Punk Club Conflict Resolution Plan

[A small DIY venue in Baltimore decided to draft a conflict resolution plan after realizing that, without one, they had no idea what to do when serious issues arose. It’s simple yet thorough. The name of the venue has been changed for privacy]

Conflict Resolution Plan

A Means of Resolving Contentious Issues within a Community

Drafted and Approved by the Members of SOMETHING SOMETHING PUNK VENUE

The following document provides a conflict resolution plan for SOMETHING SOMETHING PUNK VENUE and consists of a step-by-step guide for dealing with an accusation of one of our members acting in a way conflicting with our mission statement, particularly instances of gender-based violence and racial discrimination.

  1. Introduction and Reasoning Behind Conflict Resolution Plan
    1. Plan development and purpose:
      1. Arising from a series of conflicts between members and non-members in the summer of 2010, which had stemmed from an earlier conflict involving accusations of sexual assault, and the consequences emerging from it, in August 2011 members of SOMETHING SOMETHING PUNK VENUE (SSPV) moved to develop a conflict resolution plan to prevent a similar situation in the future.
      2. The plan, which is laid out here, should be seen as a living document that can and should be continuously evaluated, as to ensure that a safe space (defined below) exists within SSPV for both members and non-members.
      3. The plan is intended to hold members and non-members accountable to the Space’s mission statement.
      4. While the plan aims to respect individuals’ confidentiality, certain issues that may be brought to SSPV may require members to refer individuals to outside mediation, counseling, or other professional services.
  2. Definitions
    1. Conflict: A state of disharmony between incompatible or antithetical persons, ideas, or interests.
    2. Conflict resolution plan: A means of addressing conflict and attempting to resolve the issues contributing to its emergence; may involve dialogue, mediation, arbitration, etc.
    3. Safe space: An environment in which everyone feels comfortable in expressing themselves and participating fully, without fear of attack, ridicule or denial of experience.
  3. Plan of Action: Two Options
    1. The following steps would be taken upon receiving verbal or written notice of a member or individual attending an event at SSPV acting in a manner that contrasts with the Space’s mission statement:
      1. Identification of conflict and those individuals affected by it
      2. Ask that member to remove him/herself from SSPV activities until the conflict can be resolved. (This would not be a suspension or anything assuming guilt, but a temporary measure to help find resolution with some clarity.)
      3. Within a period of two (2) weeks, a general meeting of all SSPV members must be called and be briefed on the situation at hand
      4. At said meeting, members may volunteer to formulate a mediation team; ideally this group consists of at least three (3) individuals
      5. Upon confirmation of internal mediation group, independent meetings will be held with each party in order to collect information relevant to conflict and assess difficulty level
      6. After conducting meetings with involved parties, mediation group will meet and discuss possible solutions to conflict
      7. Proposed solutions will be offered to the general membership for review and approval
      8. After receiving approval from general membership, solutions will be presented to conflict participants
      9. If solutions are accepted, conflict resolution commitment is hereafter complete
      10. If solutions are rejected, outside mediation assistance will be determined
      11. Internal mediation group will contact a mediation group that has nothing to do with either party or SSPV (a list of such groups should be created ahead of time) and explain the situation
      12. The decision of either mediator group stands and is final.
    2. In instances involving the need for more privacy and care for more sensitive and traumatic incidents, including, but not limited to gender-based violence, racial discrimination:
      1. The one who brings forth a complaint may decide how to be referred to (victim, survivor, accuser, party A, etc.) and the collective must respect that. They may also choose to instead go through the original SSPV CRP mediation process, but they cannot be made to feel pressured to do so
      2. Each party will obtain their own advocate who would then present their side to an objective mediator
      3. After presenting a list of potential three advocates, each party must obtain the other party’s approval for their own advocate and reserves the right to reject the proposed advocate selection
      4. Should either party feel uncomfortable with an advocate the accused or victim recommended, they would be able to present their reasons for rejection—perhaps a conflict of interest, something along those lines—and the particular advocate will not be present
      5. The objective mediator is to be agreed upon by the SSPV collective members without the individual parties being present
      6. Prior to proceeding, the parties will immediately come to a safe space agreement, which may include the following feature: Determination of what individuals may attend SSPV shows or other events while the mediation process takes place
      7. For the purpose of privacy and confidentiality, the victim will decide what is acceptable for their advocate to present to the mediator
      8. The mediation team is to keep the SSPV collective updated on general status (ex: “It’s still going on,” “last meeting coming up,” etc.), but all that is discussed or decided will remain private between the team until being informed of the final outcome, if necessary. The decision of the mediation team is to be final.
      9. If the accused party refuses to participate in the mediation they will forfeit their right to remain a collective member
  4. List of Possible Mediators in the Local Area [this is a great spot to list any local resources that would help your group through conflict—counselors, mediators, and alternative justice organizations, for example]