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Centering Teams in Practice
Care &
Collaboration
Toolkit
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CONTENTS
SUSTAINABLE PATH
FOR THE FUTURE OF JOURNALISM
Journalists have asked us countless times to share more about how we’ve created a democratic, care-centered workplace—and how they can apply that to their newsrooms. We’ve put a lot of time, energy, and research into making The Appeal what it is today, and we’re excited to share it with you.
We truly believe we can build newsrooms that have an impact, are financially resilient, engage our audiences, and that support our journalists. We hold ourselves accountable to the values of real equity, transparency, and self and community-care that we want to model both for ourselves and our news industry.
In a dire media landscape, our model as a worker-led nonprofit newsroom offers a new, sustainable path for the future of journalism. We’ve rethought how newsrooms operate and want other newsrooms to learn from our mistakes and our successes.
This toolkit includes advice, guides and resources for more sustainable approaches to becoming a newsroom where people feel supported and proud to work—regardless of your business model or structure. It aims to provide practical tools and guidance to help you transform your newsroom in both big and small ways.
Read How We Got Here ⟶
SOLUTIONS
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SUPPORT
Centering Teams in Practice
Care &
Collaboration
Toolkit
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How to create bylaws for a worker-led newsroom
Giving your staff the legal power to make organizational decisions.
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How to build a board of directors that ACTUALLY helps
Customizing your board to your organization’s needs to avoid common pitfalls and maximize support.
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HOW TO BUILD EQUITABLE & THRIVING SALARIES
Figuring out a compensation model is challenging, but can be very rewarding.
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HOW to help prevent journalist burnout
Empowering people to live their life at work and beyond in six small ways.
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How to take a collective break
Resting when our audience rests ensures we can better meet their needs.
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How to host newsroom reflection sessions
Creating space for listening and problem-solving at times of high stress.
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How to find vendors that align with your values
Making sure your bank, fiscal sponsor, HR and other partners reflect and support your culture.
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How to work with incarcerated writers
Centering the voices of the people directly impacted by the issues we cover.
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best practices for working with freelancers
Extending organizational values to your freelance relationships.
transform
your newsroom in
both big and small ways
ADVICE
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GUIDES
Centering Teams in Practice
Care &
Collaboration
Toolkit
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Click here to see more resources
Centering Teams in Practice
Building Newsrooms That SPUR Impact
and Support Journalists
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RETURN TO Care & Collaboration Toolkit
The Appeal is a nonprofit news organization dedicated to exposing the harms of the criminal legal system, equipping readers with the information they need to make change, and elevating solutions that emerge from communities most impacted by policing, jails, and prisons.
In a country where nearly half of all American adults have had an immediate family member incarcerated, we are committed to sharing untold stories of incarcerated people, holding power to account, and examining alternatives to the criminal legal system.
As one of the first worker-led, nonprofit news organizations in the country, The Appeal is partnering with RJI to provide deeper insights on how to center care and collaboration in all types of organizations. This toolkit goes behind the scenes, offering practical tools and guidance for transforming newsrooms in both big and small ways.
Learn More About Us ⟶