Why Have a Code of Conduct?
A Code of Conduct serves to create an inclusive culture, and leadership of an event should adhere strongly to the Code of Conduct and serve as an example for others. It’s worth noting that a Code of Conduct must be learned over time, and you cannot expect everyone to immediately adhere to it. It will be a process, and as such, require interaction between those who understand it, and those who are in the process of understanding it. Not everyone will agree with the guidelines and rules of your Code of Conduct, and you must decide what to do at that point.
If violating the Code of Conduct is enough to get someone removed from your event, you must have a plan in place for that. As always, be polite, explain things clearly, and follow a plan. Do you provide a refund? Do you ban a Maker from taking part in future events? Do you have a “three strikes” rule? Determine as much as you can beforehand, but know that you might not get it right the first time. Like everything else, it’s an iterative process where the goal is to continually improve.
The Components of a Code of Conduct
An adequate code of conduct should have four parts:
- Statement of unacceptable behavior.
- How the policy will be enforced.
- How and whom to make an incident report to.
- Training and reference materials for organizers, staff, and volunteers on how to respond to incident reports.
Example/Template
You can find an example that you can use at confcodeofconduct.com
Note that the code of conduct page at confcodeofconduct.com is a template and should not be considered as enforceable.
Your organization should always customized a code of conduct that is the correct fit for your event. Many makerspaces will already have an existing Code of Conduct which can be applied to an event held at their space. If you are partnering with other organizations for an event it’s a good idea to share any existing Code of Conduct to make sure all parties invokved are in agreement with the components of it.
Tip: You can find the source for this template on GitHub: https://github.com/confcodeofconduct/confcodeofconduct.com
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