Dear WATCH Project Volunteers,

As the semester begins to wind down for many of you, we wanted to share several updates and reminders. Please read this email carefully for new updates.

Third Friday

Our next Third Friday coffee hour will be Friday, November 20th from 9-10am. This is an opportunity for you all to network with one another and staff from The Advocates. This month we will be discussing trends seen in the courts recently and answering your questions. We will also spend some time discussing jury trials and what to expect when observing them. As a reminder, the Third Friday discussions count as volunteer hours for those who need them for class. We encourage all volunteers to attend these sessions to maximize your volunteer experience. Please notify Elizabeth at emontgomery@advrights.org if you have any questions, or if you plan to attend and wish to obtain the Zoom link.

New Policies

1. We will be beginning a new policy for signing up beginning the week of Thanksgiving. We are requesting that volunteers sign up for shifts (in-person and remote) by 5pm on Sundays at the start of each week. This will allow for staff to plan for the week and to ensure you are able to get more out of your shifts. If you do wish to sign up after the deadline, please contact Elizabeth.

2. For those observing in-person in Hennepin County, I will be in the office Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays to meet you at the Hennepin County Government Center as usual. This set schedule is to limit my own exposure and to create consistency for everyone. Please contact me if there are questions or concerns about this.

For those volunteering on Wednesdays or Thursdays, there are two options. First, the regular clipboards with calendars and forms will be located at our office: 330 2nd Ave. S., Suite 800 (floor 8). This is located directly next to the Family Justice Center and about 3 blocks from the Government Center. Everything will be laid out with your name on it and I will notify staff to expect you. You will go to court as usual and then return everything to the office when done. I will also schedule a time to debrief with you after your shift.

The other option on those days is for you to be sent the calendar and forms in an email so you can simply go directly to court.

Signup Links for 2021

Speaking of shifts, with the new year approaching, we now have new  2021 sign-up calendars for each county. The links for these are listed below. As a reminder, court observation shifts are available in all three counties! Hennepin remains the only court with in-person shifts. Washington and Ramsey Counties remain remote. Volunteers are welcome to observe in any or all of the locations.

Other Reminders

1. Please keep our business casual dress code in mind. Jeans or pants, without tears, and an office-appropriate top are sufficient. For men, a button-down shirt or sweater is encouraged. Women, please avoid leggings and plan on wearing bottoms that are unripped and look office-appropriate. Jeans are acceptable without rips or tears. Please reach out to me if there are any questions about what is acceptable.

2. While electronics are allowed through security and outside of the courtroom, please make sure they are kept away in the courtroom.

3. Books, papers to edit, flashcards are all allowed during downtime. Please maintain partial attention on what is taking place in the courtroom during this time. While the courtroom may be almost empty, the attorneys may be discussing the fact that a case will not be heard today or a change of policy in their offices in between hearings.

4. Please keep in mind that our main focus is how the interest and safety of the victims are taken into consideration during the hearings.

5. Please also keep in mind that we do not speak unless we are spoken to. That being said, please feel free to respond to others. You are welcome to discuss where you go to school, what you are studying, what you are hoping to do, and other items like that. If asked why WATCH is observing remote hearings more, you may explain that remote hearings have facilitated the participation of more volunteers. You may add that since WATCH became a part of The Advocates for Human Rights, we have steadily worked to increase our volunteer presence in all three counties and to recruit more volunteers.  Please let Elizabeth know if there are any other discussions that have come up that you were unsure of how to respond.

6. Please double check all forms at the end of your shifts to ensure you have filled out the front and back of each form. This is for both in-person shifts and remote shifts.

As usual, please contact Elizabeth at emontgomery@advrights.org with any questions or concerns about volunteering, the court response to COVID, the 3^rd Friday coffee hours, or any other events.

Thank you for your dedication to ensuring the safety of women.

Thank you,
Elizabeth