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Hacks for Setting the “Vibe” & Community Ambassadors

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A less tangible quality leaders talked about that helped create de-escalated spaces was setting the “vibe of the space”—that is, setting the emotional tone as friendly, warm, and inviting. In addition to things as diverse as paint color and grievance processes, another critical suggestion from many harm reduction leaders is to have community ambassadors.

Ideally these are participants, though they can be staff members, who act as greeters and welcomers to the site. These site ambassadors can greet newcomers and explain things like the community agreements, the grievance procedure, and any way the site solicits feedback from participants. They can also welcome folks and generally act as the friendly front of the house.

Harm reduction leaders share that ideal candidates are participants who are naturally friendly and warm. In addition these ambassadors often make excellent eventual employees.

Featured Hacks

These featured hacks highlight creative, practical solutions from harm reduction leaders on the ground. From DIY tools to clever workarounds, each one reflects the ingenuity, care, and real-world experience that keeps this movement alive. 

Personal Boundaries

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The most important first step when it comes to preventing escalated situations is having a good sense of personal and professional boundaries when doing the work.
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Edie Springer’s Worker Stances for Clients Who Use Drugs & Harm Reduction Worker: Best Practices

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Harm reduction immediately resonated for Edie, who was herself a former drug user and methadone patient. Faced with the devastation of HIV’s impact on drug-using communities, Edie fully embraced harm reduction and trained hundreds of harm reduction workers who have carried her legacy with them. She developed these worker stances in 1996 and they have been shared among many of us in the harm reduction community for generations.
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