Code of Conduct

This Code of Conduct applies to professionals, participants, parents/carers/siblings and partners involved with Somerset Youth Theatre.

If you feel that someone is not following this code of conduct, in the first instance please tell the session facilitator. If you’d like to speak to someone else, or for further information on anything contained in this document, you can go directly to:

 

Selina Keedwell
SYT’s Artistic Director
selina@somersetyt.com

Joanne Evans
SYT’s Outreach & Participation lead
SYToutreach@gmail.com

 

Somerset Youth Theatre CIC

SYT aims to provide the best possible environment for anyone working, volunteering and participating in our projects.

​

Everyone involved with SYT is encouraged to contribute to open, honest and respectful conversations that seek to support collective artistic learning.

GENERAL EXPECTATIONS

It is expected that anyone taking part in SYT activity will:

  • Follow current Government guidelines for keeping Covid-19 safe
  • Collaborate with everyone else in the session
  • Do their best to trust one another and be honest if they are finding this difficult
  • Listen to and respect other people’s views or opinion
  • Make space to ensure everyone has an equal voice
  • Contribute to sessions with a positive, supportive attitude
  • Follow best practice, and common sense, at all times
  • Tell someone if anything feels wrong or worrying.

We are opposed to Bullying and Harassment in any form.

We ask everyone involved in SYT to take responsibility for managing the impact that their actions, behaviour or comments may have on others.

This applies to all sessions delivered online, in-person and additional rehearsals or performances for special projects.

COVID CODE OF CONDUCT

Participants and parents/carers involved with Somerset Youth Theatre will aim to:

  • Follow current Covid-19 Gov guidance

The session facilitator will:

  • follow ‘Covid-19 secure’ guidelines
  • abide by Somerset Youth Theatre’s risk assessment
  • ask everyone to wash or sanitise their hands when arriving at the space, and regularly throughout the session
  • not allow anyone to come to the activity who has Covid-19 symptoms

The space provider will:

  • have a Covid-19 risk assessment
  • clean more often
  • ask visitors to socially distance and wear masks
  • increase ventilation
  • turn away anyone with Covid-19 symptoms.

MOVING ONLINE

If Government guidelines change, or if we feel it is necessary, we may need to move Somerset Youth Theatre delivery to an online platform. We will communicate with everyone involved in good time before we do this and we’ll do our best to keep it fun!

SYT Online will be held via Zoom.

We believe that it is important to keep everyone safe while in a digital space. To help achieve this we ask that:

Expectations of all Somerset Youth Theatre members:

CODE OF CONDUCT:

When engaging in youth activities digitally it is always worth remembering SYT three rules:

  1. Be kind
  2. Be brave
  3. Be yourself

GROUP SAFETY

Please do:

  • Post content that is positive and encouraging to other group members.
  • Post content that is kind, thoughtful and non-threatening.
  • Post content that includes everyone.
  • Use an account that is your own, or your parent/carer.

Please don’t:

    • Bully, intimidate or harass any participant or staff member/leader.
    • Upload viruses or other malicious codes.
  • Post content that is hate speech, threatening or pornographic .
  • Post content that incites violence, or contains violence or nudity.
  • Share the Meeting ID/password with someone not part of the Group

LIVE VIDEO CHAT / DIGITAL COMMUNICATION

Please do:

    • Respect each other and be kind (Remember it’s easy to misinterpret things online).
    • Only use your first name in the call, not your full name.
    • Ensure you have the privacy you require for the session, and you are comfortable and safe (but please don’t engage from your bed!)
    • Make sure people you are living with know you are on a live video chat but don’t include them in the chat. All parents and guardians will receive a copy of the code of conduct too.
    • Parents/carers are responsible for participants, please remain present in the house and within earshot of the session
    • Ensure the space you use at home is set up appropriately to take part safely. We may still play games and run around a bit, so it’s useful to have room to move in if you can.
    • Wear appropriate clothing, even on parts of you that you think won’t be seen.
  • Email a group leader directly if you feel worried about anything.
  • Stick to the designated times set for this group’s digital engagement.

Please don’t:

  • Record or take photos of anything without the others consent.
  • Share the chat password or Zoom link
  • Deliberately exclude group members from group chat either through sharing ”in jokes” or blocking them.
  • Engage in group chats late at night or without leaders in the group present.

The facilitator will record the session for safeguarding reasons. Photos / video footage will not be shared with anyone who is not part of the session whether through private message, social media, online or offline. If any of the work explored is to be used for an SYT project, we will ask parents/carers as per the usual sharing agreement and will ensure all is anonymous and appropriate.

Further Information

Detailed descriptions of SYT’s policies are available on request, including, but not limited to:

  • Safeguarding
  • Equality policy
  • Safer recruitment policy
  • Anti-radicialisation policy
  • Anti-bullying policy
  • Prevent policy
  • Complaints procedure