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Practical Hacks for Team Building and Community Unity

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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. 

Important Terms: Person First Language

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Generally, it’s important to use “person first language” when describing people who are marginalized due to some part of their identity being stigmatized, such as folks struggling with their substance use, people who do sex work, and folks living outside.
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Hacks for Service and Supply Management

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Many of the harm reduction leaders that were interviewed for Space Hacks talked about how critical it is to effectively manage services, supplies, and inventory in order to maintain community tranquility. It may not feel intuitive, but OGs report that ineffective management of supplies is the number one potential flashpoint for escalated situations during harm reduction services.
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