WHAT WE WANT
0. Respectful behaviour: Maintain a fear free atmosphere and make possible that everyone can feel safe.
1. Assume good intentions: We are all here to learn and explore. If someone says something that is problematic or upsetting, address the individual behaviour with them or ask another for help.
2. Step up / step back: Have you been speaking a lot of the time? Are you someone with many social privileges who is comfortable engaging in passionate conversation and accustomed to being seen as authoritative? Consider “stepping back” i.e. pausing before jumping into the conversation. Conversely, are you someone who is shy or representing a social minority in the conversation, and/or uncomfortable voicing your opinions? Consider “stepping up” and saying something brave.
3. Be considerate of race, class, gender, sexuality, cultural background and avoid all forms of oppression.
4. Take time to understand each other. Ask others, where are you from? What gender pronouns do you prefer? How did you discover social activism? The better we know each other, the better we know how to treat each other.
5. Attention to gender roles and labour. Women tend to feel responsible for certain, tedious tasks like tidying up and preparing food. If you are accustomed to male privilege, please volunteer for cleaning and other feminized tasks.
6. Please help with the overall tidiness of the space.
7. Ask for permission whether you are going to take a group photo or use another individual’s notebook, when in doubt, please just ask.
8. We want the convergence to be a child-friendly space.
9. All animals need to be on lead because there are children and livestock on site.
10. No means no and yes means yes. Do not hesitate to ask for consent when in doubt.
WHAT WE DO NOT WANT
1. Attacks of any kind (verbal, physical, or emotional) and abusive, threatening, demeaning or deliberately offensive comments are unacceptable. Repeated occurrences of such behaviour can be ground for being asked to leave the conversion or the convergence.
2. Do not disrespect the space or the material objects present in the space.
