Community Guidelines

For this Global Gathering, we strive to build a supportive and welcoming space. To accomplish this, we rely on our community as a collective to help us create a conference where we practise respect for each others’ identities, cultures and perspectives.

These guidelines define our common understanding of our goals, community norms and how we come together as a collective. The list is not exhaustive, and might be open to interpretation in some circumstances – if uncertain, please ask a UMI Fund team member.

These guidelines are intended as a foundation and collective agreement for a safer and more inclusive space that we all create together. However, UMI Fund understands that sometimes we will also have a responsibility to actively protect our community and environment from persistent or intentional behaviour that doesn’t meet the spirit or letter of these guidelines. In those cases we may separate those not respecting the guidelines from the group or require them to leave the event or gathering.

Our guidelines:

P-Practice kindness to others & yourself
E-Enter the space with positive intention
A-Actively listen & avoid assumptions
C-Consider how WE ALL can learn
E-Engage as you feel comfortable

  • Please communicate respectfully and kindly, without judgement and with awareness of everyone who is listening. Please try to be alert to your potential personal biases and be thoughtful about your privileges, especially in relation to other participants, before you join the meeting.
  • Listen and engage actively with others, being conscious to not disrupt.
  • The majority of participants will not be speaking their first language. For everyone’s benefit, please speak slowly and clearly.
  • Make space for others, share the microphone/air time and do your best to be open-minded and open-hearted, especially with others who share different perspectives.
  • Avoid using acronyms, jargon or slang.
  • Be aware that words are powerful and can cause offence and hurt. In particular, avoid words and phrases that may be offensive to others, including swearing. Derogatory terms have no place in our community.
  • Support security and confidentiality: please don’t share other people’s private information, and don’t repeat what people have said without their permission.

You can read more detailed digital security advice here.