REACH Code of Conduct

REACH Code of Conduct

• Be considerate, respectful, and collaborative
• Work proactively to prevent and de-escalate conflict
• Clean up after yourself
• Ask for accomodations
• Avoid active harm
• If asked to stop an interaction with another person, do so promptly
• Repeat infractions are grounds for suspension or ban
• Communicate with REACH Hosts and Stewards
  • Defer to the decisions of REACH Stewards in the moment

• Take other people’s needs and preferences into account
• Work with others to solve issues
  • Try amicable negotiation first
  • Ask for mediation if direct negotiation is unsuccessful
• Do not be a rules lawyer or look for loopholes in this Code of Conduct
  • Try to come to agreement rather than holding others to the letter of the law
• The document exists to give a sense of what to expect, but it can’t account for all possible eventualities and is likely to need updates in the future
  • If any REACH Steward seems to be contradicting the document, please defer to the steward in the moment and request clarity later

• Consider asking someone to mediate in cases of strong disagreement
• If you notice something that seems problematic, try to calmly raise the topic before it escalates, or find a REACH Host, Steward, or Panel member and report the issue

• Wash any non-disposable dishes you use
• If you create a mess, clean any soiled surfaces
• Throw away disposables in the appropriate bins
• Take out the waste if the bin you want to use is full
  • The outdoor bins are around the back through the gate in the red fence
• If you put anything in the fridge, write the current date on it
  • If you want it for yourself for later, put it in the small black fridge and label it with your name and the current date
    • Remember that it’s there and consume or throw it out within a week or so
  • If you want it to be available for anyone, put it in the top two shelves of the large fridge
  • Toss anything that has obviously gone bad or has been in the fridge for more than 2 weeks (don’t toss long lasting items like ketchup)

• If you are uncomfortable, it is always ok to ask for accommodation that would make you more comfortable
  • Possible accommodations include asking someone to move an interaction to a side room, stop an activity, or leave the space
  • REACH can't promise to always give the accommodation, but people visiting REACH are expected not to punish people for asking for accommodation
• In the case of competing access needs, please attempt to find and follow the course of action that leads to the least harm/discomfort
  • If you have the spoons (physical and/or emotional energy) to accommodate someone with fewer spoons, please try to do so
• If there is disagreement about which course of action would best fulfill the request for accommodation, defer to decision of the REACH Host or on-call Steward and raise the issue for discussion later if you disagree with the decision
  • If no REACH Host is present, use Discord to inform a Steward about the issue (this should be rare)
  • If immediate action is needed, text or call

• Try to avoid actions that have a high likelihood of harming others
  • Note: some events may explicitly involve activities you find uncomfortable -- if so, take care of yourself by leaving the space if the activities are harmful to you
• If you are unsure if an action would cause harm or discomfort but would like to do it, check with a REACH Host
  • If you’re on the fence, err on the side of caution
• Try to avoid making loud sounds while others do focused work

• If someone asks you to stop doing something to or with them, stop immediately (or as quickly as safely possible)
  • If you feel that your activity is or should be acceptable in the current context, you are welcome to ask why you’ve been asked to stop
• Overt aggression, name calling, and raised voices in response to being asked for accommodation are usually interpreted as escalation; please try to avoid these when possible
• If asked to leave the space by a Host, please comply without delay

• REACH Stewards have the authority to enact suspensions in the moment
  • Steward suspensions can range from a day to a week.
  • The panel will at least briefly discuss the suspension within two weeks, deciding whether to leave the temporary suspension up or not.
  • The panel may not be able to fully resolve the suspension immediately, but will communicate with the suspended person every two weeks about the status of the decision until a formal formal decision can be made.
• Reports of serious infractions or repeated infractions will result in an investigation by the REACH Panel
  • If the reports are found to be substantiated, the reported party may be asked to take specific actions before being allowed back in the space
• Repeated problematic behavior without successful resolution may be grounds for a permanent ban from the space
  • Problematic behavior includes actions you've been asked multiple times to stop by a REACH Steward
• Depending on severity, behavior outside of REACH may also be grounds for a suspension or ban, following an investigation.

• Help REACH Hosts keep the space safe by letting them know about harmful or disruptive behavior
  • Please avoid reporting things that you think *someone* might find disruptive or harmful -- only report things that are harmful or disruptive to you, or which someone else has told you is harmful/disruptive to them
• Do not try to impose or enforce bans without explicit go-ahead from a REACH Steward

• You can request further clarification later, including asking for mediation with the Host(s) facilitated by members of the REACH panel or by a mutually agreed upon third party