codeofconduct

Local Gov Digital's Code of Conduct

The Local Gov Digital community expects that Local Gov Digital network activities, events, and digital forums:

1. Are a safe and respectful environment for all participants.
2. Are a place where people are free to fully express their identities.
3. Presume the value of others. Everyone’s ideas, skills, and contributions have value.
4. Don’t assume everyone has the same context, and encourage questions.
5. Find a way for people to be productive with their skills (technical and not) and energy. Use language such as “yes/and”, not “no/but.”
6. Encourage members and participants to listen as much as they speak.
7. Prioritise access for and input from those who are traditionally excluded from the gov tech process.
8. Work to ensure that the community is well-represented in the planning, design, and implementation of gov tech. This includes encouraging participation from women, minorities, and traditionally marginalized groups.
9. Actively involve community groups and those with subject matter expertise in the decision-making process.
10. Ensure that the relationships and conversations between community members, the local government staff and community partners remain respectful, participatory, and productive.
11. Provide an environment where people are free from discrimination or harassment.

Specifically For Representatives From Our Commercial Friends

Thanks for joining our community - we love having you here. The community is a great place to learn what your users need in relation to specific policy and business areas - please participate in related discussions alongside your competitors and other interest parties. Please do not use the community as a forum to market your products or approach individuals or groups for direct selling. Do not collect personal data from any related digital services, community meetups, etc for use in any commercial endeavour. While we are keen to learn from your expertise please do not use the community as part of your product support network. Please refer specific service issue related questions to your own forums or issue tracking systems.

Local Gov Digital reserves the right to ask anyone in violation of these policies not to participate in Local Gov Digital network activities, events, and digital forums.

Local Gov Digital's Anti-Harassment Policy

This anti-harassment policy is based on the example policy from the Geek Feminism wiki, created by the Ada Initiative and other volunteers.

This policy is based on Codes of Conduct from other organisations, including Code For America and Lesbians Who Tech.

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All Local Gov Digital network activities, events, and digital forums and their staff, presenters, and participants are held to an anti-harassment policy, included below.

Local Gov Digital is dedicated to providing a harassment-free experience for everyone regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, age, or religion. We do not tolerate harassment of staff, presenters, and participants in any form. Sexual language and imagery is not appropriate for any Local Gov Digital event or network activity, including talks, workshops, parties, Twitter and other online media. Anyone in violation of these policies may be expelled from Local Gov Digital network activities, events, and digital forums, at the discretion of the event organiser or forum administrator.

Harassment includes but is not limited to: offensive verbal or written comments related to gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion and technology choices; sexual images in public spaces; deliberate intimidation; stalking; following; harassing photography or recording; sustained disruption of talks or other events; inappropriate physical contact; unwelcome sexual attention; unwarranted exclusion; and patronizing language or action.

If a participant engages in harassing behavior, the organizers may take any action they deem appropriate, including warning the offender or expulsion from Local Gov Digital network activities, events, and digital forums. Participants asked to stop any harrassing behaviour are expected to comply immediately.

If you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact a member of the event facilitation team or forum administrator immediately. Facilitators can be identified as they'll be wearing branded clothing and/or badges. You can contact them at [EVENT ORGANIZER/FORUM ADMINISTRATOR EMAIL AND PHONE NUMBER]. Event facilitators or forum administrators will be happy to help participants contact hotel/venue security or local law enforcement, provide escorts, or otherwise assist those experiencing harassment to feel safe for the duration of the event.

If you cannot reach an event organizer or forum administrator and/or it is an emergency, please call 999 and/or remove yourself from the situation.

You can also contact Local Gov Digital about harassment at safespace@xxx.xxx and feel free to use the email template below. Local Gov Digital event facilitators acknowledge that we are not always in a position to evaluate a given situation, however we are hopeful that by providing these guidelines we are establishing a community that jointly adheres to these values and can provide an environment that is welcoming to all.

We value your attendance and hope that by communicating these expectations widely we can all enjoy a harassment-free environment.

Email Template for Anti-Harassment Reporting

SUBJECT: Safe Space alert at [EVENT NAME]

I am writing because of harassment at a Local Gov Digital event, (NAME, PLACE, DATE OF EVENT).

You can reach me at (CONTACT INFO). Thank you.