The burner community brings together hundreds of people from different backgrounds to work together and participate. We make this community and its events as wonderful, creative and colourful a mix as they are themselves. We need to accept that there are no spaces that are 100% safe for all but together we can work to ensure that Hamburn is a safe*r, supportive and inclusive community for every participant.
This Code of Conduct sets standards for what is expected of you while participating in any community activities and events. We cannot address every situation you might face, but this document highlights situations that may require your particular attention. Familiarize yourself with it and use it as your guideline.
This Code of Conduct is applicable while attending any Hamburn event and/or carrying out a volunteer role both offline and online. It applies equally to all members of the Hamburn community. No one has such seniority or privilege that they are exempt from these guidelines. Being in an inebriated state will not excuse a person from their actions if they decide to act outside the Code of Conduct.
Consent is our 11th principle. These are some core ideas on how we define consent within our community:
Silence is not consent. “Maybe” is not consent. Only a clear and enthusiastic verbal “yes” gives you consent to move forward with your interaction. If there is any doubt about whether a person is into what you’re doing, stop and ask. Keep checking in for enthusiastic consent.
People have different boundaries, and boundaries are likely to change and shift over time. Don't expect people to like or want the same things as you do. Please check in with yourself and your boundaries as well as those around you. Be sensitive to signs of discomfort in the people you interact with. Respect other people's bodies, personal space and time. Ask before acting!
Please be mindful that while under the influence of substances a full and clearly consensual YES is not possible. Substances can lower our inhibitions and lead us to crossing our own internal boundaries. If you are planning to use substances, consider where your own boundaries lie beforehand.
Hamburn welcomes people of all abilities, body types, gender identities and expressions, ethnicities, ages, cultures, religions, relationship and family statuses, and sexual orientations. We actively strive to be anti-racist, anti-fascist, anti-sexist, anti-homo/bi/queer/transphobic. You must afford all of your fellow Hamburners an equal degree of respect and acceptance. Hamburn doesn't condone any discriminatory behaviour, and will take action against it.
Inclusion is one of our core principles. Only together can we make Hamburn what it is. We are striving for a surrounding that makes everyone involved feel that they belong. Try your best to find inclusive ways to communicate with each other, and include others and collaborate in your projects and volunteer work. Pay attention to your safety and the safety of others.
We all have good and bad days. Planning for an event, doing volunteer work and participating in Hamburn can be challenging at times. Do your best to support your fellow Hamburners and look after one another. Assume good intentions from one another and meet each other with an empathetic mindset. Accept constructive criticism with grace. When in conflict, be tolerant and seek mediation if needed.
We care about our environment. Leave No Trace is how you recognise a burner everywhere– we want to set an example for other communities. Help keep any space that you occupy undamaged and clean and make sure other people involved understand the importance of this principle.
These are some examples of unacceptable behaviour applying equally to digital and physical spaces:
Being in an inebriated state will not excuse a person from their actions if they decide to act outside our Code of Conduct.
Anyone feeling harassed or put in a compromising situation or witnessing a violation of the Code of Conduct can report the incident to the conflict team via this form. The form gives the team the details of the issue and ways in which to move forward based on The Harm Scale.
Each report will be processed in a private and respectful manner.
If an incident happens during the event, it can be shared with Welfare or Rangers directly.
The Welfare is a secure place specifically designed for you to be listened to, without being disturbed. In this environment we invite you to have a confidential support talk with a volunteer. All volunteers involved in the Welfare are experienced as good listeners (in some cases by their profession). All of them have signed a written agreement to maintain confidentiality.
The volunteers can give you more information about the reporting process and help you file your report if that is your wish.
Unacceptable behaviour will not be tolerated and anyone asked to stop unacceptable behaviour is expected to comply immediately.
If a participant engages in unacceptable behaviour, the people responsible for the event's safety may take any action they deem appropriate to ensure the safety of the event and its participants. This action may include expulsion from the event without refund, revoking tickets, or removing a volunteer from their shift.
If a participant’s behaviour is found to be harmful to individuals, the community/event, and in violation of the CoC an expulsion for the present or following years may be instituted. This expulsion may be partial, complete, or a role-based ban (volunteering, event organising, etc). Hamburn reserves the right to work with other regional Burns on CoC violations.
If there is a criminal incident, for example, a sexual or physical assault, the local law enforcement will be contacted based on the wishes of the victim, per existing protocols. Nothing above will prevent legal action depending on the incident.
The conflict team is a group of volunteers dedicated to solving conflicts and its priorities and goals are:
The goal of the team is NOT to determine guilt or innocence but to define with all parties involved how to protect our community from any further breaches of the Hamburn Code of Conduct and to ensure the community’s ability to hold our events safely.