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Practical Hacks for Team Building and Community Unity

Beyond the abstract instructions for building community, like practicing equity and being fair, are some very concrete suggestions on building community that include:

  • Recognize contributions—Take the time to publicly recognize and acknowledge the contributions of all stakeholders.
  • Share food—Finding ways to share food builds a sense of trust and community.
  • Build Rituals and Traditions—Traditions and their attendant rituals are one of the hallmarks of communities. Building observances that acknowledge loss, and allowing people to tell their stories and celebrate their identities and their accomplishments, are especially important.
  • Go on Retreat—When and where possible, take time to bond away from your typical work-a-day space.
  • Do Activities as a Team—Consider other team building activities like happy hour, escape rooms, team sports, or collaborative games.

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. 

Over and over, harm reduction leaders interviewed for Space Hacks centered the creation of community as central to their efforts to create safe, humane harm reduction spaces services that are trauma-informed and minimize the potential for escalated situations.
Creating effective policies in harm reduction work means grounding them in your mission, being thoughtful about their impact, and ensuring they’re both practical and inclusive. The tips below offer a starting point for organisations looking to build policies that reflect their values, meet external requirements, and genuinely support the people they serve and work with.