HAEQS is a decentralized group, meaning that we all belong to it, but member can pursue / organize projects / events independently and share with the rest of the group. We want that anybody has the freedom to organize an event, but also that we wont end up with questionable events / people in the process.

Check out what we’re currently working on (and update the list if appropriate):
we.riseup.net/haeqs/projects

Here are our event guidelines to help you. They are meant to help you not forget anything, but don’t stress about them. :)

EVENT GUIDELINES ENGLISH¶

Since HAEQS events should work somewhat decentralized (meaning any member of our group can organize/host an event) we thought it would be a good idea to have some basic guidelines to help organizers. Mainly they will help to remember to provide all necessary information in the event description, so consider this a friendly how-to :)

>>>> IMPORTANT: ANYONE CAN ORGANIZE AN EVENT! <<<<<

You do not have to be an expert on [topic of event] – you could organize a film evening, or invite a speaker you know. Maybe you want to know more about what a RaspberryPi is and how it works, so you organize a Pi workshop! If you’ve ever thought “Wouldnt it be cool to have an event that [your idea]” then THAT is the event you should definitely organize! :)))

Also, please remember that YOU have a skill/ knowledge about something the rest of us dont! From crafting to poetry to soldering to zine making to programming an LED board, all things widen our knowledge of the world, and our horizons, and all these could be shared in amazing events! :)
(And if you have an idea but dont know where to start, please write to the list and people will help make it happen!)
Just some ideas: a reading group (reading fiction in hackers & giving it a critiqual analysis, creating digital poetry), writing, crochet your computer!, nerdy cross-stitch, creating a website for nerdy cross stitch, film evenings, digital zine making, how does my phone actually work?, watching talks from other conferences… everything is possible!

HAEQS should be a place of diverse ideas, but in order for that to happen the responsibility to create this diversity lies with each one of us! Some people have more time and_or energy than others, and some prefer to work in the background while others dont mind taking bolder steps. The strength of a group comes from working together so everyone moves together, so please help foster this diversity and take on some of the (beautiful) responsibility of creating this fantastic utopian queer hack paradise! :)

Suggesting an Event¶

We were trying to come up with a way to make sure anybody had the freedom to organize an event, but making sure that we wont end up with questionable events/ people in the process. So we thought we could do it like this:

If you want to organize a HAEQS event, write an email to the list with a short description (what’s your idea/event), and a little bit about yourself (for members that maybe dont know you yet, or if you’re pretty new to the group). The list then has 3 days to react. If a member of the group has concerns, these can be discussed either on the mailing list (simply reply to the event email), or the person can write to the list admins (to be determined, we hope to find 3-4 people who would be up for that? HINT HINT!) to help facilitate. In that case the member would be known only to the mod(s), and they would act on the concerned person’s behalf.

If you invite speakers/ workshop facilitators: PAY them!
It’s only fair to offer some sort of compensation if you’re asking people to speak/ teach at your event. At this time we don’t have any funds to help, but you could raise some funds to pay speakers by asking for donations/ fundraising beforehand. A lot of times we assume that speakers will generate money from exposure in the long run, sadly, that doesn’t pay the rent. So we should never just assume somebody is able to work for free.
That said, there are speakers who will be able to do that. Also, sometimes you can work out a deal with speakers, like trade skills. Don’t be discouraged – there usually is an option. And even if we cant pay somebody right now, maybe in a couple of months we will have raised some funds to do so and can invite them then! :)

Event Description¶

should include:

1. TITLE, TIME, DATE
2. DESCRIPTION
3. ACCESSIBILITY INFO
4. INFO ABOUT €€ (free, [mandatory] donations, workshop fee, material costs, etc)
5. LINK TO CoC

AD 1 – TITLE, TIME, DATE
pretty self-explanatory ;)

AD 2 – DESCRIPTION

• ideally in multiple languages (at least one of them german or english)
• please give info about knowledge level (“for everyone”, “beginners welcome”, “should have some knowledge of XXXX”, etc…). like, if you wanna screen some CCC talks some previous knowledge might be required to follow it (or not, some talks are for all levels). be mindful that our group is diverse and some members might have different knowledge & experiences from you.
• if applicable, state technical requirements (e.g. “bring your own notebook”, “please install (specific software)”)
• is it a smoke-free event? where can people smoke?
• drinks & food: are drinks/food available? alocoholic/non-alc? (could also be a sober event?); food: are there vegan options? important: please provide an approximate price range on drinks/food.
• if the venue has a special Code of Conduct/ other rules, please link to them

AD 3 – ACCESSIBILITY

• please provide info about barriers: are there steps/ different levels; are doors wide enough for wheelchairs; are bathrooms accessible?
• languages: what language is the event in, will there be translation/ are people present who could translate (if yes, which languages? sign language transl possible?)
• are there enough chairs or might people have to stand/ sit on floor? ideally give people a chance to “reserve” seating (some people cant stand/ sit on floor for any length of time)
• children: is the space child-friendly? is childcare available?
• dogs: dogs welcome? (you can specify something like “only on leash”, “keep close”, “no dogs” etc.). it would be amazing if the space would allow service animals (dogs that help with anxiety, ptsd, etc).

AD 4 – INFO ABOUT €€
is the event free? are you asking for donations (from € – €€?)? are there workshop fees and/or costs for material? room fees?

AD 5 – LINK TO CoC
This one is also pretty self-explanatory, please link to our Code of Conduct. You can specify which person(s) at your event will mediate if there are any problems (or at least ask somebody if they would do it and then announce it at the event). Ideally that would be more than one person (but one is fine too).

Feel free to edit these guidelines!
Also see our pad: pad.riseup.net/p/haeqsEventGuidelines

Default policies of events¶

Here is how we usually handle things at the Wednesday meetups at xHain.

• Language: Most of our events are in English. There are usually people who speak German and can translate some words or help out with language questions. Some of us also speak more languages, such as French, Italian, Spanish… (feel free to add ;) )
• Smoking: xHain is smoke-free, people can smoke in front of the door.
• Drinks & Food: There is beer, Mate and lemonade available for 1.50-2€. The may be tea, too. Usually there is no food provided, but people can bring their own and eat it there.
• Wheelchair accessibility: xHain can be entered by wheelchair, but unfortunately the bathroom is not accessible.
• Other accessibility: Usually the lights are low. There may be noises from the 3D printer or other equipment though.
• Chairs: There are ~10 chairs and two sofas, so usually nobody needs to stand.
• Children: Usually people do not bring their kids is the evening. During the day it would be possible, but there is only one room.
• Dogs: Dogs are welcome and usually there are 1-2 people who bring their dog.
• Money: The events are free. Donations for xHain are appreciated, but not mandatory. It is possible to become a member of xHain to financially support the space, which some of us are. However, there are also some who cannot contribute money, and that is fine, too. Don’t worry about it :)