Code of Conduct — Easy Read

If you have any questions about our Code of Conduct, please email us directly:

admin@spectrumquest.com.au

Phone:

(541) 754-3010

For participants and parents with accessibility needs. (See disclaimer)

If you aren’t sure what something means, or you want to understand something better, you can click on the + sign, and you will see more information.

What you must do

Act Safely

Safely means doing things in a way to avoid danger and try not to harm people.

Example

Walking in a crowded space is safe, while running in a crowded space is unsafe, as you might bump into and hurt yourself or someone else.

Or speaking normally is safe, while shouting as loud as you can into someone’s ear is unsafe, as you could hurt their hearing, and the loud noise could make them uncomfortable.

Treat people, and their stuff respectfully

Respectfully means listening to what they say, speaking to them politely, welcoming them into the group, as well as treating them how they would like to be/or have their stuff be treated.

Politely means to use words like “please”, “thank you” and “sorry”, as well as other words which are nice. You should avoid phrases like “give me that!”, and instead use “can I please have that?”

If you don’t know how they would like to be treated, you can ask.

When someone does something that upsets you, you should:

Tell them nicely that what they did upset you, and try to discuss it

Or walk away

And tell a Spectrum Quest Game Master

When someone asks you to stop doing something to them or to their stuff, you stop doing it, or you talk with them about it nicely

Only touch others appropriately after they give their permission.

Appropriately means touching areas such as the arms, upper back, or giving hugs.
Permission means you must ask the person if you can touch them the way you are thinking you might touch them.

Example

You might ask them “May I give you a hug?” or “May I pat you on the back?” or you might put your hand up to offer a high five.

If you are in a Spectrum Quest game and your character is upset with someone:

Don’t get upset with them outside of the game.

If a character says or does something mean to your character, don’t get upset with that person who controls the character. Calm down first.

First do stuff that calms you down. Then, when you are calm, if you are still upset with what they did, talk with that person who controls the character about what happened.

(If your character is upset, but you are not, then just keep playing the game)

What you must NOT do

Do not be disrespectful

Disrespectful means ignoring what they say, speaking rudely, doing things that make it harder for them to be in the group, and treating them in ways they don’t want to be treated.

Making it harder for someone to be in the group might look like: constantly interrupting or ignoring someone when they speak. Or always making jokes that someone might not get, and then choosing to not explain it to them.

Some people might have ways they don’t want to be treated that are specific to them.

Example

Some people like to greet each other with hugs, while others don’t. Nothing is wrong with a hug, but if a person says they don’t want hugs, then giving them hugs is not how you should treat them.

It is good to ask how people want to be treated when you’re not sure. And you should also tell others how you do or do not want to be treated when asked.

Do not be intentionally mean

Being mean is when you say or do stuff that you know they won’t like.

Example

If someone doesn’t like talking about blood and guts in a battle for a roleplaying game, then talking about it when you remember they don’t like it because you want to make them feel uncomfortable is mean.

If you are upset with someone, do not do mean stuff in a Spectrum Quest game to them

Sometimes we might be upset at someone. Maybe at school they annoyed you, or did better than you in an exam. And so you have angry or upset feelings towards them.
What you should not do, is do things in the Spectrum Quest game to get revenge on them

Example

Your character might attack their character, when they would not normally attack. Or you might let them fall off a cliff and die, when you could have saved them.

Do not touch others inappropriately

Inappropriately means don’t touch the person’s groin, bottom, breasts, or any area the person isn’t comfortable with you touching.

Do not steal, nor borrow without asking

When do these rules apply?

Any time you are at a Spectrum Quest program, that:

Is about to run

Is running

Or just finished running

Any time you talk or interact with people from Spectrum Quest (even if you are not at a Spectrum Quest program), such as:

The game master

Other participants

Other parents

People at the same place as a Spectrum Quest program

What to do if someone doesn’t do some of these expected things

Talk with a Spectrum Quest Game Master and tell them

If you don’t obey these rules

You may be warned by a Spectrum Quest Game Master

If bad enough, you may be kicked from the program

If you did something illegal, the police may be called

Illegal means against Australian or Victoria laws.

Disclaimer

This document is intended for participants, and parents who are not acting as volunteers, who need a more accessible presentation of the code of conduct due to age, cognitive ability, or anything else that would make it unreasonable for the person to read the full Code of Conduct. Where possible, participants and parents should read the full Code of Conduct.

All others who partake in Spectrum Quest, including but not limited to, Game Masters, Volunteers, contractors, and any others involved or associated with any program run by Spectrum Quest are expected to adhere to the full Code of Conduct, and are to consider this document an inappropriate substitute.