wellbeing supporter
Wellbeing Supporters help to keep energy levels high, keep an eye on vulnerable participants, generally ensuring the physical and emotional wellbeing of anybody who is taking part in the action.
The main tasks of a Wellbeing supporters are:
Providing physical support
Like blankets if it’s cold, tarps and brolleys if it rains. This tends to be quite weather dependent.
Food: Energy bars, Fruit, Water and cups.
Biscuits for people experiencing a post adrenaline sugar crash.
Hand warmers can be really useful when people glue onto things which tends to be to glass, metal or stone which are all cold surfaces.
Providing emotional support
Which may include company to someone glued or locked onto something.
Carrying a book or poems can be useful to help entertain someone locked on. It may also be helping someone by using some self-soothing techniques if they are in a moment of acute stress.
Taking care of more vulnerable rebels
Everyone can feel vulnerable or become vulnerable depending on our personal experiences and the situation in which we find ourselves at any one time. We are all crew. Always approach problems with others and use the knowledge and skills each person brings.
Take care of yourself first
Be wary that there is ALWAYS a chance you can get arrested just by being at the action, but as wellbeing (“security” in the eyes of the police) you are expected to be a bit detached from the action, so there’s a lower possibility of arrest.
Detach yourself from the action, and attach yourself to the people.
Take care of everyone, even the facilitators (especially they can be having a tough time, maybe tell them to plan a break for themselves, or force them to have a break sometime, the world won’t collapse).
Relaxing
Physically: Relax the upper part of your body,really deep deep sigh,stretch,yawn,focus on the horizon or on one spot, tense every muscle in your body and then let go, jump up and down and shake it off shake it off (oo oo oo)
Mentally: Recite a poem, sing a song, focus on a plant, or other details/colors, focus on breath, (show people cool shit with hands), talk and express your feelings to other wellbeing people.
Active listening
Don’t speak, listen until you figure out what the person needs - e.g. just to talk, to have someone be emphatic, others support, etc.
Don’t give advice or try to solve the problem, talk about yourself, pity their feelings, judge the person, or (now, unfortunately) touch them/hug them (I’m sorry, I wish I could, but I can’t!).
Do ask them questions, help the other person figure out what’s happening in their mind and body, and allow them to fully express this.
Summarize, ask open questions, be vulnerable about how you feel as well, acknowledge their feelings (“I understand, it’s a high intensity, stressy situation”...).
If you don’t feel suitable to talk to someone about their feelings, there is no problem telling them “I don’t feel like there is any way I could help, but maybe talking xxx might help instead?” there’s no harm in saying that.
Reading XR Declarations/Intentions
Starting off an action, especially the higher-risk ones, with some positive declarations to remind yourself why you are at the action, to remind yourself of non-violent communication, to remind yourself that it is always okay to take a step back, can be a good way to stay focused on what’s important during the action itself.