Accountability Agreement

UKSCN Accountability Agreement

When we join and work in UKSCN we agree to the following:

Some of us have privileges in society that others of us don’t, related to our race, class, gender etc. This often impacts how comfortable we feel making our points heard and how much we are listened to in wider society. We aim to be aware of how our privileges impact our behaviour, including how we are harming each other without meaning to.

We don’t assume that everyone comes from the same background or has the same life experience. We actively work to include and support everyone to get involved and contribute however they are able to. We try to work in different ways to honour everyone’s skills and don’t assume that one kind of work is more ‘valuable’ or ‘important’ than any other.

In society, some people have more power than others based on their privileges. We are anti-hierarchy: we oppose and break down power structures when we see them building up within our group.

We are all different! We focus on things that bring us together instead of defining each other by our differences. We remember that we won’t always agree but we listen to each other and try to understand each other’s opinions. We take responsibility for our words and actions and are not afraid to change our minds.

Our words and actions can harm people even if this is not our intention. If we do or say something that is harmful we can expect to be challenged in a way that respects us as a person but challenges our behaviour.
We challenge oppressive behaviours when we see them and always aim to help each other understand where we have caused harm. We remember that it is never the responsibility of those who experience that oppression or harm to educate others on why the behaviours are oppressive. Challenging harmful behaviour in ourselves and others is a collective responsibility.

When our behaviour is challenged we agree to remain open to constructive feedback and criticism rather than becoming defensive. We remember that if we come from a place of privilege in a discussion, feeling uncomfortable because we are challenged is a sign that we need to look at our own behaviour and not a sign that we are being discriminated against. When we are challenged we agree to listen and reflect on what we are being told, even if we disagree.
We work to create an environment where it is okay to ask if we don’t understand something, and where a wide range of different ways to learn are available. We are all responsible for our own education and for sharing what we have learned with others.

We all have different physical, emotional, sexual and online boundaries. We don’t assume all of us are comfortable with the same things. We always respect other people’s boundaries, including when they are different to our own, and we expect our own boundaries to be respected. We ask for consent before touching someone, sending sexual or upsetting messages or discussing potentially upsetting topics.
We remember that boundaries can change: just because we have been okay with something in the past, this doesn’t mean we will always be comfortable with it.
We take responsibility for our actions and for when we violate someone else’s physical, emotional, sexual or online boundaries, including when this boundary-crossing is accidental.
Not saying ‘no’ is not the same as saying ‘yes’. If we are not sure if someone is comfortable with something, we ask.