Element Descriptor
Sometimes you end up in court,charges not dropped or bargained away. This can be super super stressful, and anyone who tells you otherwise is… well, anyway, giving and accepting support – financial, legal, emotional, is crucial. If we don’t support those at the sharp end, then what is the point of us?
Level descriptors
| Novice | Practitioner | Expert | Ninja |
|---|---|---|---|
| You can support a close friend who is on trial for nowt too serious in a relatively short trial, with practical support around their emotional, and social needs. | You help prepare court support rotas, and organise travel – using a variety of media to spread the word | You effectively coordinate court support * You liaise with solicitors on behalf of activists * You know your way round the court experience – the geography of the court, security measures, the basics of legal protocols – and can help acclimatise both defendants and supporters | You can help activists prepare to defend themselves in court, * You can effectively coordinate court support even for cases involving large numbers of activists, appearing in different courts on different days * You’re comfortable to plan and execute solidarity actions in court – such as hanging a banner, speaking out from the public gallery and so on |
Element Overview Essay
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So the reason that support at trials are done badly is relatively few people get arrested for civil disobedience, fewer get charged, fewer cases,go to court, and the length of the trials tends to be quite short.
The consequences of people not being able to support others to handle trial situations is extra stress. Some people might feel unsupported and acknowledged, and that can have really serious implications for their well being and the well being of any group, which say a part of or affiliated to.
So solutions are to really get hold of the experiences of people who’ve been on trial, and what lessons they learned and what sorts of support infrastructure needs to be built now, before the shit hits the fan.
Development Resources
Assessment Resources
