Apology and Plan for Community-Centred Repair
Dear Community Members,
We write today with humility and accountability to address the harm caused by our handling of the recent incident in Cohort 5. First, we unreservedly apologise to all mentees, facilitators, and alums impacted by our missteps. We acknowledge that our actions–or lack thereof–deepened distress, eroded trust, and failed to uphold the trauma-informed, decolonial values we strive to embody.
Where We Fell Short:
Lack of Transparency: Out of caution regarding privacy and legal complexities, we prioritised confidentiality over clarity. This left room for misinformation and distrust to fester, compounding the community’s pain. While confidentiality is essential in such situations, clear communication is equally important.
Delayed and Inconsistent Responses: While we acted swiftly to mediate boundaries between parties, our lack of decisive decision-making did not adequately address the escalating tensions or provide timely updates, leaving mentees feeling unsupported.
Trauma-Reactive, Not Trauma-Informed: Our existing protocols prioritised risk mitigation over holistic care, resulting in decisions that inadvertently created space for further escalation, silenced voices and isolated those in need.
Accountability and Action:
The responsibility for these decisions and actions lies squarely with senior management. Our staff and facilitators operated within inadequate systems that lacked the tools to navigate such crises equitably. To rebuild trust, we commit to:
Immediate Protocol Overhauls: Developing trauma-informed, restorative justice-centred crisis management policies, co-created with Indigenous Elders, legal experts, and community stakeholders.
Staff Training: Training team members across all levels on trauma-informed care, lateral violence prevention, and decolonial conflict resolution.
Community-Centred Healing: Facilitated healing circles and workshops, tailored to mentees, alums, and staff, will be held to process this incident and co-design solutions.
Transparency Framework: Establishing clear guidelines for communicating sensitive issues without compromising privacy or safety.
A Final Apology:
To those harmed by our actions, especially survivors of violence who felt re-traumatised by our silence and passivity, we are deeply sorry. To our staff, who bore the weight of undersupported decisions, we apologise for failing you.
This is not the community we aspire to be. We commit to listening, to holding space, and to learning with humility for as long as it takes to rebuild what was broken. Our responsibility is ongoing.
In solidarity and with gratitude,
Keshav
