Hi, Oren, A policy can be as vague or as specific as is suitable, I think the one you are working with is pretty good. But I think it is useful to think of a code of conduct in a broader, more incusive way, and to present it that way also. A code of conduct, and reporting and enforcement of same, is really about trust and about transparency. There comes a time when your community starts to include people who are not part of the initial in-group, who don't know the unspoken and unwritten rules. And you want to send the message that those peole are welcoem also. When your community becomes more heterogeneous, and that is a good thing. A diverse community isi stronger and makes better decisions and is more creative overall.
A place where there has been a lot of thought and consideration of this topic is in the organization and sponsoring of conferences. The lively discussion started in 2011 or so and and a lot of very good things have come from it. It has led for example to the increasingly widespread use of ASAN's color cards <http://autisticadvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/ColorCommunicationBadges.pdf> and the availability of accomodations for people with disabilities, as well as increased attendance and enjoyment by women and people of color. A number of prominent speakers have said they willnto participate if there is no code of conduct, and The Python Sofware Foundation requires a code of conduct <http://jessenoller.com/blog/2012/12/7/the-code-of-conduct> for any Conference it sponsors or attends. (the linked blog post is useful food for thougth in developing and launching one). Here <http://geekfeminism.wikia.com/wiki/Conference_anti-harassment/Policy_resources> and here <http://www.ashedryden.com/blog/codes-of-conduct-101-faq>are some nifty resources for developing and launching a code of conduct, they are focused on conferences but are easily adaptable I think. . One of the things I do want to note about this kind of policy is that 1) it is worth putting the time in to win hearts and minds on it, 2) reporting is often neglected, and 3) enforcement can be problematic. The key really is though that any kind of written policy that works by unwritten rules or leaves people in a state of uncertainty is not a good result. There is also sometimes a good deal of resistance to the implementation of such a policy, mostly on the ground that Humans Hate Change (the guiding principle of life). This is also to be worked through. I would call it a manifesto or a declaration of values myself. Though I did not, here it is part of the Terms of Use. Still a Code or a set of House Rules is not a replacement for a culture of accountability to each other and of inclusion; that's what really solves the problem. In some ways having rules is a way of opening the conversation and communicating, reporting policies are ways of getting the community involved and enforcement is showing that you intend to walk your talk. , -- Visit this forum on the web at http://discuss.coworking.com --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Coworking" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to coworking+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
