Setting Up the Infrastructure for Your Organization to Impact cases At a moment of limited resources and time, adding new programs to an organization can be a daunting proposition. But support work for a member, constituent, congregant, or loved one can change the trajectory of a case -- and can be done without draining the resources of the organization, or require any major organizational expansions. Effective support work can be done efficiently, simply, and consistently without disrupting the overall work of the organization. Below is a sample way ACJPs have been run in Santa Clara County and San Mateo County that have been housed in community centers, churches, and ethnic commnuity hubs.
Basics of an ACJP Meeting SPACE Have a space -- a center, a home, a religious institution -- where families can meet regularly to work on their case.
meeting flow Meetings styles will be defined by the culture of your organization. We suggest having the following roles to help move the meeting along: FACILITATOR: Have someone asking the key questions, and moving the discussion forward, then moving on to the next case. Typical ACJP discussions have been broken down into two parts: 1) Updates: meaning the family or individual bringing the group up to speed with the case -- what stage it is in, how the relationship with the attorney has been going, and/or current questions they may have. 2) To do’s: This is a list of activities that the family and community can take during the week to assist in the case. In the following week, the family can report back on what steps were carried through with, and the results of those actions. NOTE-TAKER: Have someone take notes, so your commnunity can be clear as to the next steps, and the collective knowledge of the case. FLOATERS: After families work on their case, or even during, they may offer to assist with another family -- going to court, helping draft emails, gather material, or attend meetings with attorneys. Volunteers of the organization may play this role as well. During the meetings, identify who in the room can work with particular families. We have called them “floaters” because their role is fluid, and they can move around the meeting. For efficiency sake, the floater may assist the family in sending an email to the attorney during, or directly after the meeting if requested by a family. Identify these key partnerships, so the group knows that everyone who came for assistance has a lead person that they are working with. A mother we worked with, who beat a false “resisting arrest” charge after a year and a jury verdict, coined the phrase “Buddyguard” when describing this role. She said she felt more confident knowing she had someone who was looking out for her interests, and at the same time, that person was a friend.