### Step by Step
|
||||
|
||||
**Step 1: Acknowledge Tension**
|
||||
|
||||
When a tension with a co-worker arises, it is important to acknowledge it as early as possible. Waiting is a fast track for irritation and hurt feelings to fester and grow. If you are comfortable approaching your co-worker directly, do so, either in-person or over email. Sometimes the issue can be resolved over a cup of coffee, or with an informal conversation.
|
||||
|
||||
If you aren't comfortable addressing your co-worker for fear of retaliation, humiliation, or disrespect, approach an HR coordinator, a trusted board member, or the ED and ask them to communicate on your behalf.
|
||||
|
||||
**Step 2: Conflict Mediation**
|
||||
|
||||
If a one-on-one check-in or message communicated on your behalf doesn't adequately address the conflict, ask for conflict mediation. If you feel able to communicate to your co-worker, either in person or over email, let them know. You might use language such as, "We've been having some tensions/conflict and I really want to make sure we acknowledge it. Would you be willing to go through conflict mediation with me? I think it would go a long way to making our working relationship more smooth and sustainable."
|
||||
|
||||
You should alert the HR coordinator or ED that you wish to initiate a conflict mediation process and ask them for support to set up the process. The HR Coordinator or ED should:
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
1. Ask both parties if they have any preferences or needs about who mediates the process,
|
||||
2. Find an outside mediator from an already prepared list of vetted conflict mediators,
|
||||
3. Arrange a conflict mediation as soon as possible.
|
||||
|
||||
**Step 3: After the Mediation**
|
||||
|
||||
The mediation will hopefully be an important time for both/all parties to express themselves, challenge themselves, and come to new understandings about the conflict. But the work doesn't end when the mediation does. Prompt and steady follow up is generally an important next step. The ED and/or Personnel Coordinator should:
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
1. Check in with both parties after the mediation to hear about progress, learn if they need any support in the workplace. (i.e. not to work closely with co-worker on a specific project, to take a day or two off, etc.)
|
||||
2. Ask if any behaviors or practices were identified that the staff member would like to work on changing (i.e. communication styles, ways of giving feedback, jokes made in the office, etc.) and support staff member in setting goals and a plan for how to those changes.
|
||||
3. Often, when staff members have conflict, they identify working environments or structures that played a role in that conflict. Remain open to hearing constructive feedback about organizational structures or cultures that might need shifting or addressing, and take responsibility to bottom-line some of those changes.
|
||||
4. Arrange a check in 4-8 weeks after mediation is completed to check in on and strategize towards progress. This could include checking in on any individual changes, structural changes, and to see if a follow up mediation needs to be scheduled.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## Appendix: Workshop Flipchart Photos
|
||||
|
||||
###  
|
||||
9
content/wiki/resources/central-ontario-hub.md
Normal file
9
content/wiki/resources/central-ontario-hub.md
Normal file
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
title: Central (Ontario) Hub
|
||||
collection: Resources
|
||||
path: Resources/Central (Ontario) Hub
|
||||
parentDocument: null
|
||||
outlineId: f13567da-1094-46e9-80ab-c8d2f3720353
|
||||
createdBy: Jennie R.F.
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,258 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
title: Ontario Funding Landscape
|
||||
collection: Resources
|
||||
path: Resources/Central (Ontario) Hub/Ontario Funding Landscape
|
||||
parentDocument: Central (Ontario) Hub
|
||||
outlineId: eba4ff2c-fe24-43dd-be92-bacaffb6e308
|
||||
createdBy: Jennie R.F.
|
||||
---
|
||||
This article covers Ontario-specific funding, tax credits, and incentives for cooperative game studios.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
:::warning
|
||||
If you're incorporating as a co-op and want to access any of these programs, one thing matters above all else: incorporate as for-profit. **Non-profits are ineligible for everything in this article!**
|
||||
|
||||
:::
|
||||
|
||||
## OIDMTC: The biggie
|
||||
|
||||
The [Ontario Interactive Digital Media Tax Credit](https://ontariocreates.ca/tax-incentives/oidmtc) is the most valuable incentive for Ontario game studios. It's a refundable tax credit of **40%** on eligible Ontario labour expenditures for studios that develop and self-publish their own games (called "non-specified products"), plus up to $100,000 in marketing and distribution expenditures per product. Fee-for-service work earns a 35% credit. There is no annual cap on eligible labour expenditures.
|
||||
|
||||
The credit is administered through [Ontario Creates](https://ontariocreates.ca/) (which issues a certificate of eligibility) and the CRA (which processes the credit on the T2 corporate tax return via Schedule 560). Studios must apply within 18 months of the tax year in which a product was completed. Administration fee is 0.15% of eligible expenditures ($1,000-$10,000).
|
||||
|
||||
Studios can also claim retroactively up to 3 years from the end of the fiscal year. *If you've been developing and didn't know about this, go back and look!*
|
||||
|
||||
### The four streams
|
||||
|
||||
The OIDMTC is not just one program. It is broken up into four "streams" for different types of development scenarios. The stream you fall into determines your credit rate, whether you need a finished product, and whether the 80/25 rule applies.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
**Non-specified (own IP, self-published)** is the 40% stream. Requires the 80/25 rule (see below), a completed product, and a revenue stream.
|
||||
|
||||
This is where co-ops developing their own games will fit. If you made the game, own it, and you're selling or licensing it to the public yourself (or through a distributor you chose), and nobody paid you upfront to make it—this is you. The government uses the term "non-specified" to mean it wasn't *made under contract for someone else*
|
||||
|
||||
The game must be completed, and you must have an avenue for generating revenue. (So you can't claim for a game you're giving away entirely for free.) You can *also* claim up to $100,000 in marketing and distribution expenses per product, which none of the other streams allow.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
**Specified (fee-for-service)** is at 35%. Requires the 80/25 rule, an arm's-length purchaser, and a completed product.
|
||||
|
||||
If someone else, say a publisher or another studio, contracted or commissioned you to create a game (or part of a game), and *they* (not you) will sell it—this is where you claim this credit. The product must be completed, and you must meet the 80/25 rule.
|
||||
|
||||
If your co-op is doing contract work for other studios while you work on your own game, the contract work goes under specified and your own game goes under non-specified.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
**Qualifying digital game corporation** is also 35%. Requires minimum $1M in Ontario labour over 36 months for work doing substantial fee-for-service game development. The product doesn't need to be completed.
|
||||
|
||||
This credit is out of reach for most small co-ops due to the large threshold, but if you do grow to this size, the advantage here is that your game does not need to be completed and the 80/25 rule does not apply.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
**Specialized digital game corporation** is 35%. Requires minimum $500K Ontario labour per year, with 80%+ of payroll or 90%+ of revenue from games. This stream requires annual filing.
|
||||
|
||||
This might be your destination, if you're aiming to grow your co-op!
|
||||
|
||||
Most co-op studios starting out will be aiming for the non-specified (own IP) or specified (contract work) streams; remember, you can claim both in the same tax year for different games.
|
||||
|
||||
### The 80/25 rule
|
||||
|
||||
The make-or-break threshold for small studios.
|
||||
|
||||
80% of total development labour must be performed in Ontario. 25% must be paid as wages to employees of the claiming corporation - not contractors. That second requirement matters a lot for co-ops. Worker-members **must be on payroll** receiving T4 slips to count toward the 25% employee test. If a co-op treats its members primarily as independent contractors, it will fail this threshold.
|
||||
|
||||
### Can a co-op claim the OIDMTC?
|
||||
|
||||
Yes, *in principle*. The legislation requires the claimant to be a "Canadian corporation." A co-operative incorporated under the Ontario Co-operative Corporations Act is a legally recognized corporate entity that files T2 returns. The key requirement is that the co-op must not be tax-exempt. A for-profit worker co-op engaged in commercial game development is not tax-exempt and should qualify.
|
||||
|
||||
But no explicit guidance on cooperative corporations appears anywhere in the OIDMTC guidelines. (Sigh.) Studios need to resolve this before their first application. Get written confirmation from Ontario Creates and a tax professional. Don't assume!
|
||||
|
||||
If your studio is structured as a non-profit cooperative, it could be considered tax-exempt, which would disqualify it from the OIDMTC entirely. Again: for-profit incorporation is the prerequisite for everything on this page.
|
||||
|
||||
### Common mistakes
|
||||
|
||||
Incorrect completion dates (must be the date the product is available for sale, not launch date). Submitting separate applications per product instead of one per tax year. Poor product descriptions. Failing the 80/25 rule through excessive out-of-province contracting. Missing the 18-month filing deadline. Start tracking expenditures, timesheets, and contractor agreements from day one of development. Start now!!
|
||||
|
||||
* [Ontario Creates OIDMTC](https://ontariocreates.ca/tax-incentives/oidmtc)
|
||||
* [OIDMTC guidelines](https://ontariocreates.ca/tax-incentives/oidmtc/oidmtc-guidelines-non-specified)
|
||||
* [CRA Schedule 560](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/forms-publications/forms/t2sch560.html)
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
## Stacking credits
|
||||
|
||||
Okay. Don't just pick one credit and stop. Different credits programs cover different types of work, so you can "stack" them and get back a significant portion of your costs. It requires some intentional planning, and ideally, the support of an experienced tax professional.
|
||||
|
||||
### SR&ED
|
||||
|
||||
Studios can claim OIDMTC and [SR&ED](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/scientific-research-experimental-development-tax-incentive-program.html) (Scientific Research and Experimental Development) credits in the same year, but cannot claim the same labour expenditures under both programs. Allocate experimental R&D work to SR&ED, regular game production work to OIDMTC.
|
||||
|
||||
Experimental R&D means work that addresses "technological uncertainty" through systematic investigation - like custom tools solving longstanding problems. This is not for regular game design, art, animation, sound, UX, and testing.
|
||||
|
||||
SR&ED provides a 35% refundable credit for [Canadian-controlled private corporation](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/businesses/topics/corporations/type-corporation.html) (CCPC) on the first $6 million in qualifying expenditures. A worker co-op controlled by Canadian individuals would likely qualify as a CCPC, enabling the enhanced rate. Now includes capital expenditures for equipment.
|
||||
|
||||
SR&ED credits are not considered "government assistance" that would reduce OIDMTC eligible expenditures - claiming SR&ED doesn't shrink your OIDMTC. (The reverse isn't true: the OIDMTC is considered government assistance that reduces the SR&ED expenditure base, so do the math carefully. 😵💫)
|
||||
|
||||
Studios should also claim the [Ontario Innovation Tax Credit (OITC)](https://www.ontario.ca/document/corporations-tax/ontario-innovation-tax-credit), which provides an additional 10% refundable credit on SR&ED expenditures in Ontario.
|
||||
|
||||
### NRC IRAP
|
||||
|
||||
[NRC IRAP](https://nrc.canada.ca/en/support-technology-innovation/about-nrc-industrial-research-assistance-program) provides non-repayable grants for innovative R&D projects with clear milestones. Unlike SR&ED (which covers broader annual activities), IRAP focuses on specific projects.
|
||||
|
||||
You must be able to cover 20% of wage costs and 50% of contractor costs. You can claim IRAP on a subset of your work, then claim tax credits on everything else.
|
||||
|
||||
**Important:** IRAP requires pre-approval before the project starts. Cannot be claimed retroactively. Not all work qualifies - it needs to be truly innovative, risky R&D. You also need to build a real relationship with your assigned Industrial Technology Advisor.
|
||||
|
||||
### CMF Experimental Stream
|
||||
|
||||
The [Canada Media Fund Experimental Stream](https://cmf-fmc.ca/program/experimental-stream/) offers development funding up to $15,000, production funding up to $250,000, and marketing funding up to $30,000. Use CMF for production costs (voice acting, music licensing, marketing, equipment rental) while OIDMTC/SR&ED cover internal labour.
|
||||
|
||||
Applicants must have Canadian ownership, control, and key personnel; the project must be innovative and experimental with cultural or educational value; and you need a public distribution plan with a digital distributor and a detailed project plan and budget.
|
||||
|
||||
### Putting it together
|
||||
|
||||
A small co-op studio with $300,000 in Ontario labour could split $100K to SR&ED and $200K to OIDMTC, yielding combined credits of approximately $115,000 - an effective return of 38.3%. Layer IRAP on a specific innovative project within that. Use CMF for non-labour production costs. These programs aren't redundant; they cover different slices of the same work.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
## Ontario Creates funding programs
|
||||
|
||||
As of January 2025, the former Interactive Digital Media (IDM) Fund was replaced by the [IP Fund (Intellectual Property Fund)](https://ontariocreates.ca/investment-programs/content-creation/intellectual-property-fund/interactive-content-stream), which merges the old Film Fund and IDM Fund into a single program.
|
||||
|
||||
### Futures Forward: the entry point
|
||||
|
||||
[Futures Forward](https://ontariocreates.ca/our-sectors/interactive/interactive-digital-media-fund/ontario-creates-idm-fund-futures) is where many new studios start. Up to $20,000 (or 75% of eligible costs) as a non-repayable grant, co-funded by CMF and Ontario Creates. Designed for for-profit companies that don't yet meet IP Fund requirements, like studios led by people with fewer than three years of professional IDM experience.
|
||||
|
||||
You must complete an approved training workshop before applying. These are delivered through [Interactive Ontario](https://interactiveontario.com/), [Hand Eye Society](https://handeyesociety.com/), or other partners. Hand Eye Society's Futures Forward business training program (now in its 8th year) requires a $20/month HES membership and a $100 refundable deposit.
|
||||
|
||||
The deadline typically falls in late fall.
|
||||
|
||||
A for-profit cooperative corporation should qualify, but confirm with Ontario Creates ([ipfund@ontariocreates.ca](mailto:ipfund@ontariocreates.ca)) before applying.
|
||||
|
||||
### IP Fund - Interactive Content Stream
|
||||
|
||||
The main production funding. Pre-production grants range from $15,000 to $50,000; production grants from $50,000 up to $250,000-$500,000 depending on track record. The fund acts as "last-in" participant, meaning all other financing must be committed at time of application. You need at least one owner or employee with minimum 3 years of IDM experience, must own at least 51% of the copyright, and must spend at least 75% of the budget on Ontario expenses.
|
||||
|
||||
Next deadlines: **April 13, 2026** and **September 14, 2026**.
|
||||
|
||||
### Global Market Development
|
||||
|
||||
Up to $15,000 (50% of costs) for international market development - trade shows like GDC, Gamescom, Tokyo Game Show. Requires released products. More relevant once your game is for sale.
|
||||
|
||||
### Industry Development Program
|
||||
|
||||
The [IDP](https://ontariocreates.ca/investment-programs/industry-development/industry-development-program) funds incorporated not-for-profit trade and event organizations, not individual studios. Organizations (like Baby Ghosts!) use it to fund sector-wide programming.
|
||||
|
||||
### The on-ramp
|
||||
|
||||
The practical path for a new co-op studio:
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
1. complete Futures Forward training
|
||||
2. apply for the Futures Forward grant ($20K)
|
||||
3. build a prototype
|
||||
4. apply for IP Fund Pre-Production ($15K-$50K)
|
||||
5. progress to IP Fund Production ($50K-$500K)
|
||||
6. access Global Market Development for export
|
||||
|
||||
Claim OIDMTC throughout!!
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
[IP Fund Interactive Content Stream](https://ontariocreates.ca/investment-programs/content-creation/intellectual-property-fund/interactive-content-stream) • [Futures Forward](https://ontariocreates.ca/our-sectors/interactive/interactive-digital-media-fund/ontario-creates-idm-fund-futures) • [Program Policies](https://ontariocreates.ca/program-policies)
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
## Arts council funding
|
||||
|
||||
### Ontario Arts Council
|
||||
|
||||
OAC funds individual artists and arts organizations. Less directly relevant to incorporated game studios, but individual creators doing interactive or media arts work should look at their programs.
|
||||
|
||||
### Toronto Arts Council
|
||||
|
||||
TAC's [Media Artists Program: Creation](https://torontoartscouncil.org/grants/media-artists-program-creation/) grants go up to $15,000 for individual media artists, and the eligible categories include electronic games, virtual and augmented reality, and new media artworks. The [Visual/Media Arts Projects](https://torontoartscouncil.org/grants/visual-media-arts-projects-presentation/) grants provide up to $15,000 for non-profit organizations and collectives. An Accessibility Grant Add-on provides an additional $5,000 for projects involving Deaf or disabled artists.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
## Co-op–specific funding
|
||||
|
||||
The co-op sector has its own funding tools that layer on top of everything above. The three most relevant to a game studio in its first few years:
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
1. [CWCF Technical Assistance Grants](https://canadianworker.coop/funding/tenacity-works-fund/) cover up to $4,000 for hiring co-op developers, lawyers, and consultants during startup. This is the single most important tool for offsetting incorporation costs.
|
||||
2. The [Tenacity Works Loan Fund](https://canadianworker.coop/funding/tenacity-works-fund/) provides $15,000-$50,000 in 5-year term loans for worker co-ops that need startup or growth financing.
|
||||
3. The [Common Good Capital Program](https://canadianworker.coop/join/member-benefits/) lets co-op members place membership shares in self-directed RRSPs and TFSAs, creating a personal tax advantage while capitalizing the co-op.
|
||||
|
||||
For growth-stage co-ops, the [Canadian Co-operative Investment Fund](https://ccif.coop/) provides $50,000 to $1.25 million in loans, equity, and quasi-equity. There is a $1,000 application fee to cover their due diligence process.
|
||||
|
||||
For the full picture of co-op support organizations, development resources, and game-studio-specific communities, see \[\[Ontario co-op resources and support\]\].
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
## The GTA ecosystem
|
||||
|
||||
Toronto has a lot of organizations and programs relevant to game studios, and they overlap in useful ways.
|
||||
|
||||
* [Interactive Ontario](https://interactiveontario.com/) is the industry association for Ontario's IDM sector. They offer a members-only funding database, the Indie Superboost program, the Torchbearer Program for early-stage companies, the Black Talent Pipeline, and partnership delivery of Futures Forward training.
|
||||
* [Hand Eye Society](https://handeyesociety.com/) runs the annual Super FESTival indie game festival and delivers the Futures Forward business training that feeds directly into Ontario Creates IP Fund eligibility.
|
||||
* [Dirty Rectangles](https://dirty-rectangles.com/) runs monthly show-and-tell style meetups in the Junction.
|
||||
* [Toronto Games Week](https://torontogamesweek.com/) is a collective coordination of events organized independently by dozens of organizations, curators, companies, creators, and communities every year in June.
|
||||
* The City of Toronto offers [Creative Industries Funding](https://www.toronto.ca/business-economy/business-operation-growth/business-incentives/creative-industries-funding-creative-technology/) including Sector Development Grants of $2,500-$15,000 for capacity-building and business development, open to both non-profits and for-profit businesses. In June 2025, Toronto proclaimed June as Video Game Month. Toronto also holds UNESCO Creative City of Media Arts designation.
|
||||
* [IGDA Toronto](https://igda.org/chapters/on-toronto/) has an active Discord and regular networking events. The annual [XP Game Summit](https://xpgamesummit.com/) is Canada's main B2B game conference, with indie pitch competitions and publisher matchmaking.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
## The co-op tax advantage
|
||||
|
||||
Under Section 135 of the Income Tax Act, cooperatives may deduct patronage dividends paid to members from taxable income. For a worker co-op that distributes its surplus to members based on hours worked, this can reduce corporate-level taxation to near zero. Members then report patronage dividends as personal income.
|
||||
|
||||
Combined with the [Ontario Small Business Deduction](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/businesses/topics/corporations/provincial-territorial-corporation-tax/ontario-provincial-corporation-tax/ontario-small-business-deduction.html), effective taxation for co-op game studios can be very low. Patronage dividends are not subject to CPP or EI payroll deductions - they're treated more like dividends than wages.
|
||||
|
||||
There are no Ontario-specific tax exemptions exclusively for cooperatives. The patronage dividend deduction is a federal mechanism. What Ontario offers co-ops is the OIDMTC's ✨generosity✨ and the general business environment, not co-op-specific tax treatment.
|
||||
|
||||
One minor Ontario-specific quirk: The province does not implement the federal investment income restriction on the provincial business limit, meaning a co-op with some investment income retains its full Ontario Small Business Deduction.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
## What Ontario co-ops should actually do!
|
||||
|
||||
Most of this should happen before or during your first year of development.
|
||||
|
||||
### #1 - Incorporate as *for-profit* under the [Co-operative Corporations Act](https://www.ontario.ca/page/start-dissolve-and-change-co-operative-corporation)
|
||||
|
||||
This is the prerequisite for everything else on this page. Non-profit co-ops are locked out of the OIDMTC, Ontario Creates funding, and most of the incentives described here.
|
||||
|
||||
### #2 Put worker-members on payroll
|
||||
|
||||
They must be employees receiving T4 slips, not independent contractors. Essential for the OIDMTC's 25% employee test. Structure worker-members as both employees (in their capacity as workers) and owners (in their capacity as members). That dual-status approach satisfies the ESA, WSIB, CRA, and the OIDMTC.
|
||||
|
||||
### #3 Track every expense from day one
|
||||
|
||||
Timesheets, contractor agreements, receipts, labour allocation. You cannot claim credits retroactively without documentation. Start now!
|
||||
|
||||
### #4 Separate SR&ED-eligible experimental work
|
||||
|
||||
If any of your development involves real technological uncertainty - custom tools, techniques that don't have known solutions - document it separately from the start. You'll need this separation to stack credits properly.
|
||||
|
||||
### #5 Contact Ontario Creates early
|
||||
|
||||
Confirm your eligibility *well before* applying for anything. Email [ipfund@ontariocreates.ca](mailto:ipfund@ontariocreates.ca) and don't forget to ask specifically about cooperative corporations.
|
||||
|
||||
### #6 Do Futures Forward training
|
||||
|
||||
If anyone on your team has fewer than 3 years of IDM experience, this unlocks Ontario Creates funding and is free through Hand Eye Society.
|
||||
|
||||
### #7 Join the OCA and CWCF
|
||||
|
||||
OCA for Ontario-specific co-op support and the CCA guide; CWCF for Technical Assistance Grants, the Tenacity Works loan fund, and the Common Good Capital Program.
|
||||
|
||||
### #8 Register for WSIB
|
||||
|
||||
Mandatory once worker-members are on payroll. Executive officers (president, secretary, treasurer) are exempt from premiums but can apply for optional coverage.
|
||||
|
||||
### #9 Bank with a credit union
|
||||
|
||||
Try FirstOntario's CreativeArts division, Alterna Savings, Meridian, or DUCA. The big banks will be confused by your share structure.
|
||||
|
||||
### #10 Get a tax professional who understands both co-ops and the OIDMTC
|
||||
|
||||
Not optional! The intersection of cooperative tax treatment and digital media credits is niche, and mistakes are expensive. Ask Baby Ghosts, CWCF, or OCA for referrals.
|
||||
179
content/wiki/resources/communication-norms-guide.md
Normal file
179
content/wiki/resources/communication-norms-guide.md
Normal file
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,179 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
title: Communication Norms Guide
|
||||
collection: Resources
|
||||
path: Resources/Communication Norms Guide
|
||||
parentDocument: null
|
||||
outlineId: a3cd4519-be7f-48d7-84b1-b1d0f2d4aa9a
|
||||
createdBy: Jennie R.F.
|
||||
---
|
||||
*A guide for cooperative game studios to establish shared expectations around how you communicate with each other, both in and outside of meetings.* (This is the resource referenced in the [Conflict Resolution Policy Template](/doc/a30d6e10-d87f-487c-a6b4-07e942990596) under "Make agreements about communication norms.")
|
||||
|
||||
Good communication norms create the conditions where hard conversations can actually happen. When everyone knows what to expect from each other, it's easier to navigate tensions without things spiraling.
|
||||
|
||||
## Why write communication norms down?
|
||||
|
||||
Most teams have *unspoken* communication norms. Say someone always answers Slack messages within an hour, and someone else takes two days. Nobody's talked about which one is the expectation, so one person feels ignored and the other feels pressured.
|
||||
|
||||
Unspoken norms create unspoken friction. Writing them down does a few things:
|
||||
|
||||
* Brings out the assumptions people are already operating under (*which often don't match!*)
|
||||
* Creates a shared reference point when something isn't working
|
||||
* Takes the personal edge off when you need to address a communication pattern.
|
||||
|
||||
Your norms should come from a real conversation with your whole team. Don't copy a list from the internet and call it done. In a discussion, you'll learn more about your teammates and how they prefer to communicate, and probably identify some assumptions that could bite you down the road.
|
||||
|
||||
## Areas to cover
|
||||
|
||||
You don't have to address every one of these. Pick the ones that are most relevant to your studio and add more over time.
|
||||
|
||||
### Async communication (Slack, Discord, email, etc.)
|
||||
|
||||
This is where most small studios spend the bulk of their communication time, so it's where misunderstandings happen most of the time. Text misses tone, body language, and context. Things that would be fine in person can read as curt or hostile in a message.
|
||||
|
||||
Questions to discuss as a team:
|
||||
|
||||
* What's our expected response time? Is there a difference between channels (general studio channel vs. direct messages vs. time-sensitive requests)?
|
||||
* What does "urgent" mean for us, and how do we signal it?
|
||||
* Are there hours when people shouldn't be expected to respond? What about weekends?
|
||||
* How do we handle a message that comes across badly?
|
||||
* Do we default to public channels or private messages? When is each appropriate?
|
||||
* If a conversation is getting heated or complex over text, at what point do we move to a call?
|
||||
|
||||
Some practices that help:
|
||||
|
||||
* Default to shared channels. Private messages create information abysses and can make people feel excluded. Use DMs for personal or sensitive matters, not for studio decisions.
|
||||
* Be specific about what you need. "FYI, no response needed" vs. "Need a decision by Friday" vs. "Thinking out loud, would love input." This saves everyone the mental work of figuring out what kind of response you're looking for.
|
||||
* Don't initiate conflict conversations over text. If something feels charged, move to a higher-bandwidth channel (audio, video, or in person). The [Conflict Resolution Policy Template](/doc/a30d6e10-d87f-487c-a6b4-07e942990596) covers this in more detail.
|
||||
|
||||
### Sync communication (meetings, calls, video chats)
|
||||
|
||||
Your [Meeting Agenda Template](/doc/031b561a-8922-481c-87a9-4d619b9d1102) covers the mechanics of running meetings. These norms are about the communication culture *within* those meetings and any other real-time conversations.
|
||||
|
||||
Questions to discuss:
|
||||
|
||||
* How do we make sure everyone speaks, not just the people who are fastest processors or most confident?
|
||||
* What's our agreement about interrupting? (One conversation at a time? Raise a hand? Use a chat queue?)
|
||||
* How do we handle it when someone is dominating the conversation?
|
||||
* Is it okay to have cameras off? When?
|
||||
* How do we handle people who are consistently late?
|
||||
|
||||
Some practices that help:
|
||||
|
||||
* For important topics, go around the room and have everyone share briefly, in turn, so that no one is waiting for a gap that never comes.
|
||||
* Before a discussion, say whether you're brainstorming, deciding, or just sharing information.
|
||||
* Leave space… awkward space! A beat or two (or three) of silence after someone finishes gives people who process more slowly (or who are less comfortable fighting for airtime) a chance to contribute.
|
||||
|
||||
### Giving and receiving feedback
|
||||
|
||||
Feedback is where communication norms matter most and where they're most likely to break down. Your conflict resolution policy handles the bigger stuff, but day-to-day feedback - like creative critiques and project check-ins - also benefits from shared norms.
|
||||
|
||||
#### Six principles of helpful feedback
|
||||
|
||||
*adapted from the DAWN cooperative evaluation framework*
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
1. **Descriptive, not evaluative.** Describe what you observed. "You spoke for 10 of the 15 minutes" is different from "you dominated the discussion." Your feedback is your *perspective*, not objective truth.
|
||||
2. **Specific, not general.** "Your character design work is strong, especially the colour palette choices" is useful. "Good job" is nice but a bit useless. Same goes for critical feedback: Specifics give people something they can actually work with.
|
||||
3. **Relevant to the receiver's needs.** Think about what would actually be useful for this person to hear, not just what you need to say. You want to meet the receiver where they are.
|
||||
4. **Timely and in context.** Feedback is most useful close to the event it's about. Saving it up for months and then unloading it all at once can create conflict - and you've just wasted time that could have been spect improving your processes or communication.
|
||||
5. **Desired by the receiver.** Ask before giving feedback when possible, especially if it's unsolicited. "Can I share an observation about the meeting?" gives someone the chance to consent (or say "not right now"). The receiver needs to be ready to hear it.
|
||||
6. **Usable and about behaviour.** Focus on things the person can actually change. Feedback about behaviour ("when you interrupted twice during the pitch") is more useful than feedback about character ("you're not a good listener").
|
||||
|
||||
Learn each other's preferences for receiving feedback. Some people prefer direct and immediate, others need longer processing time. Some want it in writing so they can sit with it.
|
||||
|
||||
### Communication across difference
|
||||
|
||||
People communicate differently based on culture, neurotype, language, personality, and life experience. A communication norm that works for one person might be inaccessible or uncomfortable for another.
|
||||
|
||||
Things to be mindful of:
|
||||
|
||||
* Not everyone processes at the same speed. Build space for both into your meeting practices.
|
||||
* Directness reads differently across cultures. No one style is "correct."
|
||||
* Humour is tricky. It can be a great connector, but relying on it as your primary communication tool risks alienating people who aren't neurotypical or don't share your references. Pair humour with sincerity.
|
||||
* Written communication is harder for some people and easier for others. Offer multiple channels where possible.
|
||||
* If someone communicates in a way that doesn't match the group's norms, get curious before getting frustrated. Ask about their needs and preferences.
|
||||
|
||||
### When someone goes quiet
|
||||
|
||||
In small studios, someone going silent is one of the most common communication breakdowns and one of the hardest to address. It can mean a lot of things: they're overwhelmed, they're avoiding a conflict, they've checked out of the project, they're dealing with something personal, or they disagree with a direction and don't know how to say it.
|
||||
|
||||
What helps:
|
||||
|
||||
* Set an expectation together about minimum communication frequency. What does "checking in" look like for your studio?
|
||||
* When someone goes quiet, reach out directly and with curiosity "Hey, I noticed you've been quiet this week, just wanted to check in."
|
||||
* If someone is consistently disengaging, that's a conversation to have directly (using your conflict resolution process if needed). Don't assume silence is agreement.
|
||||
* Create on-ramps and deliberate openings for people to re-engage.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## Building your norms
|
||||
|
||||
Talk through the sections above as a team. You don't need to address everything. Start with the areas where you've had friction. Write down whatever you agree on. Keep it short, accessible, and somewhere everyone can find it. And remember that these are living agreements you can revisit and revise as your studio grows and changes.
|
||||
|
||||
Finally, review your norms at least once a year, or whenever you add a new team member.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## Blank template
|
||||
|
||||
Copy everything below and fill it in with your team.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
### \[Studio name\] communication norms
|
||||
|
||||
Last reviewed: \[date\]
|
||||
|
||||
Agreed to by: \[names of all members\]
|
||||
|
||||
### Async communication
|
||||
|
||||
Expected response time: \[e.g. within 24 hours on weekdays\]
|
||||
|
||||
How we signal urgency: \[e.g. use @here, DM, specific emoji\]
|
||||
|
||||
Quiet hours: \[e.g. no expectation of response after 7pm or on weekends\]
|
||||
|
||||
Default channel: \[e.g. public studio channel for project-related stuff, DMs for personal matters\]
|
||||
|
||||
When to move to a call: \[e.g. if a text exchange goes back and forth more than 3 times without resolution, or if anything feels emotionally charged\]
|
||||
|
||||
### Meetings
|
||||
|
||||
\[Cross-reference your [Meeting Agenda Template](/doc/031b561a-8922-481c-87a9-4d619b9d1102) for structure. Add any communication-specific norms here.\]
|
||||
|
||||
* How we handle interrupting:
|
||||
* How we make sure everyone speaks:
|
||||
* Camera expectations:
|
||||
* Lateness expectations:
|
||||
|
||||
### Feedback
|
||||
|
||||
* How we prefer to give feedback: \[e.g. direct and in the moment, written, scheduled\]
|
||||
* How we prefer to receive feedback: \[ask each team member to share their preference\]
|
||||
* Before giving unsolicited feedback, we: \[e.g. ask if the person is open to it\]
|
||||
|
||||
### When someone goes quiet
|
||||
|
||||
* Our minimum communication expectation: \[e.g. check Slack and respond at least twice a week\]
|
||||
* How we check in: \[e.g. direct, kind message from whoever notices first\]
|
||||
* When it becomes a concern: \[e.g. after a week of silence, we raise it directly\]
|
||||
|
||||
### Other agreements
|
||||
|
||||
* \
|
||||
* \
|
||||
* \
|
||||
|
||||
### Review schedule
|
||||
|
||||
These norms will be reviewed: \[annually / when adding new members / etc.\]
|
||||
|
||||
Next review date: \[date\]
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
\
|
||||
> This guide adapts the AORTA Collective's communication practices, the DAWN cooperative evaluation framework's feedback principles, and Gamma Space Cooperative's communication norms.
|
||||
280
content/wiki/resources/conflict-resolution-policy-template.md
Normal file
280
content/wiki/resources/conflict-resolution-policy-template.md
Normal file
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,280 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
title: Conflict Resolution Policy Template
|
||||
collection: Resources
|
||||
path: Resources/Conflict Resolution Policy Template
|
||||
parentDocument: null
|
||||
outlineId: a30d6e10-d87f-487c-a6b4-07e942990596
|
||||
createdBy: Jennie R.F.
|
||||
---
|
||||
*A customizable policy template for cooperative game studios.*
|
||||
|
||||
Don't wait for a crisis to create your conflict resolution policy! The whole team should talk through this together and collaboratively adapt it. You will have a rich (and possibly enlightening) conversation as a team, and everyone will understand and be able to use this when it is inevitably needed.
|
||||
|
||||
## How to use this template
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
1. The guide section below walks through the thinking behind each part of the policy.
|
||||
2. The blank template at the bottom is what you'd actually adopt as your studio's working document. Go through the guide together as a team, then fill in the template with your own specifics.
|
||||
|
||||
\
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
:::tip
|
||||
**Not every conflict needs a formal process.**
|
||||
|
||||
Sometimes what looks like an interpersonal conflict is actually a gap in your agreements or structure. If you keep having the same kind of friction (who decides creative direction, how fast people respond to messages, who's doing more work), that's a sign you need a policy or a clearer agreement, not a mediation. Build the agreement, and the "conflict" often resolves itself.
|
||||
|
||||
:::
|
||||
|
||||
## Guide
|
||||
|
||||
### Set yourselves up before anything goes wrong
|
||||
|
||||
This can't be overstated: *Don't wait until you're in the middle of a conflict to figure out how you want to handle it.* It's something you must do while everyone is still on good terms.
|
||||
|
||||
#### Make agreements about communication norms
|
||||
|
||||
How do you want to talk to each other when things get hard? What's OK and what's not? These can be simple ideas like: "we don't bring up conflicts over text" or "we don't discuss issues about someone who isn't present." Write 'em down.
|
||||
|
||||
Resource: [Communication Norms Guide](/doc/a3cd4519-be7f-48d7-84b1-b1d0f2d4aa9a)
|
||||
|
||||
#### Know who your third parties are
|
||||
|
||||
If a conflict can't be resolved between the people involved, who do you call? This could be a trusted person outside your studio, a professional mediator, or a peer support. Have at least one or two names and contact details ready before you need them.
|
||||
|
||||
#### Talk through the process together while it's hypothetical
|
||||
|
||||
Think through some possible scenarios where your team might come into conflict:
|
||||
|
||||
* What would happen if two people disagreed about creative direction and couldn't resolve it?
|
||||
* What if someone felt they were doing more work than others?
|
||||
* What if someone holds a value or belief that contradicts the group's?
|
||||
|
||||
It can feel a bit demoralizing or sad to think about these scenarios, but being brave about these scary conversations will make the real thing possible to deal with when it comes up.
|
||||
|
||||
### The escalation path
|
||||
|
||||
Your policy should have a clear path from "something feels off" to "we need outside help." The idea is to resolve things at the *lowest possible level of escalation*.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
:::tip
|
||||
Not every disagreement needs a formal process. Most can be worked out through conversation. But when they can't, everyone should know what the next step is.
|
||||
|
||||
:::
|
||||
|
||||
You can enter the process at whatever step makes sense for your situation. Not everyone needs to start at step 1.
|
||||
|
||||
#### **Step 1: Reflect**
|
||||
|
||||
Before approaching the other person, take some time to think through what happened.
|
||||
|
||||
* What was the other person's behaviour? How did it affect you?
|
||||
* What misunderstandings might have occurred?
|
||||
* What part did you play?
|
||||
* What do you actually need?
|
||||
|
||||
Use your personal support system (friends, family, a therapist) to help clarify your perspective. This is also a good time to sort out whether this is a disagreement (healthy and very normal in cooperative work!) or something that's crossed into hostility or harm.
|
||||
|
||||
#### **Step 2: Direct conversation**
|
||||
|
||||
When you feel ready, try to work things out directly with the other person. The goal is to reach a mutual understanding. Many of us are socialized to think of disagreements as something to win. But this is antithetical to cooperative work.
|
||||
|
||||
Use behaviourally-specific feedback by describing what you observed and the impact it had on you, instead of guessing at their intentions.
|
||||
|
||||
**Tips:**
|
||||
|
||||
* If emotions are running high, it's okay to pause and come back later.
|
||||
* Try changing the bandwidth of your communication channel.
|
||||
* If you've been going back and forth in Slack text, move to a huddle or a video call. Real-time communication with more cues can reduce misunderstanding, but keep in mind that the format needs to be accessible to both parties.
|
||||
* *Reducing* bandwidth can also be a de-escalation or emotion regulation technique.
|
||||
* Once you understand each other's experiences, talk about what each of you needs to repair the situation.
|
||||
* Keep a written record of whatever you agree on.
|
||||
|
||||
If direct resolution stalls because someone can't engage constructively, that's a sign to move to the next step.
|
||||
|
||||
#### **Step 3: Assisted resolution**
|
||||
|
||||
If direct conversation doesn't resolve things, or if the issue is too big or too charged for a one-on-one, bring in a third party to help both people actually hear each other.
|
||||
|
||||
Before mediation, both people should have a chance to share any preferences or concerns about who mediates. The mediator should be someone both parties can trust to be fair, even knowing that no one is truly neutral. (This is why deciding on your third parties before you're in a crisis is so important!) Either party can request an external mediator at any point.
|
||||
|
||||
#### **Step 4: Follow up**
|
||||
|
||||
The work doesn't end when the conversation or mediation ends. Check in with both people afterward. Ask what they need (space from a project, a change in how they collaborate, time). Ask if any specific behaviours or practices came up that they want to work on changing. Set a follow-up check-in for 4 to 8 weeks out to see how things are going and whether the agreements are holding.
|
||||
|
||||
Listen for structural feedback. When people are in conflict, they often identify problems with how the studio works, not just problems with each other. If someone says "this keeps happening because we don't have clear roles," this is a sign you're dealing with structural - not personal - conflict.
|
||||
|
||||
### When direct conversation isn't possible
|
||||
|
||||
We encourage studios to try direct conversation when they can, because it often leads to the most meaningful understanding between people. But direct resolution isn't always accessible or safe. You can skip straight to assisted resolution if:
|
||||
|
||||
* There's a significant power imbalance that makes direct conversation feel unsafe or coerced.
|
||||
* Past interactions or trauma make direct contact with this person harmful to your wellbeing.
|
||||
* You've thought it through and genuinely believe direct conversation would only escalate things.
|
||||
* You need support to communicate what happened but don't know where to begin.
|
||||
|
||||
Have compassion for yourself if you need to skip this step. You're using the process in the way that works for your situation.
|
||||
|
||||
### Talking to teammates about a conflict (without making it worse)
|
||||
|
||||
Before or during a conflict, you'll probably want to talk things through with someone you trust. This is natural and can be really helpful for working through your experience and figuring out what you want to say. But in a small studio where everyone knows everyone, there's a real risk of pulling teammates into the conflict, creating sides, or replacing direct communication with backchannel venting.
|
||||
|
||||
**If you're the one seeking support:**
|
||||
|
||||
* Think about what you actually need. Help clarifying your feelings? That's healthy. Someone to take your side? That can escalate things.
|
||||
* Tell the person you're approaching that you're looking for support in working something out, not asking them to intervene or take a position.
|
||||
* Limit who you talk to. Discussing the conflict widely within the studio can damage trust and make resolution harder for everyone.
|
||||
* Avoid sharing identifying details about the other person if you can reflect on the situation without doing so.
|
||||
|
||||
**If someone comes to you for support:**
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
1. Listen. Your job is to help them think, not to solve the conflict or judge the other person. You are not a mediator or advocate.
|
||||
2. Encourage them to speak directly to the other party if it is safe for them. If not, or it just feels too difficult, guide them to move to assisted resolution (step 3).
|
||||
3. Don't relay messages between the parties, or investigate/gather information on someone's behalf. If you're asked to do that, instead try to refer back to this process and consider assisted resolution.
|
||||
4. SET YOUR OWN BOUNDARY: If you are being pulled into a position that feels uncomfortable, it's okay to say so and step back.
|
||||
|
||||
Some signs that peer support has crossed into something else: repeatedly venting to the same person without taking steps toward resolution, asking someone to gauge the other party's mood or position, or expecting a teammate to validate your perspective without hearing the other person's side. If you notice this pattern, it's a sign to either move toward direct conversation or request assisted resolution.
|
||||
|
||||
### Conflict resolution vs. conduct violations
|
||||
|
||||
Your conflict resolution process is for interpersonal disputes, like disagreements, miscommunications, friction, unmet needs. These are normal in cooperative work and don't necessarily mean anyone has done something wrong.
|
||||
|
||||
Some situations are different. If someone's behaviour crosses into harassment, discrimination, threats, or other conduct that violates your community agreements, that's a conduct violation, not a conflict to be mediated. These situations need a separate, faster process.
|
||||
|
||||
When building your policy, think about where that line is for your studio and define it. What behaviours skip the step-by-step conflict process and go straight to a conduct response? What does that response look like? Not every failure to meet expectations is a violation. Everyone is learning. But serious breaches of safety or trust need a clear, immediate path.
|
||||
|
||||
### Keeping it alive
|
||||
|
||||
Review your policy at least once a year, or after any time you actually use it.
|
||||
|
||||
If you go through a conflict and don't use your policy, ask why. Was it because the situation really didn't warrant it, or was it because using the policy felt too formal, too scary, or too much work? You might need to simplify it so it actually gets used!
|
||||
|
||||
The organizations that handle conflict best aren't the ones where people actually *practice*. Start with the small stuff. If you can't talk about someone always showing up late to meetings, you won't be able to talk about power dynamics or compensation disputes.
|
||||
|
||||
A few other things worth discussing as a team:
|
||||
|
||||
* Your studio should never require anyone to accept an apology or reconcile. Your responsibility is ensuring safety, not enforcing friendship.
|
||||
* Pushing an apology on someone who wants distance, or recruiting others to relay messages after someone has asked for space, is *pressure*, not repair.
|
||||
* All members should commit to engaging with this process as part of working together. Refusing to participate when a conflict has been raised isn't neutral. It leaves the other person without a path forward.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## Blank template
|
||||
|
||||
Copy everything below this line and customize it for your studio.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
### \[Studio name\] conflict resolution policy
|
||||
|
||||
Last reviewed: \[date\]
|
||||
|
||||
Agreed to by: \[names of all members\]
|
||||
|
||||
### Our values around conflict
|
||||
|
||||
\[Write 2 to 3 sentences about how your studio thinks about conflict. What do you believe about disagreement, accountability, and repair? This should come from a conversation with everyone.\]
|
||||
|
||||
### Communication agreements
|
||||
|
||||
\[List the agreements your studio has made about how you communicate, especially during difficult conversations.\]
|
||||
|
||||
* \
|
||||
* \
|
||||
* \
|
||||
|
||||
### Escalation path
|
||||
|
||||
**Step 1: Reflect**
|
||||
|
||||
Before approaching the other person, consider:
|
||||
|
||||
* What specific behaviour am I responding to?
|
||||
* How did it affect me?
|
||||
* What misunderstandings might have occurred?
|
||||
* What's my part in this?
|
||||
* What do I actually need?
|
||||
|
||||
**Step 2: Direct conversation**
|
||||
|
||||
Who can initiate: \[everyone / specific role / etc.\]
|
||||
|
||||
Expected timeline: \[how soon after noticing an issue should you raise it?\]
|
||||
|
||||
Format: \[in person, video call, etc. Are there formats that are off-limits for conflict conversations?\]
|
||||
|
||||
*If direct conversation isn't possible due to power imbalance, safety concerns, trauma, or other reasons, skip to Step 3. You don't need to justify this decision.*
|
||||
|
||||
**Step 3: Assisted resolution**
|
||||
|
||||
How to request it: \[who do you tell? how?\]
|
||||
|
||||
Our third parties:
|
||||
|
||||
* Name: / Role or relationship: / Contact:
|
||||
* Name: / Role or relationship: / Contact:
|
||||
|
||||
Expected timeline: \[how soon after a request should mediation be arranged?\]
|
||||
|
||||
Who chooses the mediator: \[both parties agree / designated person selects / etc.\]
|
||||
|
||||
*Either party can request an external mediator at any point.*
|
||||
|
||||
**Step 4: Follow-up**
|
||||
|
||||
Who checks in afterward: \[facilitator / designated person / etc.\]
|
||||
|
||||
Follow-up check-in scheduled: \[how many weeks after mediation?\]
|
||||
|
||||
What gets documented: \[summary of agreements made, action items, check-in date\]
|
||||
|
||||
### Seeking peer support during a conflict
|
||||
|
||||
If you need to talk things through with a teammate:
|
||||
|
||||
* Be clear that you're asking for support, not asking them to take sides or intervene.
|
||||
* Limit who you talk to within the studio.
|
||||
* If the person you're talking to feels pulled into an uncomfortable position, respect their boundary.
|
||||
|
||||
If someone comes to you:
|
||||
|
||||
* Listen and help them think. Don't relay messages, investigate, or take sides.
|
||||
* Encourage them to use the process (direct conversation or assisted resolution).
|
||||
* It's OK to step back if you need to.
|
||||
|
||||
### Conduct violations
|
||||
|
||||
These situations skip the conflict resolution process:
|
||||
|
||||
\[List behaviours that warrant immediate response: harassment, threats, abuse, discrimination, safety concerns. Name what "immediate action" means in your studio and who is responsible for it.\]
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
:::tip
|
||||
This section is separate from conflict resolution because conduct violations are not disputes to be mediated. They require a different kind of response.
|
||||
|
||||
:::
|
||||
|
||||
### When resolution isn't reached
|
||||
|
||||
\[Describe what happens if you go through the full process and still can't agree. Options to consider: binding decision by a third party, structured separation of responsibilities, a member exit process. Whatever you choose, write it down.\]
|
||||
|
||||
### Other agreements
|
||||
|
||||
* No one is required to accept an apology or reconcile. Our responsibility is ensuring safety, not enforcing friendship.
|
||||
* Pushing an apology on someone who has asked for distance, or recruiting others to relay messages, is not part of the repair process.
|
||||
* All members commit to engaging with this process as part of working together.
|
||||
* \[Add any other agreements your studio wants to include.\]
|
||||
|
||||
### Review schedule
|
||||
|
||||
This policy will be reviewed: \[annually / after each use / at a specific meeting or retreat\]
|
||||
|
||||
Next review date: \[date\]
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
==This template draws on the AORTA Collective's conflict resolution framework, Gamma Space Cooperative's conflict resolution policy, Baby Ghosts' conflict resolution policy, and practices from the cooperative and transformative justice movements, adapted for indie game studios.==
|
||||
45
content/wiki/resources/incorporation-readiness-checklist.md
Normal file
45
content/wiki/resources/incorporation-readiness-checklist.md
Normal file
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
title: Incorporation Readiness Checklist
|
||||
collection: Resources
|
||||
path: Resources/Incorporation Readiness Checklist
|
||||
parentDocument: null
|
||||
outlineId: 6d9f1171-00bd-428d-aec9-8e448c8caa2d
|
||||
createdBy: Jennie R.F.
|
||||
---
|
||||
:::tip
|
||||
Before you file, check whether your studio has working agreement on the following. These map directly back to what is covered in [Cooperative Foundations](/collection/b0d3ac0c-8bdd-4227-a638-9cc2ec87d607)!
|
||||
|
||||
:::
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
### Identity and Membership
|
||||
|
||||
* Do you have a stable group of at least 3 people who have tested working together?
|
||||
* Have you defined who can become a member and what the process looks like?
|
||||
* Have you discussed a probationary period for new members?
|
||||
* Have you discussed what happens when someone wants to leave?
|
||||
|
||||
### Governance and Decision-Making
|
||||
|
||||
* Have you chosen a default decision-making model (consensus, voting, hybrid)?
|
||||
* Do you know which decisions require a full member vote vs. delegation?
|
||||
* Have you had at least one real conflict and navigated it?
|
||||
* Do you know whether you want a worker co-op or multi-stakeholder structure?
|
||||
|
||||
### Compensation and Sustainability
|
||||
|
||||
* Have you agreed on a surplus distribution formula?
|
||||
* Have you discussed what portion of surplus goes to reserves?
|
||||
* Do you understand why worker-members must be on payroll (T4s, not contractors)?
|
||||
* Have you discussed the for-profit vs. non-profit decision?
|
||||
|
||||
### Formalization and Pathways
|
||||
|
||||
* Have you discussed what happens to a departing member's shares?
|
||||
* Have you discussed expulsion processes?
|
||||
* Have you discussed what happens if the co-op dissolves?
|
||||
* Have you budgeted for legal costs ($2K-$5K) or identified funding?
|
||||
|
||||
\
|
||||
|
||||
If most answers are yes: you may be ready. Next step is engaging a co-op developer through CoopZone and applying for the CWCF Technical Assistance Grant.
|
||||
150
content/wiki/resources/meeting-agenda-template.md
Normal file
150
content/wiki/resources/meeting-agenda-template.md
Normal file
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,150 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
title: Meeting Agenda Template
|
||||
collection: Resources
|
||||
path: Resources/Meeting Agenda Template
|
||||
parentDocument: null
|
||||
outlineId: 031b561a-8922-481c-87a9-4d619b9d1102
|
||||
createdBy: Jennie R.F.
|
||||
---
|
||||
*A flexible meeting structure for cooperative game studios.*
|
||||
|
||||
Use this as a starting point and adapt it to fit your team. There's no single right way to run a meeting, but having *a* structure beats winging it!
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## How it works
|
||||
|
||||
### Rotating roles
|
||||
|
||||
Rotate these every meeting so no one person carries the load (or the power) by default. Keep a simple rotation tracker, like a shared doc, so you're not figuring out roles at the start of every meeting. And note: None of these require experience!
|
||||
|
||||
| Role | What they do |
|
||||
|------|--------------|
|
||||
| Facilitator | Keeps the meeting moving, manages the agenda, and makes sure everyone has a real chance to speak. |
|
||||
| Note-taker | Captures discussion items, who raised what issue, decisions, action items, and anything else the group wants to remember. Shares notes after. |
|
||||
| Timekeeper | Tracks time for each section and gives gentle warnings. Helps the facilitator keep things on track. |
|
||||
| Vibes checker (optional) | Pays attention to the room's energy. Notices when people seem checked out, frustrated, or when the conversation needs a pause. |
|
||||
| Tech lead (optional) | Handles recording (with everyone's consent), screen sharing, Miro boards, etc. |
|
||||
|
||||
It can take some courage to volunteer for a role you've never taken on. Nudge folks who've never facilitated to give it a shot and make sure they know they'll have the full support of everyone in the meeting. You could also have a primary facilitator who's new to the role with a more experienced backup to help them feel confident and fill in any gaps
|
||||
|
||||
### Building your agenda
|
||||
|
||||
Keep a persistent, shared agenda that lives somewhere your whole team can access between meetings: a Slack canvas, a pinned doc, a Notion page, whatever your team already uses. Everyone contributes to this, so the facilitator doesn't need to make it fresh every week.
|
||||
|
||||
Between meetings, anyone can add items they want to raise, along with their name and a rough time estimate for how long they think it needs. Some items will be recurring (standing updates, ongoing projects). Others will come and go as things come up.
|
||||
|
||||
The facilitator's job between meetings is to clean up the agenda: Remove items that were resolved last time, check in on anything that's been sitting there for a while, and make sure the list is ready to go before the next meeting. At the start of the meeting, the facilitator confirms the order with the group and adjusts based on what's time-sensitive. There also may be new items to add at the beginning of the meeting, so leave space in the agenda for that as well.
|
||||
|
||||
For items raised by members that are related to a tension, it's best not to be too strict about time. This person who brought it up should determine when the issue is resolved enough to move on for now. It doesn't need to be fully resolved in one meeting, and the group can make a decision to table it for later.
|
||||
|
||||
### 1-hour meeting flow
|
||||
|
||||
Adjust the timing to fit your team. The structure is more important than the exact minutes.
|
||||
|
||||
#### Check-in (5 to 10 min)
|
||||
|
||||
Go around and hear from everyone. This could be something silly, like a tag yourself meme, or something more reflective, like "What type of weather are you today?" or "What do you need from the meeting today?" The point is to *make sure everyone has spoken* before the real discussion starts. It's like a warm-up - it's much easier to \[pipe up later if you've already opened your mouth once.
|
||||
|
||||
#### Agenda review (2 to 3 min)
|
||||
|
||||
The facilitator walks through the items on the agenda and confirms the order for today. If something can be handled async (in Slack, on a shared doc), move it off the agenda. Protect your synchronous time for things that actually need real-time conversation.
|
||||
|
||||
#### Discussion and working time (35 to 40 min)
|
||||
|
||||
Work through the agenda one conversation at a time. Explicitly identify when you're shifting modes: Are you brainstorming, making a decision, or just sharing information? Watch the air time, and if someone's dominating, the facilitator can say "let's hear from others" without it being weird. (That's their job.) If you're using a decision-making process (consent, consensus, or something else from your governance structure), *name which process you're using before you start discussing the item*. Important: The note-taker captures decisions *during* the meeting, not after.
|
||||
|
||||
#### Action items (5 min)
|
||||
|
||||
The note-taker reads back all decisions and action items (or if everyone is following along in the same document, they can review). Each one should have what needs to happen, who's responsible, and when it's due. The *why* should be reflected in the notes.
|
||||
|
||||
This is also a good time to bring up anything that didn't get covered and decide where it goes - for example, next meeting's agenda, Slack for asynchronous chat, or a working group.
|
||||
|
||||
#### Check-out (5 min)
|
||||
|
||||
Another quick round. One word for how you're leaving the meeting, or one thing you're taking away, or whether anything felt unfinished. Check-outs give the facilitator feedback and give everyone a clean endpoint instead of an awkward "ok, bye" drift.
|
||||
|
||||
### After the meeting
|
||||
|
||||
Note-taker shares notes. Action items get tracked somewhere visible, like a pinned Slack message, a Miro board, or a shared spreadsheet. Wherever works for your team, as long as it's not buried in a doc nobody opens. Next meeting's facilitator is confirmed from the rotation. (You could also build setting the roles for next week into the agenda so that it's done during the meeting.)
|
||||
|
||||
### Making this your own
|
||||
|
||||
After a few meetings, check in: Is the timing working? Are the roles actually rotating? Are decisions getting captured and followed up on? Is everyone speaking, or are some voices consistently quieter? Are we using our meeting time for things that actually need to be synchronous?
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## Blank template
|
||||
|
||||
Copy everything below this line into a shared doc and use it for each meeting.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
### Meeting: \[date\]
|
||||
|
||||
Attendees:
|
||||
|
||||
Regrets:
|
||||
|
||||
| Role | Person |
|
||||
|------|--------|
|
||||
| Facilitator | |
|
||||
| Note-taker | |
|
||||
| Timekeeper | |
|
||||
| *Vibes checker - optional* | |
|
||||
| *Tech lead - optional* | |
|
||||
|
||||
### Check-in
|
||||
|
||||
Prompt:
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
### Agenda
|
||||
|
||||
| Item | Raised by | Time estimate | Decision-making process (if needed) |
|
||||
|------|-----------|---------------|-------------------------------------|
|
||||
| | | | |
|
||||
| | | | |
|
||||
| | | | |
|
||||
|
||||
### Discussion notes
|
||||
|
||||
Item 1:
|
||||
|
||||
Item 2:
|
||||
|
||||
Item 3:
|
||||
|
||||
### Decisions made
|
||||
|
||||
| Decision | Who's responsible | Due date |
|
||||
|----------|-------------------|----------|
|
||||
| | | |
|
||||
| | | |
|
||||
|
||||
### Action items
|
||||
|
||||
| Action | Owner | Due / report-back date |
|
||||
|--------|-------|------------------------|
|
||||
| | | |
|
||||
| | | |
|
||||
|
||||
### Still open
|
||||
|
||||
* \
|
||||
* \
|
||||
|
||||
### Check-out
|
||||
|
||||
Prompt:
|
||||
|
||||
### Next meeting
|
||||
|
||||
Date:
|
||||
|
||||
Facilitator:
|
||||
|
||||
Anything to prep:
|
||||
157
content/wiki/resources/running-anti-oppressive-meetings.md
Normal file
157
content/wiki/resources/running-anti-oppressive-meetings.md
Normal file
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,157 @@
|
|||
---
|
||||
title: Running Anti-Oppressive Meetings
|
||||
collection: Resources
|
||||
path: Resources/Running Anti-Oppressive Meetings
|
||||
parentDocument: null
|
||||
outlineId: a5d6182a-3b31-4e20-bee9-4b035b9943bd
|
||||
createdBy: Jennie R.F.
|
||||
---
|
||||
*A guide for making your meetings more inclusive, democratic, and actually useful.*
|
||||
|
||||
Even teams that share values like cooperation, equity, and shared power can run meetings that inadvertently shut people out and impose informal hierarchy. You need practices that actively work against the factors that make meetings exclusionary.
|
||||
|
||||
This guide is something your studio can read together, discuss, and pull from over time. Don't try to implement everything all at once.
|
||||
|
||||
## Why meetings need intentional structure
|
||||
|
||||
Meetings without intentional structure *default to the patterns people already know*. In practice, this means the most comfortable speakers dominate and people who need more processing time or who communicate differently get left behind.
|
||||
|
||||
This happens through group dynamics of power, privilege, and oppression that marginalize women, people of colour, queer, trans and gender non-conforming folks, people with disabilities, and those without the cultural cues and financial resources that come with class privilege. *These dynamics don't stop at the door of your studio just because you care about equity.*
|
||||
|
||||
Let's talk about how to create structures that interrupt default (oppressive) meeting practices!
|
||||
|
||||
## Containers: the things that hold your meeting together
|
||||
|
||||
AORTA calls things like community agreements, agendas, decision-making processes, and visible note-taking "containers." They're the structures that keep the group focused, on track, on the same page, and offer direction when things get sticky or tense.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
:::tip
|
||||
The more intentional your containers are, the less your meetings depend on any one person's energy or authority to function. It's a little bit of a cheat code.
|
||||
|
||||
:::
|
||||
|
||||
### Community agreements
|
||||
|
||||
Community agreements define how your group wants to be together. They're shared expectations that come from the group itself. For them to be meaningful, everyone needs to be part of creating them.
|
||||
|
||||
**Some agreements to consider** (adapted from AORTA's Spring 2014 Resource Zine):
|
||||
|
||||
* **One diva, one mic.** One person speaks at a time. Leave lots of space between speakers.
|
||||
* **No one knows everything, together we know a lot.** Practice humility. We all have something to learn from everyone in the room. We also have a responsibility to share what we know.
|
||||
* **Move up, move up.** If you tend to not speak a lot, move up into a role of speaking more. If you tend to speak a lot, move up into a role of listening more. *(Saying "move" instead of "step" recognizes that not everyone can step.)*
|
||||
* **We can't be articulate all the time.** People feel hesitant to participate for fear of "messing up" or stumbling over their words. Make it clear that everyone should feel comfortable participating, even if they can't be as articulate as they'd like (brain isn't braining).
|
||||
* **Be aware of time.** Respect everyone's time and commitment. Come back on time from breaks. Refrain from long monologues.
|
||||
* **Be curious.** We make better decisions when we approach problems and challenges with questions ("What if we...?") and curiosity. Allow space for play and creative thinking.
|
||||
|
||||
"Assume best intentions" and "default to trust" are common community agreements, but they can be impossible to uphold when someone is feeling untrusting or unsafe, especially when people have been harmed by sexism, racism, homophobia, transphobia, or classism. Having an agreement telling people to trust doesn't build trust. Instead, try agreements that capture the *spirit* of what you're after, like: "be generous with each other" or "this is a space for learning."
|
||||
|
||||
Your studio should build its own agreements. The ones above are starting points, not a template to adopt wholesale. And revisit them over time.
|
||||
|
||||
### Agendas and decision-making
|
||||
|
||||
A visible agenda that everyone has input on is one of the simplest tools for making meetings more democratic. When people can see what's being discussed and how decisions will be made, *power is distributed rather than assumed*. Two things matter most from an anti-oppression lens:
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
1. Label each agenda item with its expected action (decision, discussion, brainstorm, update)
|
||||
2. Name your decision-making framework before each decision point, not after
|
||||
|
||||
*Resource: Your* [Meeting Agenda Template](/doc/031b561a-8922-481c-87a9-4d619b9d1102) *covers agenda setup, meeting flow, and roles in detail.*
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## Facilitation as a practice
|
||||
|
||||
Facilitation is not the same as leading. The facilitator's job is to make sure the collective is empowered as a whole:
|
||||
|
||||
* Make sure *everyone* gets to participate
|
||||
* Work to prevent or interrupt attempts (conscious or unconscious) by individuals or subgroups to overpower the group
|
||||
* Keep an eye out for social power dynamics. Point out discrepancies in who is talking and whose voices are being heard.
|
||||
* Help the group come to decisions that are best for the group, not just one person's preference.
|
||||
* Make sure the group follows its own agreed-upon process.
|
||||
|
||||
Facilitation also means keeping an eye on time, keeping the conversation on topic, summarizing discussion to note areas of agreement, and making process suggestions when the group gets stuck.
|
||||
|
||||
Facilitation should rotate along with other meeting roles. When the same person always facilitates, they accumulate informal power over the meeting even if they don't mean to. Rotating builds the skill across the whole team.
|
||||
|
||||
The [Meeting Agenda Template](/doc/031b561a-8922-481c-87a9-4d619b9d1102) includes a full roles table (facilitator, note-taker, timekeeper, vibes checker, tech lead) with descriptions for each.
|
||||
|
||||
## Tools for shifting energy and inviting participation
|
||||
|
||||
These are simple techniques (from AORTA) that can change the feel of a meeting and invite more introverted or silenced participants to contribute.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
1. **Start with check-ins.** Even something as simple as "three adjectives to describe how you're feeling" gives you a read on where people are when they walk in. It also means everyone has spoken before the discussion starts, which lowers the barrier to participating later.
|
||||
2. **Build in quiet time.** A couple minutes of journaling or thinking before launching into group discussion gives people who process internally a chance to form their thoughts. You'll get richer contributions.
|
||||
3. **Use pairs or small groups.** Starting a topic in pairs or threes before coming back to the whole group often produces deeper, more creative ideas. It also means quieter people have already talked through their thinking.
|
||||
4. **Go-arounds.** Have everyone share briefly, in turn. People can always pass.
|
||||
5. **Straw polls.** A quick show of hands gives the facilitator a read on where the group is without a long discussion. It also brings out disagreement that might otherwise stay hidden.
|
||||
6. **Get physical (where possible).** If you're in person, have people move: stand in different areas of the room to show where they are on an issue, use sticky notes on a board, switch seats after a break. Bodies in motion changes the energy.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## Red flags and group dynamics
|
||||
|
||||
These are dynamics that, if left unaddressed, will undermine your meetings over time. The facilitator and vibes checker should both be watching for these:
|
||||
|
||||
* Unnamed or unchallenged power dynamics. Who is *actually* influencing decisions?
|
||||
* People interrupting each other or the facilitator.
|
||||
* People repeating or restating what others have already said when done as a way to claim the idea.
|
||||
* Tone and body language: do people look checked out, bored, upset, or angry? If so, check in with the group or with individuals quietly.
|
||||
* One or two people monopolizing the conversation.
|
||||
* Someone bringing a fully-formed proposal and expecting the group to decide on it immediately, without brainstorming or feedback.
|
||||
* Back-and-forth between two people that excludes the rest of the group.
|
||||
|
||||
AORTA identifies common roles people take on in meetings, some that help the group and some that don't. These are patterns anyone can fall into. Naming them as group patterns rather than individual failings makes it easier to address them.
|
||||
|
||||
* Roles that help:
|
||||
* task focusing
|
||||
* information sharing and clarifying
|
||||
* elaborating and summarizing
|
||||
* decision focusing
|
||||
* encouraging
|
||||
* feeling expressing
|
||||
* process commenting
|
||||
* Roles that can harm:
|
||||
* agreeing uncritically to gain favour or avoid discussion
|
||||
* fighting aggressively for your position
|
||||
* domineering and seeking recognition
|
||||
* blocking decisions by nitpicking
|
||||
* cynicism and pessimism
|
||||
* drifting and checking out
|
||||
* personalizing every issue
|
||||
|
||||
*For full descriptions of each role, see the AORTA Resource Zine.*
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## When things go wrong
|
||||
|
||||
Some techniques for when discussion stalls, the group can't move forward, or dynamics are going sideways (from AORTA):
|
||||
|
||||
* Check the agenda. Have you switched into "decide" mode when the expected action was "feedback"? Sometimes the process is the problem, not the content.
|
||||
* Take a break. Let small groups work out a proposal based on what they've heard.
|
||||
* Ask questions rather than jumping to concerns. Questions invite reasoning; concerns invite defensiveness.
|
||||
* When people voice concerns, ask what would need to be true to meet them. Shift from "no" to "what would yes look like?"
|
||||
* Listen for agreement and name it, no matter how small.
|
||||
* Synthesize rather than summarize. Distill the core of what someone said and the values underneath it, rather than repeating their words back.
|
||||
* Break big decisions into smaller pieces.
|
||||
* Don't let two people dominate. Ask for input from others.
|
||||
* If you need a break, take one. When the facilitator needs a break, everyone does.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## Further reading
|
||||
|
||||
* AORTA Resource Zine (Spring 2014), "Anti-Oppressive Meeting Facilitation"
|
||||
* Seeds for Change: [Facilitating Meetings](https://www.seedsforchange.org.uk/facilitationmeeting)
|
||||
* Seeds for Change: [Consensus Decision Making](https://www.seedsforchange.org.uk/consensus)
|
||||
* Sam Kaner, *Facilitators Guide to Participatory Decision Making*
|
||||
* Dave Gray, *Gamestorming: A Playbook for Innovators, Rulebreakers, and Changemakers*
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
\
|
||||
==This guide draws primarily on the AORTA Collective's Resource Zine and conflict resolution materials, with additional practices from Seeds for Change and Baby Ghosts' own materials, adapted here.==
|
||||
Loading…
Add table
Add a link
Reference in a new issue