A framework of questions to support trust, safety and the sustainability of operational continuity
| Response . | Example . |
|---|---|
| Communicating with emotional intelligence (trust and safety) | |
| Empathy check | When a crisis arises, how can I check in with the emotional states of my staff and community before making decisions? |
| Emotional balance | In what ways do I acknowledge my own emotions while staying focused on supporting others during high-stress moments? |
| Emotional awareness | What approaches can I use to identify and address signs of stress among my team, especially when their personal circumstances are at stake? |
| Exuding calm | How do I demonstrate composure and resilience so that my emotional responses do not escalate anxiety in others? |
| Responsive communication (trust and safety) | |
| Needs assessment | How can I systematically determine the most pressing needs of my community (physical, emotional, or informational) during a crisis? |
| Adaptive strategies | When existing communication channels fail (e.g. power outages, limited internet), what backup methods do I have in place to reach my school community quickly? |
| Community engagement | How can I create opportunities for parents, students, and staff to tell me what they need, so I can respond effectively and promptly? |
| Feedback loops | How can I gather ongoing feedback to ensure my response remains aligned with the community's evolving needs? |
| Communicating values (trust and sustainability) | |
| Core values | Which key values (e.g. safety, care, inclusivity) guide my decisions and messaging during a crisis? |
| Deeds aligned with words | How do I ensure that my decisions around resourcing (human and material) reflect the values I communicate? |
| Visibility of care | In what ways do I demonstrate care for the well-being of families and staff? |
| School community connectedness | What steps do I take to reinforce a sense of collective responsibility and belonging within my school community? |
| Ethical communication (trust, safety and sustainability) | |
| Advocacy and boundary setting | When education authorities make requests that I believe may harm staff, how comfortable am I in pushing back or negotiating on their behalf? |
| Integrity under pressure | How do I maintain honesty and transparency when delivering difficult news or facing conflicting demands? |
| Role modelling | How can I demonstrate ethical leadership so that staff and students see integrity in my decision-making? |
| Risk prediction and proactive decision-making (safety and sustainability) | |
| Preventative measures | How do I stay informed about emerging threats (e.g. wildfires) so I can initiate precautionary measures promptly? |
| Scenario planning | What processes are in place for evaluating worst-case scenarios and preparing contingency plans (e.g. early school closures)? |
| Timely communication | How do I share risk assessments with staff and the community without inciting undue panic? |
| Data-informed decisions | What types of evidence or expert input guide my judgment about whether and when to close the school or evacuate? |
| Engaging frontline staff (trust, safety and sustainability) | |
| Role clarity | To what extent are frontline staff aware of their specific communication responsibilities (e.g. managing phone trees, social media updates)? |
| Empowerment | In what ways do I empower frontline staff to make decisions quickly when I might not be immediately available? |
| Professional development | What professional learning do I provide so staff can handle high-pressure interactions or media inquiries effectively? |
| Feedback processes | How can I encourage frontline staff to share real-time insights or challenges so we can adapt our communication strategies during unfolding events ? |
| Receptive communication (trust and sustainability) | |
| Open dialogue | What avenues (formal and informal) exist for staff, parents, and students to voice their experiences or concerns after a crisis? |
| Community knowledge | In what ways do I learn from local expertise, such as long-time residents with crisis experience, beyond official protocols? |
| Follow-through | To what extent do I circle back to people who raise concerns or suggestions to update them on actions taken? |
| Iterative learning | After significant events, how do I incorporate stories and lessons learned into planning for future crises? |
| Communicating to build trust (trust and sustainability) | |
| Consistency | To what extent does my messaging remain consistent across different platforms (social media, newsletters, in-person announcements)? |
| Visible leadership | To what extent am I present and accessible in the community? |
| Clarity of purpose | How do I ensure that the school community understand the basis for my decisions? |
| Balancing realism and hope | How do I offer hope while still communicating the seriousness of the crisis? |
| Decisive communication (safety and trust) | |
| Collaboration and decisiveness | How do I balance the need for quick decisions with the value of seeking input from relevant stakeholders? |
| Timeliness | How quickly can I mobilise communication channels to disseminate critical information? |
| Navigating differences | When different stakeholder groups have opposing needs or perspectives, how do I resolve these tensions decisively? |
| Lessons learned | After taking action, how do I debrief with my leadership team and community to move forward? |
| Equitable communication (safety and trust) | |
| Inclusive outreach | Which communication methods ensure I reach parents or staff with limited internet access, language barriers, or additional vulnerabilities? |
| Fair prioritisation | How do I decide whose concerns or requests take priority when resources are scarce? |
| Cultural awareness | What cultural and linguistic factors do I need to consider that affect the clarity or reception of crisis messages? |
| Shared decision-making | When possible, how do I involve community members or representative groups in shaping crisis responses? |
| Response . | Example . |
|---|---|
| Communicating with emotional intelligence (trust and safety) | |
| Empathy check | When a crisis arises, how can I check in with the emotional states of my staff and community before making decisions? |
| Emotional balance | In what ways do I acknowledge my own emotions while staying focused on supporting others during high-stress moments? |
| Emotional awareness | What approaches can I use to identify and address signs of stress among my team, especially when their personal circumstances are at stake? |
| Exuding calm | How do I demonstrate composure and resilience so that my emotional responses do not escalate anxiety in others? |
| Responsive communication (trust and safety) | |
| Needs assessment | How can I systematically determine the most pressing needs of my community (physical, emotional, or informational) during a crisis? |
| Adaptive strategies | When existing communication channels fail (e.g. power outages, limited internet), what backup methods do I have in place to reach my school community quickly? |
| Community engagement | How can I create opportunities for parents, students, and staff to tell me what they need, so I can respond effectively and promptly? |
| Feedback loops | How can I gather ongoing feedback to ensure my response remains aligned with the community's evolving needs? |
| Communicating values (trust and sustainability) | |
| Core values | Which key values (e.g. safety, care, inclusivity) guide my decisions and messaging during a crisis? |
| Deeds aligned with words | How do I ensure that my decisions around resourcing (human and material) reflect the values I communicate? |
| Visibility of care | In what ways do I demonstrate care for the well-being of families and staff? |
| School community connectedness | What steps do I take to reinforce a sense of collective responsibility and belonging within my school community? |
| Ethical communication (trust, safety and sustainability) | |
| Advocacy and boundary setting | When education authorities make requests that I believe may harm staff, how comfortable am I in pushing back or negotiating on their behalf? |
| Integrity under pressure | How do I maintain honesty and transparency when delivering difficult news or facing conflicting demands? |
| Role modelling | How can I demonstrate ethical leadership so that staff and students see integrity in my decision-making? |
| Risk prediction and proactive decision-making (safety and sustainability) | |
| Preventative measures | How do I stay informed about emerging threats (e.g. wildfires) so I can initiate precautionary measures promptly? |
| Scenario planning | What processes are in place for evaluating worst-case scenarios and preparing contingency plans (e.g. early school closures)? |
| Timely communication | How do I share risk assessments with staff and the community without inciting undue panic? |
| Data-informed decisions | What types of evidence or expert input guide my judgment about whether and when to close the school or evacuate? |
| Engaging frontline staff (trust, safety and sustainability) | |
| Role clarity | To what extent are frontline staff aware of their specific communication responsibilities (e.g. managing phone trees, social media updates)? |
| Empowerment | In what ways do I empower frontline staff to make decisions quickly when I might not be immediately available? |
| Professional development | What professional learning do I provide so staff can handle high-pressure interactions or media inquiries effectively? |
| Feedback processes | How can I encourage frontline staff to share real-time insights or challenges so we can adapt our communication strategies during unfolding events ? |
| Receptive communication (trust and sustainability) | |
| Open dialogue | What avenues (formal and informal) exist for staff, parents, and students to voice their experiences or concerns after a crisis? |
| Community knowledge | In what ways do I learn from local expertise, such as long-time residents with crisis experience, beyond official protocols? |
| Follow-through | To what extent do I circle back to people who raise concerns or suggestions to update them on actions taken? |
| Iterative learning | After significant events, how do I incorporate stories and lessons learned into planning for future crises? |
| Communicating to build trust (trust and sustainability) | |
| Consistency | To what extent does my messaging remain consistent across different platforms (social media, newsletters, in-person announcements)? |
| Visible leadership | To what extent am I present and accessible in the community? |
| Clarity of purpose | How do I ensure that the school community understand the basis for my decisions? |
| Balancing realism and hope | How do I offer hope while still communicating the seriousness of the crisis? |
| Decisive communication (safety and trust) | |
| Collaboration and decisiveness | How do I balance the need for quick decisions with the value of seeking input from relevant stakeholders? |
| Timeliness | How quickly can I mobilise communication channels to disseminate critical information? |
| Navigating differences | When different stakeholder groups have opposing needs or perspectives, how do I resolve these tensions decisively? |
| Lessons learned | After taking action, how do I debrief with my leadership team and community to move forward? |
| Equitable communication (safety and trust) | |
| Inclusive outreach | Which communication methods ensure I reach parents or staff with limited internet access, language barriers, or additional vulnerabilities? |
| Fair prioritisation | How do I decide whose concerns or requests take priority when resources are scarce? |
| Cultural awareness | What cultural and linguistic factors do I need to consider that affect the clarity or reception of crisis messages? |
| Shared decision-making | When possible, how do I involve community members or representative groups in shaping crisis responses? |