podcast: Episode 5 - REP with Signe Victoria Harriday
Relationships Evolving Possibilities is a network of dedicated abolitionists showing up to support others in moments of crisis or urgency with care and respect for the full dignity and autonomy of the people in crisis.
REP is an engagement strategy that facilitates the formation of localized pods for mutual aid and reinforces transformative crisis support within community networks. “The work of REP aims to minimize the need to reach beyond one’s community for crisis support by utilizing de-escalation tools, improving relationships between neighbors, and reimagining what a loving community looks like.
Through REP’s Studios (our decolonized version of “train-the-trainer”), community members are emboldened to bring forth their wisdom and expertise as they build relationships and skills for community care, hence building broader community capacity. REP’s vision for the future is grounded in relationships: "we begin with trust, honesty, and accountability at the center of the work and our relationships with each other – and we strive to continue all of those elements as we move forward and foster community-centered work.”
Radical Ecosystem Pods
REP defines pods as “a group of people who have come together (based on geography, identity, values, a time-specific need, or a combination of the above) to support each other through crises, either unforeseen or anticipated. Pods have agreed-upon parameters and expectations, and have established consent-based communication around how to support each other.” The Radical Ecosystem Pods, “fortify existing networks and support the creation of new networks by improving relationships between neighbors, identifying webs of support that already exist within reach, and reimagining what a loving community looks like. REP supports the formation of pods through ongoing training called “studios” that support neighbors in building skills in de-escalation, mental health support, and situational awareness.”
Revolutionary Emergency Partners
“When a crisis or problem can’t be addressed by our existing support network, we need a trusted resource to call for help. REP’s Revolutionary Emergency Partners provide emergency care to community members via a secure hotline. The hotline offers two kinds of assistance: direct support from a Community Resourcer and connection to a Response Team.
- When a community member calls the hotline number they will be connected to a Community Resourcer trained in mental health first aid and de-escalation.
- Depending on the needs of the caller, the Community Resourcer will either connect the caller to trusted community resources for further support or send a Community Responder or Response Team to the caller’s location to provide immediate support.
