Too Long, Did Not Read

Be respectful and act in good faith. Harassment and abuse are never tolerated. If you are in a situation that makes you uncomfortable at a START Hack Event, if the event itself is creating an unsafe or inappropriate environment, or if interacting with a START Hack representative or event organizer makes you uncomfortable, please report it using the procedures included below.

1. General

START Hack seeks to provide a respectful, friendly, professional experience for everyone, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, physical appearance, economic status, disability, age, race or religion. We believe that every single person has the right to hack in a safe and welcoming environment.

2. Anti-Harassment Policy

We do not tolerate any behaviour that would be deemed harassment or discrimination. Harassment includes offensive verbal comments related to gender, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, nationality, religion or political views, sexual images in public spaces, deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, photography or audio/video recording against reasonable consent, sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention. If what you’re doing is making someone feel uncomfortable, that counts as harassment and that is reason enough to stop doing it.

Photography is encouraged, but other participants must be given a reasonable chance to opt out of being photographed. If they object to the taking of their photograph, comply with their request. It is inappropriate to take photographs in contexts where people have a reasonable expectation of privacy (in bathrooms or where participants are sleeping).

As this is a hackathon, we like to explicitly note that the hacks created at our hackathon are equally subject to the anti-harassment policy.

Sponsors and partners are also subject to the anti-harassment policy. In particular, sponsors should not use sexualised images, activities, or other material. Sponsor representatives (including volunteers) should not use sexualised clothing/uniforms/costumes, or otherwise create a sexualised environment.

3. Our Values

Throughout each interaction, we aspire to embody and champion the below values:

1. Be friendly and welcoming
   • Listen with purpose, create space for others’ communication preferences
   • Ask yourself how you can make someone else’s life easier
2. Be patient
   • Remember that people have varying communication styles and preferences
   • Recognize that not everyone is using their native language (meaning and tone can be lost in translation)
3. Be thoughtful
   • Think about how others will interpret your words – productive, clear communication requires effort!
   • Remember that sometimes it is best to refrain entirely from commenting
4. Be respectful and inclusive
   • Respect differences of opinion
   • Seek to build bridges and understand, not condemn, or criticize
   • Make a conscious effort to include people who differ from you
5. Be open and curious
   • Assume good intent and interpret others’ statements or questions in good faith
   • Ask questions to understand, not denounce
   • Focus on continuous learning - get better at the things you already know, tackle completely new things, and ask others about their expertise to deepen yours

In summary:

1. Treat everyone with respect, kindness, and empathy.
2. Use welcoming and inclusive language.
3. Be thoughtful in how you communicate in person and online.