Code of Conduct

TLDR

• Treat everyone with respect and kindness
• Be thoughtful in how you communicate
• Do not be destructive or inflammatory
• If you encounter an issue, please email: niko@kiwihacks.org

Why have a Code of Conduct?

The KiwiHacks community includes people from many different backgrounds. The organizers and contributors of KiwiHacks are committed to providing a friendly, safe, and welcoming environment for everyone, regardless of age, disability, gender, nationality, race, religion, sexuality, or similar personal characteristic.

The first goal of this Code of Conduct is to establish a baseline standard of behavior so that people with different social values and communication styles can communicate effectively, productively, and respectfully.

The second goal is to provide a mechanism for resolving conflicts in the community when they arise.

The third goal is to ensure our community is welcoming to people from different backgrounds. Diversity is critical for building a thriving hacker community, and KiwiHacks benefits from participants with different perspectives and experiences.

A healthy community must still allow for disagreement and debate. This Code of Conduct is not intended to silence differing opinions, but rather to ensure that discussions remain respectful and constructive.

Where does the Code of Conduct apply?

If you participate in KiwiHacks in any way, you are expected to follow this Code of Conduct.

Explicit enforcement applies to all official KiwiHacks spaces, including:

• The KiwiHacks hackathon event
• Any KiwiHacks online platforms (Discord, Slack, etc.)
• KiwiHacks GitHub repositories
• KiwiHacks workshops, meetups, and related events

Organizers, volunteers, mentors, and partners are expected to model this Code of Conduct at all times.

Hacker Values

These are the values people in the KiwiHacks community should strive toward:

Be friendly and welcoming

Be considerate of others. Remember that people have different communication styles and that not everyone is using their native language.

Be patient

Misunderstandings happen. Take time to clarify rather than assume bad intent.

Be thoughtful

Productive communication requires effort. Consider how your words may be interpreted before sending them.

Sometimes it is best not to comment at all.

Be respectful

Respect differences of opinion and approach disagreements constructively.

Be charitable

Assume good faith when interpreting others' ideas. Try to understand perspectives before disagreeing.

Avoid destructive behavior

The following behaviors harm community discussions and should be avoided:

• Derailing conversations - stay on topic. If you want to discuss something else, start a new conversation.
• Unconstructive criticism - do not only criticize; suggest improvements.
• Snarky or hostile comments - short, sarcastic, or dismissive remarks that add no value.
• Unnecessarily inflammatory discussions about sensitive topics.
• Microaggressions - subtle insults or dismissive remarks directed toward a person or group.

People are complex and misunderstandings happen. When conflict occurs:

• Try not to take offense where none was intended
• Avoid escalating arguments
• Give people the benefit of the doubt
• Work toward de-escalation and constructive discussion

Unwelcome behavior

The following actions are not permitted in KiwiHacks spaces:

• Insulting, demeaning, hateful, or threatening remarks
• Discrimination based on age, nationality, race, disability, gender identity or expression, sexuality, religion, or similar personal characteristics
• Bullying or harassment
• Unwelcome sexual attention or sexually explicit content
• Spam or disruptive advertising without permission from KiwiHacks organizers
• Fraud or misrepresentation related to KiwiHacks resources, funding, or prizes

Moderation & Enforcement

Speech and actions have consequences. Unacceptable behavior will not be tolerated.

If behavior violates this Code of Conduct:

First offense

• You may receive a warning from organizers or moderators.
• You may be asked to stop the behavior and apologize if appropriate.

Second offense

• You may be temporarily removed from event spaces or online communities.

Third offense

• You may be removed from the event or community entirely.

These guidelines are flexible. KiwiHacks organizers may take any action deemed necessary, including immediate removal from an event or platform if the situation warrants it.

Reporting an Issue

If you encounter a Code of Conduct issue, do not attempt to handle it publicly or escalate it through social media.

Email: niko@kiwihacks.org

Reports will be handled confidentially by the KiwiHacks organizing team. We aim to respond within 48 hours.

When reviewing a report, organizers may:

• Gather additional context
• Speak with involved parties
• Determine an appropriate response

Possible outcomes include:

• No action
• A request for apology
• A warning
• Temporary suspension from the event or community
• Permanent removal from KiwiHacks spaces

Our goal is always to resolve conflicts fairly and respectfully. Permanent bans and severe measures are used only when necessary.

Acknowledgments

This Code of Conduct was adapted from the Hack Club Code of Conduct, which itself was adapted from the Go Code of Conduct.

It is to be noted that many parts of Go's Code of Conduct are adopted from the Code of Conduct documents of the Django, FreeBSD, and Rust projects.