Creating Change
How do you move from a culture that accepts or even promotes hazing to one that is inclusive and supportive of all individuals? How can a group express its appeal without humiliating, testing, or abusing its members? Culture is built by what we do and when we begin to do things positively, negative elements are no longer the norm. Breaking social norms and cycles of hazing is not impossible. Everyone needs to have a voice, be proactive, and get involved in creating a positive change.
Appreciative Inquiry
Most of us are accustomed to a problem-solving approach in which we identify the problem, brainstorm solutions, and come to some sort of consensus about how to change things. Appreciative Inquiry takes a different approach and is especially effective in hazing interventions because it builds on the positive, rather than trying to punish or change the negative. The desired outcome is to preserve what is best about a group, team or organization by identifying it and finding ways to highlight it.
Recognize that your group has many good qualities. Ask if those qualities are reflected in your actions, or whether those outside your group see something different. Keep these qualities in mind as you move on to the next phase.
As a team or group, ask yourselves:
- What is great about our team/organization?
- What do we do best?
- What are our greatest qualities?
- What are our proudest moments or accomplishments?
- Recall the high points of our organization: What happened? How did we feel at the time? What were the challenges? How did we overcome them? What made it a high point?
- What do you contribute to the university? Society? Each other?
Talk with each other about the following questions:
- What are the things we value the most? Are those things apparent to the outside observer?
- How are we viewed by those outside of our organization? Do they see what we see?
- What do we want to be known for?
- How do our leaders and our members contribute to the organization we want to be? To the image we want to project?
- What kinds of things can we do to showcase the best of our organization?
- Make a list of goals for your organization. What is it you want to do?
Examples might include:
- Creating a tightly knit community where academic excellence is supported
- Choosing a nonprofit organization to raise funds or volunteer.
- Engaging in political activism on issues of importance to the group.
- Launching an educational campaign on campus about an important issue.
Work with your group to plan what activities, events, promotions or actions you could undertake to achieve your goals.
- Think about how you communicate to new members (both in words and actions).
- How can you draw a direct connection between your goals and what you accomplish? For example, if you want to build a close-knit community, what can you do that accomplishes that? Hint: Research shows that humiliating, harming or embarrassing your peers does NOT build community. It also shows that inclusive activities are an important way to transmit your culture from year-to-year. Think about what your activities could look like and how they would achieve your vision for your group.
- How can you build capacity in your new members to carry on the traditions you are most proud of?
- How can you create a culture where humiliation, harm or embarrassment are not acceptable? How can you make this exercise sustainable so future members become part of the new, healthier group culture?
For each event you plan, keep asking yourselves, "How does this activity help us accomplish our goals?" Be honest and specific enough so you can draw a direct line between the goal (e.g. building a community that works towards ending poverty) and the activity (e.g. a Habitat for Humanity house-building weekend).
Choose several of the activities and events you designed and put them into action by assigning members to organize them and create a timeline. Be sure to promote your activities widely on your social media and websites. It will help others to understand what you are all about and it will also keep your future members on track!
One group that went through an Appreciative Inquiry process was especially proud of the fact that they were an inclusive group that had incredibly close friendships. They realized, however, that they were not very effective at communicating this outside of the group and had an unfavourable reputation in the neighbourhood. They decided they needed to change the way they conducted themselves, including being more sensitive to their community. They planned some activities that would include the community so that they could showcase their lived values.
Alternatives to Hazing
Simply banning celebrations or traditions that have involved hazing has the potential to drive hazing activities underground. Orientation and initiation activities are important so new members can get to know each other and learn about the group. Focus on activities that build cohesion and community. Remember that the same activity can be hazing or non-hazing depending on the context. Performing a skit can be hazing if the performers are humiliated or degraded. A scavenger hunt can turn into hazing if the list includes stealing items or doing embarrassing or humiliating things.
Following are some examples of alternatives to hazing that could accomplish your group's goals:
- Collect money for a local charity
- Hold an event (car wash, bake or craft sale) with proceeds going to a favourite cause
- Neighborhood cleanup day and community BBQ
- Volunteer for a local program or service (serve weekly meals at a local shelter, participate in a mentorship program, volunteer to play games at a seniors residence, etc.)
- Community, campus or facility beautification project
- Hold a game (hockey, football, dodgeball) or plan a tournament
- Round-robin recreational games
- Bowling with non-dominant hand
- Climbing wall challenge
- Scavenger hunt or amazing race
- Cardio or weight sessions at the gym
- Ropes/Climbing Wall Challenge
- Go skating at City Hall
- Group meals
- Hold group study sessions
- Attend campus events (lectures, concerts, plays) as a group
- Include icebreaker questions in your regular group meetings or discussions:
- "If I had a billion dollars, I would…"
- "If I could meet anyone in the world for coffee, it would be..."
- "The most Important thing I want to accomplish is…"
- "My ideal year would include…"
- Hold a formal dinner or ceremony to welcome new members
- Add the members' names to a wall, plaque or other method of recognition
- Invite alumni to welcome the newcomers
- Set up a big brother/big sister mentoring program for new members. The mentor's responsibilities could include teaching the new members about the history and values of the organization, monitoring their academic progress, or taking them out for lunch or dinner to see how they are doing
- Hold discussions on the history and values of the organization
- Invite members to discuss how the organization upholds and demonstrates these values
- Bring in a speaker on a topic you are passionate or curious about
Check out other alternatives to hazing at: