EA - Guide to Safe and Inclusive Events by GWWC and OFTW by GraceAdams

Welcome to The Nonlinear Library, where we use Text-to-Speech software to convert the best writing from the Rationalist and EA communities into audio. This is: Guide to Safe and Inclusive Events by GWWC and OFTW, published by GraceAdams on July 27, 2023 on The Effective Altruism Forum.[We are sharing this guide on the Forum as an example for other organisations and groups that may be organising events. This guide is used by volunteers and staff at both Giving What We Can (GWWC) and One for the World (OFTW) when planning and running events.]IntroductionWho is this guide for?This guide is for anyone who is organising events in association with Giving What We Can or One for the World, whether that be paid staff or volunteers. We also hope it will be a useful resource for anyone else who is looking to organise community events in a safe and inclusive way.Why have a guide?It can be hard to think of all the relevant considerations around running events by yourself, and each of us have biases or preferences that mean that we may be more likely to think of some areas and not others. This guide aims to cover a broad range of considerations to help all organisers and ensure safe and inclusive events for all attendees.Giving What We Can and One for the World take providing safe and inclusive events seriously. Our organisations exist to improve the world, and aim to do so through the lens of compassion. We believe our events should mirror our commitment to creating a better world.What are other helpful resources to consult?CEA's Advice about Community Health at RetreatsHow to help someone having a panic attackResources from CEA on community healthWhat to keep in mind when planning the eventWho will be attending the eventConsiderations around ageUnder 18sThe organisation may not be covered by insurance to host attendees under the age 18 when unaccompanied by a parent. Please reach out to staff to discuss this more if you think Under 18s may be interested in attending.AlcoholBe aware of the restrictions on drinking in different countries. In the US, students at the undergraduate level are typically not of legal age to drink, which is 21.In other countries, it may be more common for students to drink together. That said, be mindful of the dynamics that alcohol can introduce to events, regardless of age. At the top of the event-planning process, you should first consider running the event without alcohol. You should only decide to include it if there is a strong reason to, and if there are no concerns about the mixing of young students or professionals of different ages, who come with different cultural and regional contexts around drinking.Having alcohol at your event increases associated risks for serious, negative outcomes, like sexual harassment, bullying, and even assault.Power dynamicsBe aware of power dynamics that may be unintentionally (or intentionally) created within your spaces. People who have management responsibility typically have a degree of power, whether intentionally or not, over those who are in a reporting relationship to them. People who are older, especially with significant age differences, sometimes have a level of unstated power relative to those who are younger than them. This can be doubly true when mixing folks of different ages and genders.There may also be funding relationships within your spaces that manifest through power dynamics. A person with any degree of responsibility for funding a particular person, group, or organization has a degree of power over those that they are funding. People who are in the process of reviewing grants or funding proposals from others may also have a degree of power over those people.FamiliesGWWC and OFTW events typically cater to either students or young professionals. Keep in mind that either group may have families and children who might be involved in an event that you host.When planning an event, especially a larger one, consider whether it woul...