What is Eliot’s Restoring Right Relations Policy?

Our Covenant asks us to bring our best selves to Eliot. Even so, conflict happens. When it  does, our Covenant asks us to make an effort to resolve conflicts and repair relationships in a direct and caring manner. 

Many will choose to manage conflict independently. All members of the Eliot community may request assistance from Eliot Institute leaders to resolve issues. The Eliot Board has adopted the Restoring Right Relations policy as a framework to repair harm and re-establish community safety while focusing on healing and learning for all individuals involved. It can be used any time that conflict arises in connection with an Eliot-sponsored activity. 

If a conflict occurs, and an Elioteer would like help resolving it, the first step would be to report to the Deans and/or Board Rep for the camp. The leadership then explains the process. If the individual chooses to proceed, the leadership would then form a team to meet with the parties involved individually to gather facts, learn about the impact of the incident, and understand what the parties would like by way of remedy. Then the team would invite the parties to  participate in a facilitated discussion to better understand from each other what happened,  how each experienced the event, and what each needs to be restored to right relationship. Finally, once the parties have identified steps for repair, the team records those in writing, and the parties come to an agreement about what information about the process can be shared  with others.  

A link to the full policy can be found here on the Eliot website.

Submitted by the Right Relations Task Force: Heidi Alford, Lauren Mac Neill, Bonnie McDaniel, Karen Valbuena, Elisa Wells