Code of Conduct
In this space, we work along the basis of consent, respect, non-judgment, self-determination and harm reduction.
Consent: Freely given (without constraints) and informed authorization, understanding as much pertinent information as possible. Consent can be withdrawn or changed at every moment. If you have not received someone’s consent, don’t assume: ask them !
Respect: Acknowledging each person’s individual identity and making sure to preserve their dignity.
Non-judgement: Understanding that each person is best suited to make decisions for themselves. A person making a decision you don’t understand doesn’t equate a “bad” decision.
Self-determination: Each person decides what is best for them to the best of their abilities.
Harm reduction: We take each person’s reality and current situation into account. By giving you access to information and a judgement-free space, we want to encourage your autonomy and help you make sure that the decisions you take are as informed as possible regarding the context of your life, well-being and safety.
We encourage you to...
Show respect, open-mindedness and compassion.
Ask for consent and accept the limits of others. For consent to be valid, it has to be free, informed and enthusiastic!
Express your discomfort if you experience it and look for help if possible.
Ask for the pronouns and preferred names of new participants and try to make them feel at home.
Wash your dishes, put back the things you use where they came from and keep the space tidy.
Go to the volunteers or employees if you need any help, advice or attention. We’re here for you!
Use the listening room if you want intimacy to talk to someone, avoid the crowd or change clothes.
We ask you to avoid to :
Perpetuate any form of violence or treat, be it physical, verbal, psychological or sexual.
Use a language considered, invalidating, inappropriate or ignorant.
Assume the gender, sex or sexual orientation of someone. If you feel unsure, you can respectfully ask them their pronouns.
Ask questions or behave in an intrusive fashion. If you’re not sure, ask people’s permission and respect their choices and privacy.
Take drugs or alcohol in the space, or get here in a state of visible drunkenness or intoxication.
Have sexual relations in the space. We tolerate sexual gestures, words and jokes as long as they are not too explicit and if the people concerned consent.
What happens if the code of conduct is not respected ?
Nobody is perfect, and it’s perfectly possible to forget one or two rules from time to time. That being said, if a participant can’t respect the rules of the space for a certain amount of time, and after multiple warnings they show no improvement, we will apply appropriate consequences in order to keep the space safe. These sanctions can go up to permanent ban from the organisation’s activities.
Confidentiality: We offer confidential services and your safety and self-determination are our main priorities. However, the Québec legal system forces us to call the authorities in certain instances where a minor (someone aged below 18 years old) is in danger.