Learn how to stay safe, take action, and support your community through qualified and certified courses.
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If you find any errors, misinformation, disinformation, or want additions to the Academy, please email us at:
academy@alwaysreadytools.org
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Learn how the ART Academy works, how progress is tracked, and how to get certified for trusted roles.
Learn how to identify and safely report harmful state presence using the Community Watch tool.
A living agreement for anyone handling data or communications in the ART network.
Understand the training levels required to serve in dispatch and field leadership roles.
Learn the proper steps to submit a clear, verified Community Watch report safely and effectively.
A clear, step-by-step guide to using Signal Messenger — from setup and navigation to calls, muting, and privacy — written for all experience levels, including older or less tech-comfortable users.
How to sustain ART through community funding and help grow its network of pods, volunteers, and Dispatch Admins.
Understand the moral foundation and historical roots of ART Academy.
Learn how to choose, use, and dispose of burner phones safely while embedding them in a broader security culture for protests, cross-border travel, and mutual aid.
Learn the foundations of secure communication and digital safety in the ART Network.
Learn what ART is, how it works, and the values we operate by.
Learn the key rights you and your community members have during encounters with ICE or law enforcement.
Understand what is protected speech, how digital tools create risk, and how to make informed, collective decisions about app use, organizing, and visibility.
Learn how to handle livestreamers, journalists, and public exposure while protecting yourself, your pod, and sensitive information during actions.
Learn practical techniques to manage stress, avoid burnout, and build emotional resilience as a volunteer in high-pressure environments.
Learn what mesh networks are, why they matter, and how to send your first Meshtastic message.
Why total anonymity is nearly impossible in 2025, and how to redirect energy toward realistic security and resilience.
Learn how to identify, assess, and protect sensitive information from state and corporate surveillance using real-world methods adapted for community defense.
Learn how to use Signal for secure communications, with advanced workflows for pods and dispatch operations.
Overview of core field roles and links to specialized trainings for safe, coordinated action.
Learn how to confidently engage businesses and community members about ICE activity, share resources, and build lasting relationships without causing panic.
Learn how to receive, assess, and respond to ART dispatch activations safely and effectively.
Learn how to manage dispatch creation, access roles, and trust signatures in ART Dispatch — with clear boundaries on authority, audits, and accountability.
Learn how to link regional zones, share resources, and maintain operational trust across the decentralized network during crises and large-scale events.
Learn how to coordinate high-risk or sensitive incidents at the regional level while maintaining safety, integrity, and legal protection for all pods.
Learn how to securely manage volunteer, dispatch, and incident data at the regional level with ethical transparency and legal compliance.
Learn to verify, rotate, and audit trust signatures across regional nodes securely and transparently.
Learn how to manage regional operations, ensure ethical oversight, and maintain resilience across multi-pod or multi-region networks.
The advanced training path for regional and cross-regional administrators who manage trust, data, and coordination across the Always Ready Tools network.
Learn how to coordinate trusted responders using the ART Dispatch system safely and effectively.
Learn how to verify and safely publish community reports on the ART heatmap.
Learn how to carefully review and validate ICE-related community reports before publication.
Tools for repairing harm, mediating conflict, and sustaining trust without punishment or expulsion.
Build sustainable support systems for volunteers through rest rotations, nourishment planning, and environmental safety practices.
Learn how to run regular, trauma-informed check-ins that keep pods emotionally grounded and connected during ongoing work.
Learn how to safely accompany and support community members during immigration or criminal court proceedings.
Coordinate rides, release funds, and secure communication for detained comrades during and after actions.
Build systems for post-arrest legal support, community communication, and long-term recovery for affected volunteers and families.
Learn how to coordinate, communicate, and protect communities without relying on apps, phones, or digital systems.
Learn how to safely observe and document law enforcement or immigration checkpoints without escalating risk.
Learn to maintain communication and coordination when networks fail using mesh, LoRa, radio, and offline protocols.
Deepen your de-escalation skills for complex, multi-party, or high-stress situations — including crowd dynamics, trauma-informed responses, and tactical containment under pressure.
Learn trauma-informed care for crisis situations and peer support within field and mutual aid teams.
Learn to reduce shared risk through structured roles, exposure limits, and coordinated recovery after leaks or arrests.
Learn how to gather, assess, and relay critical on-the-ground information to dispatch teams safely and effectively during community operations.
Learn to debrief after difficult actions or trauma and support podmates through recovery, burnout, or breakdown with clarity and consent.
Learn practical techniques to calm tense situations, preserve dignity, and prevent harm in community or field settings.
Prepare for heat, cold, smoke, and storms during field or mutual aid operations using low-cost, field-tested safety practices.
Learn to anticipate volatile situations and coordinate safe exits, fallback points, and team transport during field operations.
Learn how to stay safe, alert, and coordinated in high-risk field environments through threat recognition, preparation, and team awareness.
Learn how to plan, stage, and sustain pods with fuel, supplies, and transport, including resupply and fallback staging for field actions.
Learn how to manage multi-injury emergencies, triage effectively, and coordinate medics, dispatch, and communication under pressure.
Learn essential first-aid skills including Stop the Bleed, CPR, and field triage to keep teams safe during actions.
Learn to recognize, de-escalate, and navigate interactions with National Guard or active-duty forces acting in domestic law enforcement or emergency roles.
Learn what to do before, during, and after hitting the ground with your pod — using a shared field checklist to stay safe, coordinated, and effective in real time.
Learn how to quickly and safely assess scenes, prioritize needs, and communicate essential information during emergencies before professional responders arrive.
Learn how to recognize trauma responses, speak up about safety concerns, and build a healthy risk culture that protects both individuals and the community over the long haul.
Foundational firearm safety, handling principles, and community risk protocols for field teams operating near or around weapons.
Build up your pod’s readiness with this step-by-step 8-week preparedness guide for resilient, connected communities.
A practical, community-first guide for survival, coordination, and dignity when systems fail.
Plan, scale, and sustain pod operations for multi-day, multi-pod, or long-term defense with ethical and secure logistics.
Learn how to choose, assess, and prepare Community Defense Center sites that are accessible, safe, and trusted by the community.
Learn how to manage supply flow, safety, and communication during active Community Defense Center operations.
Learn how to organize and synchronize community logistics operations across pods and regions during high-demand or crisis events.
Learn how to secure, localize, and sustain essential supplies for your pod or region when conventional supply chains fail.
Learn how to collaborate across regions and cultures with respect, transparency, and accountability while maintaining decentralized autonomy.
Frameworks for weighing risk, consent, and impact when planning or joining high-risk actions.
Learn how to recognize, analyze, and counter disinformation and infiltration campaigns targeting activist and mutual aid networks.
Learn to design actions, campaigns, and organizing systems guided by shared ethics, sustainability, and strategic foresight.
Design strategies that keep movements alive across generations through leadership rotation, cultural preservation, and infrastructure continuity.
Run secure, structured debriefs and reduce risk by applying strong data hygiene and ethical evidence retention practices.
Record incidents safely, legally, and ethically while protecting the people most at risk.
A crash course on key Supreme Court rulings that shape your right to privacy, search, and seizure — in public, in your car, and beyond.
Coordinate bail, liaise with legal teams, and provide post-arrest support safely — without compromising consent or operational security.
Identify, counter, and contain false reports or hostile narratives while maintaining trust and secure, verified communication.
Create fast, high-impact alert graphics for Signal or social media that improve response while maintaining operational security.
Learn how to plan, deploy, and operate a flexible Community Defense Center that anchors safety, outreach, and rapid response in your neighborhood.
Find regional entry points to connect with local ART pods or start one safely and securely.
30 modular video ideas to help Pod Creators recruit, educate, and organize safely with trust.
Learn how to use radios for secure, clear, and effective field coordination.
Learn practical methods for making transparent, collective, and time-sensitive decisions without losing trust or momentum.
Learn how to start a local response pod in areas without ART coverage.
Learn how to link pods across counties and regions, build fallback mutual aid networks, and coordinate communications during large-scale or multi-day actions.
Learn to plan, facilitate, and secure meetings across digital and physical spaces — balancing structure, inclusion, and situational awareness.
Learn how to guide, train, and support new dispatchers through active mentoring and thoughtful feedback.
Learn how to teach ART Academy material, mentor pod members, and scale knowledge across pods while maintaining consistency and trust.
Learn how to track arrests and detentions during actions, collect essential information safely, and coordinate with jail support teams for follow-up and release.
Learn how to interpret spoken language into American Sign Language (ASL) and vice versa during actions, meetings, and emergencies, ensuring full participation for Deaf and hard-of-hearing community members.
Learn how to coordinate bail, navigate jail procedures, and connect arrestees with legal and community support networks during and after detention.
Learn how to set up, manage, and sustain quiet or decompression zones during actions and events—creating safe spaces for rest, grounding, and emotional stabilization.
Learn how to protect, comfort, and stabilize children present or affected during actions, ensuring their physical and emotional safety through trauma-informed, developmentally appropriate care.
Support children and youth during tense or traumatic situations with trauma-informed, culturally safe, and coordinated care.
Learn how to connect immediate actions to lasting change through strategic planning, relational organizing, and structured community follow-up.
Learn to offer calm, compassionate presence outside courthouses after proceedings—supporting impacted individuals and families through grounding, listening, and quiet reassurance.
Learn to manage courthouse surroundings, maintain safety and order, monitor law enforcement behavior, and coordinate with legal observers during hearings or post-arrest support.
Learn trauma-informed and verbal de-escalation techniques to defuse tense situations, reduce harm, and maintain safety during public actions or mutual aid events.
Learn how to stand as a calm, visible deterrent to violence—protecting vulnerable groups through nonviolent presence, body positioning, and grounded awareness.
Learn how to assist community members with mobility, sensory, or neurodiverse needs before, during, and after actions using disability justice principles and trauma-informed care.
Learn how to assist dispatchers by managing updates, tracking team statuses, and ensuring accurate communication across field and command during operations.
Learn to track court dockets, hearings, and attendance updates for legal and observer teams—ensuring accurate, timely information flow between field, admin, and defense networks.
Learn how to provide spiritual, moral, and emotional grounding during actions and crises—supporting teams through reflection, ritual, and presence.
Learn to provide calm, trauma-informed, 1-on-1 grounding for people in emotional overwhelm—restoring safety, consent, and self-regulation without escalation or intervention.
Learn how to support non-citizens and mixed-status individuals through informed risk assessment, de-escalation, and coordination with trusted legal and advocacy resources.
Learn how to observe and document potential rights violations or misconduct during public actions, ensuring facts are preserved for later accountability and advocacy.
Learn to coordinate safely and effectively between field teams, dispatch, and legal defense networks, ensuring clear, timely, and secure information flow during legal processes.
Learn to document police presence and state behavior safely and credibly during protests or enforcement actions.
Learn how to serve as a legal support volunteer—observing, documenting, and coordinating with legal teams to protect community members’ rights during actions or crises.
Learn how to organize early arrivals, manage queue rotation, and maintain real-time updates for high-demand court appearances with professionalism and care.
Learn how to organize, manage, and distribute critical supplies like food, water, sanitation, and rest areas during actions, ensuring sustainability and comfort for teams and communities.
Learn how to engage with journalists and media crews safely, ensuring accurate coverage, respectful boundaries, and protection for vulnerable participants during public actions.
Learn how to provide compassionate, trauma-informed emotional care and grounding to participants during and after actions or crisis events.
Learn how to manage nighttime supply runs, quiet movement, and low-visibility coordination with safety, discretion, and precision.
Learn to coordinate safely and effectively with media, balancing transparency and protection of vulnerable participants during high-visibility actions and events.
Learn how to plan, execute, and confirm contactless resource drop-offs safely and discreetly while maintaining coordination with dispatch and supply networks.
Learn to move people, supplies, and information safely through decentralized, low-surveillance methods.
Learn how to manage crowd flow, identify hazards, and maintain group cohesion during public actions or mutual aid events while keeping everyone safe and calm.
Learn to observe, record, and report courthouse or law enforcement behavior calmly and accurately, maintaining safety and integrity while documenting potential misconduct.
Learn how to provide trauma-informed crisis care, emotional stabilization, and navigation of public or community support systems for individuals impacted during or after actions.
Learn how to provide emergency medical and trauma support during actions, including first aid, chemical exposure response, and psychological stabilization.
Learn to accompany and support survivors or witnesses through courthouse environments with care, consent, and grounded awareness from arrival through exit.
Learn how to identify, disrupt, and defend against digital surveillance or tracking attempts while maintaining legal, ethical, and operational safety for community members.
Learn to protect communications, detect surveillance, and defend digital operations without escalation or legal risk.
Learn how to configure, maintain, and troubleshoot radios, encrypted devices, livestreams, and communications tools during operations to keep the network online and secure.
Learn how to provide accurate, ethical, and real-time translation of speech or text during actions, meetings, and dispatch operations to ensure all participants have equal access to information.
Learn how to safely transport people, supplies, and teams while navigating dynamic or high-stress environments, ensuring reliable mobility and coordinated exits.
Learn how to roam between pods, clusters, or event zones to identify early signs of burnout, distress, or overheating—and provide calm, proactive care before crises occur.
Certification for volunteers fluent in ASL to interpret securely during field actions, legal briefings, and pod coordination.
Certification for volunteers who provide calm, grounding, and spiritual or moral support during field actions and recovery, without proselytizing.
Certification for volunteers supporting survivors and witnesses through courthouses or stressful public environments with consent, calm, and security awareness.
Certification for bilingual or multilingual volunteers providing live translation during field actions, legal work, and coordination while maintaining neutrality and confidentiality.
Certification for volunteers maintaining, staging, and operating vehicles for pods and mutual aid missions with safety, security, and reliability.
Learn how to operate when Signal fails, the internet is down, or surveillance increases — using radios, runners, fallback sites, and low-tech systems to keep community defense alive.
Understand how to protect sensitive data using end-to-end encryption, choose strong passphrases, and share securely.
Recommended hardware, antennas, power systems, and accessories for Meshtastic pod and multi-pod operations.
Learn how to buy, configure, and operate Meshtastic devices for your pod (3–15 nodes) with secure, reliable off-grid communication.
Learn to design, scale, and sustain Meshtastic networks for multi-day or multi-pod actions (15–100+ nodes) while maintaining security and operational resilience.
Learn to use Proton and CryptPad to replace surveillance-based tools with encrypted, privacy-respecting systems for activist, dispatch, and mutual aid operations.
Explore the moral framework behind abolitionist resistance and learn to replace punishment with care, repair, and liberation in practice.
Learn how to respect collective consent, agency, and self-determination in mutual aid, dispatch, and grassroots actions.
Understand how colonial histories shape today’s organizing, why land context matters for mutual aid, and how pods can act in material solidarity with Indigenous communities.
Explore real-world case studies of difficult decisions pods face, from resource allocation to risk balancing, and practice making values-driven choices under pressure.
Learn how to make collective decisions about escalation, de-escalation, and tactics to keep actions aligned with community goals and safety.
Trace the long tradition of mutual aid in movements for justice and learn how these practices evolved into today’s community defense and care networks.
Learn to assess and manage physical, legal, emotional, and digital risks in collective action to protect your team and sustain long-term resistance.
Learn how to fund and sustain pods without compromising autonomy, avoid exploitative funding traps, and build transparent resource-sharing systems.
Learn how to recognize state and corporate tactics like infiltration, surveillance, and disinformation, and how to build resilience against them.