Policies

Do I really need to check my email?
Deep’s primary method of communication is email. Please make it a priority to check your inbox at least once every few days.

 

I can’t make it to an upcoming workshop. What should I do?
When you agree to be a writing fellow, you commit to be present at all workshops. This is a commitment to the youth in your workshop, not just to Deep. If you’re aware of a date you absolutely must miss, please let the staff know as far in advance as possible (at least a week.) We can arrange for a sub to take your place in the classroom to support your partner in your absence. It is your responsibility to plan and comment with your partner to prep for the week you will miss.

Life happens, and sometimes unforeseeable circumstances mean a writing fellow must miss a workshop. If you need a sub within 48 hours of your workshop, please let your partner know, then email  and call Deep staff. This ensures that we’re aware of the situation, and that a sub will be prepared to make your workshop as Deep as it can be.

 

Our schedules are tough to coordinate. Can I plan with my partner via email?
No. In the rare case that it isn’t possible to plan in person (one of you is out of town, perhaps), then Skype or set aside the time for a phone call. E-mailing before you meet is a great idea, (if you want to share readings, ideas) but you really need some voice-on-voice contact to plan effectively. This is the number one reason workshops fail. When fellows don’t plan plan in person, there isn’t ownership of the plan from both people, which affects workshop quality—and young people notice and their experience suffers for it.

 

This “post-workshop assessment”—when should we do it? Can it wait until we meet again to plan?
Jot something down on your post-workshop assessment worksheet immediately after EVERY workshop. No excuses. This takes 3 minutes if you stay focused and are anticipating it each time. If you want to expand on your assessment when you meet to plan, that’s great, but it is very important that you think about these questions right after every workshop—reflection is an integral part of the Deep method.

 

What should I wear?
Wear your blue Deep t-shirt to every workshop. This marks you as a safe adult in the school. Also, please use the school dress policy for teachers as your guidelines. No shorts, mini skirts, ripped up Deep t-shirts, etc.

 

Our authors are showing up late to the workshop. What gives? What should I do?
There are a few things that will help in this situation (besides letting Deep staff know right away).

  1. Remind the office to make an announcement before dismissal starts. This usually sounds like “The Deep program meets today (where and when). Deep students please do not get on the bus/remain in your homerooms until called/report to [ed fellow’s] room.”
  2. Ask your ed fellow what might be happening. Part of their job is to support you with attendance, so recruit them to help look for/follow up with youth.
  3. Split up. It’s totally fine for one of the writing fellows to slip away during the first five minutes of the workshop to troubleshoot attendance problems—visit the band room, bargain with the soccer coach, etc.
  4. Ask the authors in your workshop! You’d be surprised at how effective this can be—they can usually help you get to the root of the problem or communication breakdown very quickly.
  5. Let Deep staff know if you’re having trouble. We can offer suggestions.

 

What happens after the workshop is over?
Our post-workshop procedures are important. All writing fellows are required to follow these procedures:

  1. Dismiss walkers and wait with car-riders at pickup location.
  2. If a writer has been waiting longer than 15 minutes for a ride, seek the assistance of the ed fellow, who should be available in person or by phone.
  3. Troubleshoot with youth who aren’t picked up by talking to them about their plans for getting home, and helping youth call their parent or guardian. (Do not take guidance from someone who is not a parent or a guardian.)
  4. Call Deep staff.
  5. If Deep staff cannot be reached, directly call SCCPSS Campus Police at (912) 395-5536. Campus Police can drive by the house and, if a guardian is able to receive them, drive the youth home.
  6. Never leave youth alone or with an adult who is not authorized to escort them. Do not give youth a ride in your car.

 

If a writer misses more than 2 workshops, do you really cut them from the book? How hard-and-fast is the maximum absence rule?
Honestly, the only person authorized to make an exception to this rule is YOU, the writing fellow. Employ this at your discretion. Remind writers that there are consequences if they miss two workshops. Our advice is to enforce it so strictly that if a kid feels they are in danger of missing three workshops, they will come to you begging to make an exception (in which case you are authorized to do so based on their attitude and dedication.) So, we leave this to you, and urge you to use it. We don’t have a lot of rules, but this one is pretty helpful if you use it.

 

I’m concerned about something an author wrote or mentioned in class. What should I do?
Contact Deep staff immediately. Do not promise the youth confidentiality. As a nonprofit that works with young people, we (and anyone affiliated with Deep) are legally and ethically obligated to report any case where we suspect that a young person is being harmed by others, or is causing harm to others or to themselves. While writers must feel open and free to share their scary thoughts and experiences with us, we must remember that as adults, our foremost responsibility is to their safety. Deep staff will walk with you through our mandated reporting protocol and the follow-up.

Steps to take if you’re worried about a writer’s safety:

  1. Talk with the writer. If you feel comfortable doing so, try to get clarification by approaching the author in a low-stakes, but serious conversation (a semi-private setting is best). The most important thing is to make them feel comfortable enough to be honest. You could ask, “Is this piece based on something that happened in your life? Or is it a metaphor?” and “Tell me more about what inspired this.” Avoid words like “Is this true?” which could make writers feel like they’ve done something wrong or bad. Let them know you’re asking because you care about them, and reiterate that they haven’t done anything wrong. Do not promise to keep their writing private or a secret. Let them know that
  2. Alert Deep staff. (It’s okay to skip #1 if you are really unsure of how to proceed.)
  3. Take the next step, as prescribed by Deep staff. This might involve promptly filling out an incident report with details of your concerns, which we’ll pass on to the ed fellow and school counselor. If this incident stems from a piece of writing, you’ll include a copy with this report.