Meeting Ground Rules & Guidelines
NEWCOMERS
Please acquaint yourselves with the meeting format and rules and to ensure you have access to Zoom with video enabled. Newcomers must attend a meeting first. No newcomers will be let in to the meeting late.
LATECOMERS
Will be let into the Zoom meeting somewhere between 6:50 and 7:00pm. After that time, no one will be let in.
Some General Group Rules:
Zoom Meeting Etiquette & Guidelines:
Detailed ASCA Meeting Guidelines:
Do:
Show respect for each other and for the group
Stick only to supportive feedback
Speak about your own feelings and experience and use “I” statements
Remain seated during the meeting, and avoid making noise which can be distracting to others.
When in doubt, tone down your comments or ask for clarification from the Co-Facilitators, and
Please observe the time limits allotted for your share
Don’t:
Don’t shout or use excessive profanity in the group
Don’t use “should” statements or give advice to the speaker
Don’t criticize, belittle, attack, or “tease” anyone in the group
Don’t try to psychoanalyze someone’s share and please
Don’t interrupt another speaker or have side conversations
In addition, we ask that you observe ASCA guidelines:
1) Arrive on time and remain until the conclusion of the meeting
2) ASCA meetings are exclusively for adult survivors of physical, sexual, or emotional
childhood abuse. No observers please.
3) This is an anonymous meeting. Only first names are used.
4) What you hear today is told in confidence and should not be repeated outside this meeting.
5) We ask that no one attend our meeting under the influence of alcohol or drugs, unless the medication is prescribed by a physician.
6) ASCA meetings are not intended for survivors who are currently perpetrating abuse on others. Talking about your own acts of present OR past perpetrator type behavior is not permissible.
7) Language that is considered derogatory concerning race, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or other minority status is unacceptable
8) While we acknowledge humor can have an important role in healing, we also recognize how open laughter might be experienced as uninvited feedback. Please use your discretion and judgement around this at all times, and for the benefit of all members we ask that verbal responses to a speaker be made only while offering supportive feedback.
9) There is an opportunity at the end of each meeting to offer ASCA related announcements pertaining specifically to this or other ASCA groups' business and policy agendas. We welcome you to share any other healing-related announcements, such as notifications of relevant films, books, articles, speakers, events, or other personal recommendations, during your individual share time.
10) By participating in ASCA meetings we all agree to abide by the spirit of ASCA, our guidelines and ground rules, as well as any interventions made by the co-facilitators
NEWCOMERS
Please acquaint yourselves with the meeting format and rules and to ensure you have access to Zoom with video enabled. Newcomers must attend a meeting first. No newcomers will be let in to the meeting late.
LATECOMERS
Will be let into the Zoom meeting somewhere between 6:50 and 7:00pm. After that time, no one will be let in.
Some General Group Rules:
- Arrive on time and remain until the conclusion of the meeting.
- ASCA mtgs are exclusively for adult survivors of physical, sexual, or emotional abuse. No observers please.
- ASCA mtgs are not intended for survivors who are currently perpetrating abuse on others.
- Talking about your own acts of present perpetrator type behavior is not permissible. Talking in detail about past perpetrator behavior is also not permissible.
Zoom Meeting Etiquette & Guidelines:
- Mute your microphone when not talking.
To help keep background noise to a minimum, make sure you mute your microphone when you are not speaking. - Be mindful of background noise.
When your microphone is not muted, avoid activities that could create additional noise, such as shuffling papers. - Position your camera properly.
If you choose to use a web camera, be sure it is in a stable position and focused at eye level, if possible. Doing so helps create a more direct sense of engagement with other participants. - Limit distractions.
You can make it easier to focus on the meeting by turning off notifications, closing or minimizing running apps, and muting your smartphone. - Avoid multitasking. Please refrain from replying to emails or text messages during the meeting.
- More light is better. Video quality is dramatically improved with more lighting.
- Try to look into the camera. If you’re presenting or speaking, looking into the camera will give the appearance of eye contact.
- Do your own tech support before you start. Make sure you do a test run at some point, and that you’re aware of your audio and video settings before you start.
- Don’t eat during the meeting. It can be a little unpleasant for others to watch people eat.
- Don’t do other private things while in a meeting. It can be easy to forget that people can hear or see you if you’re in a group of people, so don’t risk it!
- Stay focused and be present. It can get very hard to be productive when several people are all talking at once, and even more so when overlapping audio and shuffling video screens are involved.
Detailed ASCA Meeting Guidelines:
Do:
Show respect for each other and for the group
Stick only to supportive feedback
Speak about your own feelings and experience and use “I” statements
Remain seated during the meeting, and avoid making noise which can be distracting to others.
When in doubt, tone down your comments or ask for clarification from the Co-Facilitators, and
Please observe the time limits allotted for your share
Don’t:
Don’t shout or use excessive profanity in the group
Don’t use “should” statements or give advice to the speaker
Don’t criticize, belittle, attack, or “tease” anyone in the group
Don’t try to psychoanalyze someone’s share and please
Don’t interrupt another speaker or have side conversations
In addition, we ask that you observe ASCA guidelines:
1) Arrive on time and remain until the conclusion of the meeting
2) ASCA meetings are exclusively for adult survivors of physical, sexual, or emotional
childhood abuse. No observers please.
3) This is an anonymous meeting. Only first names are used.
4) What you hear today is told in confidence and should not be repeated outside this meeting.
5) We ask that no one attend our meeting under the influence of alcohol or drugs, unless the medication is prescribed by a physician.
6) ASCA meetings are not intended for survivors who are currently perpetrating abuse on others. Talking about your own acts of present OR past perpetrator type behavior is not permissible.
7) Language that is considered derogatory concerning race, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or other minority status is unacceptable
8) While we acknowledge humor can have an important role in healing, we also recognize how open laughter might be experienced as uninvited feedback. Please use your discretion and judgement around this at all times, and for the benefit of all members we ask that verbal responses to a speaker be made only while offering supportive feedback.
9) There is an opportunity at the end of each meeting to offer ASCA related announcements pertaining specifically to this or other ASCA groups' business and policy agendas. We welcome you to share any other healing-related announcements, such as notifications of relevant films, books, articles, speakers, events, or other personal recommendations, during your individual share time.
10) By participating in ASCA meetings we all agree to abide by the spirit of ASCA, our guidelines and ground rules, as well as any interventions made by the co-facilitators
